4 Nations Week 2 MSP Predictions

In my last predictions post, I didn’t get a whole lot of love, but I nailed 2 of the 3 January Stars of the Month, and my top runner-up guess was the 3rd. Now that we’ve gotten the final wave of non-MSP 4 Nations event cards before the Week 2 MSPs and Ultimates drop, here are my predictions:

Sidney Crosby, C, Canada

92 OVR Ultimate MSP

CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 95%

This is chalk, but it just seems so obvious. Sid the Kid is a veteran superstar who has represented Canada more in international play than any other player here. He does have one other MSP, but that was an 83 Off the Charts way back in the early days of HUT 25.

Brayden Point, C, Canada

91 OVR MSP

CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 55%

I could also see this being Travis Konecny, as he’s a right-handed forward who had a very good 2023-24 campaign, but he already has a 90 XP card. Or, obviously, McDavid, but a third MSP (fourth if you count his 90 OVR “base” TOTY) in about two months feels like overkill — it would also mean they chose three lefty forwards. Point is coming off an excellent season and is right-handed to provide at least a little variety for 4N Canada MSPs, despite playing the same position as Crosby.

Filip Forsberg, LW, Sweden

92 OVR Ultimate MSP

CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 80%

One of the most popular players on Team Sweden who still doesn’t have an event card. Erik Karlsson doesn’t either, but he just got a 90/91 Champs card. This seems quite likely. I know this means two right-handed forward Swede MSPs, but Zibanejad is viewed more C than W.

Gustav Forsling, LD, Sweden

91 OVR MSP

CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 40%

This is practically wide open to me. Looking at the names left, you would think Lindholm or Raymond get the nod, but that means three right-handed forwards as Swede MSPs, which just provides no real variety. Forsling is a Cup winner coming off a pretty solid offensive season for a defenseman, and his highest card is an 84.

Joel Armia, RW, Finland

92 OVR Ultimate MSP

CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 50%

This 6’4” big guy only has one HUT card (a paltry 77), and is a veteran name that meta players love to put on their team when he has a good card out.

Kappo Kakko, RW, Finland

91 OVR MSP

CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 30%

The most popular names left are Aho and Granlund, but the former has a Protect the Net MSP, and the latter just got a 90 Transactions card. Arturi Lehkonen would be worthy of it, as he’s been very good in the games he’s managed to stay healthy for over the last few seasons — but that would mean two lefty Avalanche forwards as Finnish MSPs. There’s always been hope that Kakko, the no. 2 pick of the 2019 draft, can still emerge as a star (and is starting to show the possibilities with the Kraken). He’s always had some fans because of that promise, so I wonder if they throw him an MSP here from a Finnish team that’s a bit bereft of huge names. I’m just not terribly confident in this one.

Auston Matthews, C, USA

92 OVR Ultimate MSP

CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 90%

How is it not Matthews, right? He hasn’t had an MSP since the first event of HUT 25, not many cards at all this year, and this would be a solid +4 boost from his last card (the non-MSP Supernatural).

Matthew Tkachuk, LW, USA

91 OVR MSP

CONFIDENCE LEVEL: 65%

Assistant captain for last year’s Cup winners, Tkachuk’s next-highest card is his 87 TOTW. Although this means two lefty forwards, the most exciting names left due for upgrades otherwise are Kyle Connor (also a lefty, but if they decided the MSPs before the season started, feels like they’d give it to the TOTY “nominee” in Matty) and Adam Fox (we already had a right-handed defenseman for USA). There’s a shot this is Quinn Hughes as well, but that means back-to-back MSPs, which feels…aggressive as well.