4 Nations Face-Off countdown: How US players are faring one month out

The NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off is less than a month away.

The league will shut down in February so the international tournament can be played from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston as an appetizer for the NHL's return to the Olympics in 2026.

Under the format, the United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden each will play three games in a round robin. The two teams with the most points after those games will face off in the Feb. 20 championship game at Boston's TD Garden.

The countries' full rosters were announced on Dec. 4. Here's a look at how players on the U.S. team are faring this season (through Sunday's games):

USA 4 Nations Face-Off roster

Initial six players

• F Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights

• F Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs

• F Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers

• D Adam Fox, New York Rangers

• D Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks

• D Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins

Rest of the roster

• F Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild

• F Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets

• F Jake Guentzel, Tampa Bay Lightning

• F Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils

• F Chris Kreider, New York Rangers

• F Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings

• F J.T. Miller, Vancouver Canucks

• F Brock Nelson, New York Islanders

• F Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators

• F Vincent Trocheck, New York Rangers

• D Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild

• D Noah Hanifin, Vegas Golden Knights

• D Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes

• D Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets

• G Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets

• G Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars

• G Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins

Team USA injury report

Kreider and Faber are out but could be back this week. Matthews has been out twice with injuries since being named but he's playing again.

How are Team USA players faring?

Goaltending

Hellebuyck just picked up his sixth shutout of the season and his second against the Colorado Avalanche, who rocked him in last season's playoffs. He's leading most goaltending categories and is a front-runner for a second consecutive Vezina Trophy and third overall. Oettinger has a five-game winning streak. Swayman had a five-game losing streak, but ended it with a 40-save victory against the Panthers.

Defensemen

Werenski and Quinn Hughes are in the mix for the Norris Trophy as the No. 2 and 3 scoring defensemen in the league. Hughes recently missed four games with an injury. Fox ranks sixth in scoring and his play is picking up as the Rangers start to turn around a long slump. McAvoy's plus-minus took a hit during the Bruins' recent slump, but he remains a plus player. So is every defenseman on the U.S. team.

Forwards

Connor, Eichel and Jack Hughes rank seventh through ninth is scoring among league forwards. Guentzel and the Tkachuk brothers are the only other Team USA forwards in the top 40. Matthews would likely be up there if injuries hadn't limited him to 29 games. He has 31 points, eight of them in the first four games of his latest return. Larkin has taken off since the Red Wings' coaching change with 11 points in eight games. Nelson recently went 17 games without a goal but has scored in his last two games.

4 Nations Face-Off schedule

(Times p.m. ET)

• Wednesday, Feb. 12:  Canada vs. Sweden at Montreal, 8, TNT

• Thursday, Feb. 13: USA vs. Finland at Montreal, 8, ESPN

• Saturday, Feb. 15: Finland vs. Sweden at Montreal, 1, ABC

• Saturday, Feb. 15: USA vs. Canada at Montreal, 8, ABC

• Monday, Feb. 17: Canada vs. Finland at Boston, 1, TNT

• Monday, Feb. 17:  Sweden vs. USA at Boston, 8, TNT

• Thursday, Feb. 20: Championship game at Boston, 8, ESPN

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 4 Nations Face-Off: How Team USA players are faring