Tomorrow night, inside Montréal’s Bell Centre, former Harvard men’s ice hockey standout Adam Fox ’20 will add another feat to his already impressive professional career. At the newly created 4 Nations Face-Off, Fox will represent the United States in an international competition at the senior level for the first time. 

The 4 Nations Face-Off also offers best-on-best international hockey for the first time since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, as the NHL players gear up for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, their first since the 2014 Sochi Olympics. 

“I think the 4 Nations is going to be great,” Fox said. “There hasn’t been best-on-best in a while. Whenever you get the chance to represent your country, it’s a great honor, and everyone takes a lot of pride in that. It’ll be a nice look-ahead for the Olympics as well.” 

For Fox, the 4 Nations Face-Off represents a step up in his international career with the United States National Team. In 2017, Fox propelled the United States to its fourth World Junior Championships gold medal in Montréal, as he recorded a point in the final against Canada.

“When you wear the United States jersey, a lot of pride comes with it,” Fox said. “My history with the junior program and the United States National Development Program made me appreciate the experience even more.” 

The foundation for Fox’s impressive professional career was laid during early morning skates at Bright-Landry Hockey Center and his three-year career with Crimson. A three-time All-America First-Team selection, Fox tallied 115 points, as he played a key role in a Crimson team that advanced to the Frozen Four in 2017.

During Fox’s recruiting process and his time on the ice with Harvard, The Robert D. Ziff '88 Head Coach for Harvard Men's Ice Hockey Ted Donato ’91 recognized Fox’s innate ability and skill. 

“When he was a ninth grader, he really stood out with his hockey IQ and sense. His ability to see the ice was impressive for any age, especially a ninth grader,” Donato said. “He could really manipulate other players on the ice for his team’s advantage.”

Fox’s success at the college level carried over to his professional career with the New York Rangers. In just his second NHL season, Fox won the Norris Trophy, recognizing him as the top defenseman in the National Hockey League. A two-time All-Star, Fox has 352 points in 412 appearances in just five seasons. 

A 2021 graduate with a degree in psychology, Fox still feels a strong connection with the University and his former Crimson teammates. 

“The Harvard experience was great for me,” Fox said. “Coach Donato played a huge role in me developing as a player. Harvard was really on the come up when I came in, and now you see the amount of NHL talent they’ve been producing over the years. That’s a testament to everything, how they treat the guys who come in, let them develop. It was huge for me and I loved every second.” 

“It’s amazing. I always had a lot of confidence and faith in his talents and his character,” Donato said. “To see him excel at the NHL level in a real high-profile city and team like New York and the Rangers; to see him win the Norris Trophy, they’re all amazing accomplishments. I take great pride in the fact that he’s always been a great teammate, he had great relationships with his teammates, and he’s kept those.”

The final three games of the 4 Nations Face Off, including the Championship Game on Thursday, Feb. 20, are hosted at TD Garden, a venue that Fox knows very well. In 2017, Fox aided the Crimson in a 6-3 win against Boston University at the 66th Beanpot Championship Game. Fox scored the final goal in the third period and ended the game with three points.

“It’ll be awesome going back there, a lot of good memories,” Fox said. “Always going back to Boston is special for me. No matter what the event is, that building is always bringing the intensity.”