The NHL is gearing up for a busy period with the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline approaching on March 7. Several trades have already taken place, including J.T. Miller's return to New York and Mikko Rantanen's departure from Colorado to Carolina. Players like Brock Nelson and Brad Marchand are still potentially available, and contenders such as Edmonton, Vegas, and Winnipeg are yet to make their significant moves[1].

Meanwhile, the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off tournament is underway, featuring NHL players from the US, Canada, Finland, and Sweden. The tournament, which runs from February 12 to 20, includes 23 NHL players per team, selected by each National Association. Canada kicked off the tournament with a 4-3 overtime win against Sweden, thanks to Mitch Marner's goal and Sidney Crosby's three assists. However, Canada suffered a setback as defenseman Shea Theodore was sidelined with an upper-body injury and will be replaced by Travis Sanheim for the next game[2][4].

In other news, the NHL and NHL Players' Association have announced the return of the World Cup of Hockey in 2028. The tournament will feature at least eight teams representing individual countries, with games to be played in North America and Europe. The event is part of the league and union's effort to establish a regular cadence of international competition, following the 4 Nations Face-Off and the NHL players' return to Olympic participation at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games. The format for the World Cup has not been finalized, but NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman indicated that the 2027-28 regular season would be paused for 10-14 days to accommodate the event[4][5].

On the digital front, the NHL App has been updated to include coverage of the 4 Nations Face-Off, with full scores, gamecenter, video, and more. However, the latest update has received criticism from users, who have complained about the removal of the radio feature, inaccuracies in live scores, and limitations in team following capabilities[3].

Lastly, New York Islanders center Brock Nelson has expressed that participating in the 4 Nations Face-Off with Team USA serves as a mental break, allowing him to focus on the tournament. This comes as several college programs, including Ohio State, have spoken to Blue Jackets draft pick Lindstrom about potentially moving from the WHL to college hockey to reduce wear and tear and allow for more practice and workout time[4].