Flyers' Konecny, Sanheim hopeful to play for Canada at 4 Nations Face-Off
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With Canada set to announce it's roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off on Dec. 4, a pair of Philadelphia Flyers are beginning to think about the possibility of being named to the team.
Forward Travis Konecny and defenceman Travis Sanheim are currently on the roster bubble for Team Canada but fast starts to the season have both players in contention for a roster spot in the first best-on-bets tournament since the World Cup of Hockey was held in Toronto in 2016.
“It’s definitely on my radar now. If you had asked me at the start of the year I wouldn’t have said anything, I wouldn’t have thought about it. Obviously with how I’ve started the year I guess it’s been brought to my attention a little bit more," Sanheim told reporters.
The Elkhorn, Man. native has registered five goals and nine assists in 23 games this season after recording career highs in goals (10) and points (44) last season. Sanheim, 28, previously represented Canada at the 2022 IIHF World Championships, where Canada won a silver medal. He had one goal and three assists in 10 games.
Konecny, 27, is on pace for a career season, having scored 11 goals and 27 points in 23 games thus far. The London, Ont. native says he will continue focusing on helping the Flyers, regardless of whether or not he is selected to Team Canada.
“I came into the season with the mindset of just, help my team the best I could, knowing on that list I was probably too far down. At this point I’m still thinking the same way. If it happens, it happens, but I’m focusing on our team," Konecny said.
He last represented Canada at the 2017 IIHF World Championships, where he had eight assists in 10 games.
TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button and TSN Hockey analyst Mike Johnson have projected Konecny to make the roster as a fourth-line forward alongside Tampa Bay Lightning F Anthony Cirelli and St. Louis Blues F Robert Thomas. Sanheim did not make the roster in their latest projection.
The 2025 4 Nations Face-Off will be held from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston, with teams of NHL players from Finland, Sweden, Canada and the USA competing in a round-robin tournament.