It’s been a long time coming, but we’ll finally see best-on-best hockey during the 4 Nations Face-Off. Team USA is getting set to ice its best team on paper since the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City.

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With this incredible collection of talent, I wanted to detail the paths they all took. How did the very best in the game get to where they are? What are the similarities and differences of how the reached the pinnacle of the sport?

Starting with Team USA’s goaltending and defense in Part 1, I tried to detail how the players got from their 15-year-old season to the NHL. Among the defense in particular, many of the paths are similar, but as you’ll see as we go through this process and add the forwards to the mix, there’s been a wide array of paths.

From high school hockey to AAA to juniors and everywhere in between, many of the players have been on a rapid path to the NHL, which makes them unique. Still, it’s interesting to take stock of how many steps were required and what steps were taken before hitting it big.

Here’s a look at the various paths that players took to make Team USA’s roster, going from their 15-year-old seasons all the way to the NHL. Starting with Team USA’s defense and goaltenders.

Goalies

Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

• Commerce, Michigan
• Birth Year: 1993 (31)
• Drafted: 2012, 5th round, 130th overall
• NHL Seasons: 10

Development Path

Walled Lake Northern H.S. (Mich.) > Odessa Jackalopes (NAHL) 1 year > UMass-Lowell (NCAA) 2 years > St. John’s IceCaps (AHL) 1 year > Winnipeg Jets (NHL)

Of all the players on Team USA, Hellebuyck had the most unique path to the NHL. He didn’t initially make junior teams in the USHL or NAHL and stayed with his high school team right through graduation. He had to try out for the Odessa Jackalopes in the NAHL, USA Hockey’s Tier II Junior A league. He was still an unknown, but got enough views from NHL scouts that he was picked in the fifth round. He went straight to the NCAA and within two years was the best goalie in college hockey, winning the Mike Richter Award as a sophomore. He spent a full season in the AHL and half of the next season before becoming a full-time NHLer and well on his way to being one of the absolute best goalies in the game.

Congrats to former Odessa Jackalopes goaltender, Connor Hellebuyck,on making his first career NHL All-Star Game! pic.twitter.com/svqcBGAjTD

— Odessa Jackalopes (@LetsGoJacks) January 11, 2018

Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars

• Lakeville, Minnesota
• Birth Year: 1998 (26)
• Drafted: 2017, 1st round, 26th overall
• NHL Seasons: 6

Development Path

Lakeville North H.S. (Minn.) > NTDP (USHL) 2 years > Boston University (NCAA) 3 years > Texas Stars (AHL) 1 year > Dallas Stars (NHL)

Jake Oettinger has long been viewed as a top goalie, first coming up through the Minnesota ranks. Because of his late birthdate, he only played one year of high school before he was eligible to go to the National Team Development Program. After two years there, which included a U18 gold medal, he was an instant success at Boston University with a career .923 save percentage over three years. He spent the COVID-shortened season of 2019-20 in the AHL before breaking into the NHL the following year.

Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins

• Anchorage, Alaska
• Birth Year: 1998 (26)
• Drafted: 2017, 4th round, 111th overall
• NHL Seasons: 5

Development Path

South Anchorage H.S. (Alaska) > Pikes Peak Miners 18U AAA (NAPHL) 1 year > Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) 1 year > University of Maine (NCAA) 3 years > Providence Bruins (AHL) > Boston Bruins (AHL)

Swayman took a bit of a longer path to NHL stardom, starting in his native Alaska before moving down to the contiguous 48 to play for the Pikes Peak Miners in Colorado for one year. He was picked 191st overall in the USHL Draft, but quickly earned a role with Sioux Falls as their starter before moving on to Maine. He was a dominant goalie in college, posting a .927 career mark with the Black Bears. He ended up playing just 14 games in the AHL before becoming a full-time NHL goalie with the Bruins.

Defense

Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild

• Maple Grove, Minnesota
• Birth Year: 2002 (22)
• Drafted: 2020, 2nd round, 45th overall (LAK)
• NHL Seasons: 2

Development Path

MN Kings 15U (AAA) > NTDP (USHL) 2 years > University of Minnesota (NCAA) 3 years > Minnesota Wild (NHL)

Faber didn’t play high school hockey in Minnesota like many of his peers, opting for AAA club hockey with the Minnesota Kings. He had two impressive seasons with the NTDP, getting drafted by Los Angeles in the second round. Faber then became one of the best defensemen in college hockey over his three years with the Gophers. After the Kings traded his rights to Minnesota in the Kevin Fiala trade, the Maple Grove product got to realize a childhood dream and instantly became one of the most important players for the Wild.

Adam Fox, New York Rangers

• Jericho, New York
• Birth year: 1998
• Drafted: 2016, 3rd round, 66th overall (CGY)
• NHL Seasons: 6

Development Path

Long Island Gulls 16U (AAA) > NTDP (USHL) 2 years > Harvard University (NCAA) 3 years > New York Rangers (NHL)

Before Fox became a Norris Trophy winner, he had to overcome a fair amount of doubters. He was viewed as undersized and not that strong of a skater, but no matter where he went, he put up points. Fox was one of the most productive defensemen in NTDP history before going on to Harvard where he was a Hobey Hat Trick finalist as a junior. After being traded from Calgary to Carolina and later to the Rangers, Fox left after his junior year at Harvard and soon became one of the league’s best.

Noah Hanifin, Vegas Golden Knights

• Boston, Massachusetts
• Birth Year: 1997 (28)
• Drafted: 2015, 1st round, 5th overall (CAR)
• NHL Seasons: 10

Development Path

St. Sebastian’s School (Mass.) > NTDP (USHL) 1 year > Boston College (NCAA) 1 year > Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) 3 years > Calgary Flames (NHL) 5 years > Vegas Golden Knights (NHL) 2 years

The 1997 birth year was one of the best USA Hockey has ever produced and at 15, Hanifin was viewed as one of the very best in the class. He was incredibly impressive in the prep school ranks, producing points and skating at an elite level. He was always advanced for his age and that was only further confirmed when he accelerated his schooling to get to Boston College at 17 years old, skipping his U18 year at the NTDP. He was selected fifth overall after an impressive year at BC and went straight to the NHL at 18, growing into a reliable two-way blueliner.

Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins

• Long Beach, New York
• Birth Year: 1997 (27)
• Drafted: 2016, 1st round, 14th overall
• NHL Seasons: 9

Development Path

New Jersey Rockets (MetJHL) > NTDP (USHL) 2 years > Boston University (NCAA) 2 years > Boston Bruins (NHL)

McAvoy was a late birthdate in that vaunted 1997 birth year, but has quickly become one of its most celebrated players. McAvoy went from his native Long Island to New Jersey to play Tier III junior hockey as a 15-year-old. He went to the NTDP from there, staying both years and becoming a U18 World Champion. After that, it was two impressive years at BU before going pro. He played in four games in the AHL with Providence before getting the call to the big club for the playoffs and the rest is history.

Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators

• Whitefish, Montana
• Birth Year: 2002 (22)
• Drafted: 2020, 1st round, 5th overall
• NHL Seasons: 3

Development Path

Edge School (CSSHL) > NTDP (USHL) 2 years > University of North Dakota (NCAA) 2 years > Ottawa Senators (NHL)

Sanderson’s development path was winding in his younger days, but spent some significant time in the Calgary area. He eventually went to Edge School for his 15-year-old season, following a more frequent path by Canada-based players to go the academy route. From there, he went to the NTDP and quickly grew into one of the most promising young defensemen in hockey with elite skating ability and tremendous hockey sense. The son of former NHL player Geoff Sanderson, Jake has a chance to really break out as one of USA’s rising young stars alongside former NTDP teammate Brock Faber.

Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes

• Erie, Colorado
• Birth Year: 1994 (30)
• Drafted: 2012, 4th round, 120th overall
• NHL Seasons: 10

Development Path

Colorado Thunderbirds 16U (AAA) > Chicago Steel (USHL) 3 years > Colorado College (NCAA) 2 years > Charlotte Checkers (AHL) > Carolina Hurricanes (NHL)

The elder statesman of USA’s blue line, Slavin’s path is much different than the others. He’s the only one of the group that did not play at the NTDP. He played AAA hockey in his native Colorado before getting the call from the Chicago Steel. He played a portion of his 16-year-old season in the USHL before becoming a full-timer at 17. From there, he went back home to Colorado College and blossomed into one of the best shutdown defensemen in the NCAA. A very brief stint in the AHL followed his two years of NCAA hockey before he became a full-time NHLer.

Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets

• Grosse Pointe, Michigan
• Birth Year: 1997 (27)
• Drafted: 2015, 1st round, 8th overall
• NHL Seasons: 9

Development Path

Little Caesars 18U (AAA) > NTDP (USHL) 1 year > University of Michigan (NCAA) 2 years > Cleveland Monsters (AHL) > Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL)

Werenski’s been on an accelerated path from the beginning. He was part of the Belle Tire youth hockey system before going to Little Caesars to play 18U hockey as a 15-year-old. Like Hanifin, he opted to go to school a year early, playing just one year at the NTDP. At 17, he shined for the Wolverines and unlike Hanifin decided to stay for a second season. Following his sophomore season, Werenski went straight to the AHL to play for the Cleveland Monsters (then the Lake Erie Monsters) and helped them win the Calder Cup. After that, he was in the NHL and has never looked back, and is now in the midst of the best season of his career.

How To Watch The 4 Nations Face Off 2025

The 4 Nations Face-Off will be streaming on MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, ESPN, ESPN+ and ABC—depending on the game. View the full streaming schedule below.

Wednesday, February 12

• 8:00 p.m. ET - Canada vs Sweden (MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS)

Thursday, February 13

• 8:00 p.m. ET - United States vs Finland  (ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS)

Saturday, February 15

• 1:00 p.m. ET - Finland vs Sweden (ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS)
• 8:00 p.m. ET - United States vs Canada (ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS)

Monday February 17

• 1:00 p.m. ET - Canada vs Finland (MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS)
• 8:00 p.m. ET - Sweden vs United States (MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS)

Thursday, February 20

• 8:00 p.m. ET - Championship Game (ESPN, ESPN+, SN, TVAS)

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