The NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed on Saturday night that Montréal and Boston will indeed be hosting the inaugural Four Nations Tournament, scheduled for next February. Radio-Canada Sports had obtained the information on Saturday that the NHL Commissioner was preparing to make this announcement. Bettman addressed the media before the first game of the Stanley Cup final between the Florida Panthers and the Edmonton Oilers in Sunrise. He also pointed out that the matches will be broadcast by the league’s national partners in Canada and the United States.
The tournament will see teams from Sweden, Finland, the United States, and Canada in action. It will serve as a rehearsal for the Olympic tournament at the Milan Games the following year, which will mark the return of NHL players to the Olympics. The NHL announced last February that its players would be returning to the Olympics in 2026, after a 12-year absence. Montréal and Boston had been announced as hosts of the Four Nations Tournament from the start, but last May, the Sportsnet network cast doubt on Montréal. Specialized reporter Elliotte Friedman even suggested that Toronto could replace the Metropolis in the NHL’s plans.
During the tournament, seven games will be played over a period of nine days, from February 12 to 20, 2025. The first four games, including the opening match on February 12 between Canada and Sweden, will be played at the Bell Centre. The last three games, including the final on February 20, will be played at Boston’s TD Garden. The first six games will allow each nation to face each other once in a round-robin tournament. The top two teams in the standings will qualify for the final.
“We didn’t want it to be too long, as it replaces the All-Star break. Hence the idea of a round-robin tournament and a final,” explained NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly.
Salary Cap Increase
The salary cap in the NHL will increase by $4.5 million to reach $88 million for the next season, the league also announced. This is a significant increase for the first time in several years. Increases of only $1 million to $82.5 million for 2022-2023 and $83.5 million for 2023-2024 had occurred due to the financial consequences of the pandemic. The salary floor next season will be $65 million. Teams will be able to sign free agents starting from July 1st.
