From tomorrow’s Globe:
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Four Nations Faceoff will force a frenzy
The inaugural Four Nations Faceoff, which will wrap up on Causeway Street with the gold-medal game Feb. 20, should be an exciting in-season spectacle as a precursor to the ‘26 Olympics, even if the mighty Czechs aren’t part of the jamboree.
The tourney will made up with squads from the United States, Canada, Finland, and Sweden, and also will make for an exhausting finish to the regular-season schedule.
Ostensibly, all 32 teams will be pressed into playing every other night when play resumes on Saturday Feb. 22, leaving the 16 playoff qualifiers to enter into Cup play facing the prospect of playing every other night through four rounds. Potentially, that’s four months with only a game off between opening puck drops. No pro sport wrings out labor’s bones like the NHL.
Consider the Bruins: They’ll play 25 times over the last 53 days, with an added twist of difficulty — all but eight of their final 22 games will be on the road. Bartender, a round of Pedialyte popsicles for our pals here in short pants and long socks.
Tampa Bay coach
Jon Cooper will call the shots behind Canada’s entry. The two-time Cup champ flashed a smile in Las Vegas, just prior to the draft last weekend, when asked what it will be like to have Bruins captain
Brad Marchand under his direction.
“I’ll tell you a story,” said the ever-gracious Cooper. “We had the All-Star game in Tampa [in 2018] . . . My mother, who unfortunately recently passed, she was a huge Brad Marchand fan. And all she wanted to do was meet him.”
Fulfilling the role of dutiful son, Cooper sought out Marchand at one of the gala reception gigs that weekend. Anything for mom. No surprise, Marchand turned on the charm like it was water pouring out the back end of a Zamboni.
“I had to seek out Brad . . . for my mom,” recalled Cooper, a slight trace of mock pain in his voice. “And he could not have been more of a gentleman. He took the best pictures with her. He was fired up because he was taller than her and that was good for him. Really, he made my mom’s night and I can’t thank him enough.”
For all the razzmatazz that NHL free agency generates, July 1 again was a reminder that it’s largely an exercise in mundane one- and two-year signings.
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