MONTREAL — The action was thrilling as Canada and Sweden exchanged opportunities during a high-paced 3-on-3 overtime that kicked off the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament. Canada celebrated a dramatic finish when Mitch Marner netted the decisive goal after over six minutes of extended play. In regular NHL matches, the game would have moved to a shootout at the five-minute mark, prompting fresh discussions regarding the ongoing experiment of a ten-minute overtime in this tournament, potentially paving the way for its introduction in the coming season.
The question of extending overtime remains contentious. Finland’s captain Aleksander Barkov weighed in on the matter, emphasizing the physical toll that more game time could have on players over an extensive 82-game season. “I don’t know how guys would take that,” he commented, preferring the current format of overtime.
Nathan MacKinnon from Canada, who logged significant minutes in the overtime period, noted that this topic was already being discussed among teammates. “No. No. No,” he stated firmly when asked about the prospect of 10-minute overtimes in the NHL. He expressed relief when Marner scored, admitting, “I didn’t have much left to give,” adding that a slightly shorter extension of 5 to 7 minutes would be more manageable.
Implementing such changes to overtime would necessitate negotiations between the NHL and the Players’ Association. With ongoing collective bargaining discussions, any adjustments regarding increased workloads could find resistance, especially since it would impact the higher profile players more significantly.
U.S. goaltender Jake Oettinger expressed his enthusiasm for the extended overtime concept, stating that while it adds excitement, player preferences should be taken into account. “I think it’s great,” he remarked, although he acknowledged the need for input from the league’s star players who would be logging additional minutes.
Mark Stone from Canada pointed out that the added overtime would likely reduce the frequency of games ending in a shootout, which he perceives as “a glorified skills competition.” Zach Werenski, a U.S. defenseman who is not fond of shootouts, shared his opinion on the matter, suggesting that ten-minute overtimes could be trialed during preseason to gauge player response and impact.
In addition to the overtime experiment, the tournament is also testing a revision to the TV timeout structure, extending each of the three breaks by 30 seconds while shortening intermissions by a minute. Canada’s head coach Jon Cooper commented on the potential implications of these changes, debating whether the adjustments would meaningfully benefit key players or disrupt the flow for those waiting on the bench during lengthy breaks.
The 4 Nations Face-Off is also employing an international point allocation system, awarding three points for a regulation victory, two for winning in overtime or a shootout, one for losing in overtime or a shootout, and none for a regulation loss. Lucas Raymond from Sweden highlighted the impact of this system, noting his familiarity from playing in Sweden where such a structure is the norm, emphasizing its significance.
However, the likelihood of such a point system being adopted in the NHL remains slim. Commissioner Gary Bettman has indicated that there is little interest in moving away from the existing format, which grants two points for any type of win and one for losses in overtime or shootouts.
