Panthers will soon have another champion. They have a player on every 4 Nations roster

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) - The Florida Panthers are about to have another champion. Maybe a few of them.

The reigning Stanley Cup champions are the only NHL team to have at least one player on each of the four rosters for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament that starts this week, meaning the Panthers are guaranteed to have someone on the winning squad.

Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett will skate for Canada, Gustav Forsling is playing for Sweden, Matthew Tkachuk is competing for the United States and four Panthers players - captain Aleksander Barkov, Anton Lundell, Eetu Luostarinen and Niko Mikkola - are representing Finland.

"I'm not cheering for anybody, because somebody's winning. I know that for a fact,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “There's a group of guys coming back in a really good mood."

The Panthers have plenty more representation than just players at 4 Nations. Assistant coach Tuomo Ruutu will serve in that same role for Finland, assistant coach Myles Fee is the scouting coach for Sweden, assistant general manager Patric Hornqvist has that role for Sweden, equipment manager Teddy Richards has that same job for the U.S. and Panthers general manager and hockey operations president Bill Zito is an assistant GM for USA Hockey at this tournament and the Olympics next winter.

"It’s a little bit of a precursor to the Olympics," Zito told the Panthers’ broadcast on Scripps Sports during Saturday’s game. "We have the opportunity now with 4 Nations - Finland, Sweden, Canada and the U.S. - to put their best NHL players against each other, everybody head to head in a winner-take-all. … It’s like having a playoff series in the middle of the season."

All teams will play three games in the tournament, and then two advance to a championship game. There are games Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday in Montreal, before the field shifts to Boston for games on Feb. 17 and then the title game on Feb. 19.

"I haven't had the opportunity in nine years to do this,” said Tkachuk, who will join his brother, Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators, on the U.S. squad. “I've been really looking forward to this as my career has gone on. And now, finally, to be in Year 9 and have my first opportunity, I just can't wait for it. I think it's going to be really, really good hockey and something that everybody should look forward to."

Maurice isn’t planning to go to the tournament. He thinks he’ll stay home and enjoy the Panthers’ 12-day break before resuming practice on Feb. 20 and getting back into game action on Feb. 22 against Seattle.

"We've got so many people involved with it. Personally, I'm very interested,” Maurice said. “If we didn't have as many people, I still think it's really, really good for the game. It's actually best possibly for the fans because they can cheer for a different team and they get to cheer for their country in-season, which I think is great. The guys that get to go to this tournament, they won't forget it."