Canada gets its opportunity, finally, to embrace Connor McDavid on the international hockey stage

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For McDavid, who will serve as alternate captain on Team Canada alongside Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar, the short tournament represents the first time he and his childhood idol, Crosby, will play on the same team

Published Feb 12, 2025  •  14 minute read

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To generations of hockey fans in Edmonton and across Canada, it didn’t get any better than seeing Wayne Gretzky wearing the red maple leaf.

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The biggest superstar on the planet representing not only the Edmonton Oilers and the city, but the entire country? Yes, please. And more, while you’re at it.

Suddenly, even fans of the rival Calgary Flames were given leave of allegiances in the Battle of Alberta to cheer on the Great One and the rest of the nation’s top players.

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And the memories made along the way became cornerstones of not just the history of Canadian sports, but woven into the very fabric of the country itself.

In particular, there were a trio of Canada Cup victories from 1984 to 1991, with the highlight coming in 1987 when Gretzky set up Mario Lemieux in the final two minutes of a deciding Game 3 victory over the Soviets. That joined Paul Henderson’s iconic goal from the 1972 Summit Series in the upper echelon of defining moments in Canadian sports.

Unfortunately, there is an entire generation of Canadians who haven’t seen the greatest player in the world represent them on the global stage. Not really, anyway. Not nearly to the extent they want or deserve.

Of course, Canada’s golden child of hockey has had new faces since Gretzky retired back in 1999 — a lifetime ago for a generation of hockey fans, some of whom are starting to raise the next generation of hockey fans.

To them, Gretzky’s global conquests might as well have come in black and white, it’s such ancient history by now.

They’ve grown up with Sidney Crosby as the standard bearer for Canadian hockey. And for good reason.

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Crosby has carried the torch proudly over the past two decades. His “golden goal” in overtime against the Americans during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics has him firmly entrenched in Canadiana, and right alongside Gretzky and Henderson on the Mount Rushmore of hockey history in the country.

And he continues to carry it well, having been named captain of Team Canada in the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off.

Taking place in Montreal and Boston from Feb. 12-20, the round robin tournament involving NHL players from Canada, the United States, Finland and Sweden marks the first best-on-best international competition since eight teams competed in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto.

It’s been a long time coming for the cream of hockey’s crop to compete on the world stage after NHL players opted out of the 2022 Beijing Olympics because of COVID-19 concerns.

So long, in fact, that fans in Edmonton and across the nation must feel robbed when it comes to seeing the newest poster boy for hockey in Canada, Connor McDavid, in a Team Canada sweater. (And in saying newest, remember the 28-year-old began his NHL career in 2015).

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It’s happened a handful of times already. McDavid won gold in the 2013 U-18 World Championships, suited up as a 16-year-old against under-20 players in the 2014 World Juniors, and won gold the following year.

But since turning pro, McDavid has played in only three international tournaments, including a gold-medal performance at the 2016 World Hockey Championships in Russia, before captaining the U-24 Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey that same year.

His last appearance came in the 2018 World Hockey Championship, where Canada was held off the podium.

What followed was a seven-year drought of nothing. Nada. Nary a sniff of McDavid on the international stage as he entered his prime years.

To say fans are thirsting to see him back on it would be about as obvious as citing the desert is dry. They will finally get that chance with the 4 Nations Face-Off.

For McDavid, who will serve as alternate captain on Team Canada alongside Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar, the short tournament represents the first time he and his childhood idol, Crosby, will play on the same team.

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“It’s a tremendous honour to be there to support Sid, as he’s the captain, and Cale,” McDavid said, “But truthfully, anyone can wear it on that team.

“It’s a room full of leaders, full of great players. I’m tremendously honoured to represent my country and to have that role. I’m very excited about it.”

Heading into the tournament, the big question was would he and Crosby have a chance to play on the same line, potentially paving the way for another face to be carved on the aforementioned Mount Rushmore of memories?

“I’m excited about playing with Sid. I’m going to say that a lot over the next couple of weeks. I’ve said it a lot over the last couple of months, so you guys can just assume that from now on,” McDavid told reporters when captains were announced in January. “I’m excited to play with Sid. I’m sure Mario and Gretz were excited to play with each other as your question alluded to.

“That will be my response every time, I’m excited to play with Sid.”

And others, no doubt. Canada’s all-star cast includes fellow front-runner in the NHL’s perennial points race, Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon. One or both of MacKinnon and McDavid have been among the three finalists for the Hart trophy over the past eight years.

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It will mark a rare time McDavid is without Oilers teammate Leon Draisaitl, who leads the NHL with 40 goals in 55 games

The German superstar will be on the sidelines (or a beach somewhere) keeping an eye on the proceedings. But with players such as Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner joining Team Canada’s ranks, McDavid doesn’t appear too concerned about filling Draisaitl’s void.

“Mitch is a guy I’ve never played with before at any level, so I’m excited about that,” McDavid said. “He’s such a smart player, he’s having a terrific year.

“He’s such a great playmaker, he reminds me a little bit of Leon, who can slow the game down when he has to. Obviously, I like playing with guys like that. I’m excited about that.”

Then there are the Florida Sams — Reinhart and Bennett; Brayden Point, Brandon Hagel and Anthony Cirelli from the other team in Florida; Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone; and Boston Bruins captain Brad Marchand, just to name a few.

“I think it’s going to be a room where guys are learning from each other all over,” McDavid said. “From practice, from preparation and just habits, guys will be trying to pick stuff and take stuff from each other all over.

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“Certainly, Sid will be a guy that I’ll be watching and try to learn whatever I can from, just like all the other guys in that room.”

Reinhart, McDavid and Marner formed the top line as Team Canada began practising Monday, while Crosby skated with MacKinnon and Stone on the second line.

But for McDavid, who he is playing with comes second to who they are playing for.

“I think everybody that’s there is proud to represent their country,” he said. “They picked a team where everybody was available and this is the roster they went with. There’s meaning in that.

“I think about playing in Montreal, playing Sweden, playing the Americans there on a Saturday night, Finland in Boston and hopefully the opportunity to win it all a couple of days later. It’s going to be a great tournament, it’s going to be short, which should make for some really intense games.”

At the same time, it feels like something may be missing.

While the 4 Nations Face-Off offers an international flavour that has been lacking for far too long, the taste seems off. Thrown together. Manufactured. Invented to simply fill the appetite for television instead of having any real reason rooted in history or having anything more on the line than the line, itself.

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Truth be told, the best the 4 Nations event will do is whet the whistle for fans awaiting the triumphant return of best-on-best hockey at the Olympics in Milano Cortina 2026.

Crosby has already been looking ahead to it.

“I think that’s something in the back of my mind, for sure, having the experiences that I was able to have and just knowing how great it is to be able to compete in the Olympics,” Crosby said. “I think it’s something that’s in the back of my mind and something you have to earn, but it would be a pretty cool experience to be able to be part of that group.”

As for the 4 Nations setting the groundwork for future instalments, 2025 won’t officially mark the inaugural one if no future 4 Nations events end up being held.

And with plans in place to bring back the World Cup in 2028, this could very well end up being a one-off.

“Yes, it’s not the Olympics. I understand that, it’s not a World Cup of Hockey,” McDavid said. “There is still something on the line and we want to represent our country well.”

While the pause for 4 Nations is taking the place of the NHL’s annual all-star break, Crosby said he sees the tournament as more than a simple substitution, and doesn’t expect it to feel like a series of all-star games in different uniforms.

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“I’d say closer to a World Cup, if I had to guess,” Crosby said. “When you put guys together representing their countries, I think it brings out the best in them.

“And you throw in the fact that a lot of guys haven’t had this opportunity, I would think it’s going to be closer to a World Cup.

“It’s been a while since we’ve been able to play this kind of best-on-best international hockey, so if you look at the rosters, I think there’s a lot to get excited about. But when you look at that and you look at the matchups, best on best and everyone competing against one another internationally, for people that are hockey fans, that’s what you love to see.”

Both Team Canada and Team Sweden were granted just two practices prior to opening the tournament against each other at Bell Centre on Wednesday (6 p.m., Sportsnet).

“The goal is so that guys are a little bit familiar with each other. It’s two or three days together before you play. You want to have some familiarity,” McDavid said.

“Thankfully, a lot of guys in that room are pretty familiar with each other. We’ve played against each other for a long time or played with each other either at junior events or world championships or whatever.

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“I feel like we should be pretty comfortable with each other, but building that team rapport always takes time, but we don’t have that time, so we’re trying to get ahead of it a little bit.”

Heading into the week, there was concern Crosby’s playing status could be affected by an upper-body injury he suffered in a game against the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 4.

But the 37-year-old didn’t miss any time, getting on the ice as Team Canada opened practice.

“I’m excited. There’s always a learning curve when you have a new group and you’re in a situation like that, the learning curve’s quick,” Crosby said.

“So I think you’ve got to take in as much information as you can, but ultimately everyone’s picked for a reason. They’re selected for what they bring, so you’ve got to be able to bring that and just find a way to be at your best right away.

“But I think everyone’s excited. All the guys that I’ve talked to leading up to this, whether playing against them or just keeping in touch with guys, they’re excited for this opportunity and that’s part of it when you get a new group together. But it should be fun.”

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As with McDavid, Crosby needed no reminder the two generational talents have yet to play together on the same team. But he has kept an eye on his Canadian counterpart over the years, and likes what he’s seen in McDavid’s progression.

“I think just being able to constantly evolve and adapt. I think naturally he’s probably more of a playmaker,” Crosby said. “Obviously, he’s scored a ton throughout his career, but I think that’s something that you could tell that there’s a point in time where I felt like he decided that he wanted to score a little bit more and he was able to do that.

“But I think in all areas, anyone will tell you with every year that goes by, you have to constantly evolve and adapt. Especially a player like him that gets so much attention and you’re trying to stop every night. So, that’s the progression I think that’s important if you want to continue to have success and he’s been able to do that at a pretty incredibly high level.”

Right from the beginning, as it turns out. And McDavid also brought the entire Oilers organization along with him.

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Todd McLellan came onto the Oilers scene as head coach in 2015, just in time for McDavid’s arrival, as the franchise was, quite literally, packing up and about to turn the page on the Decade of Darkness.

“Edmonton was a real special spot and a special city with a lot of good people around the organization,” said McLellan, now head coach of the Detroit Red Wings.

“For me, it was the evolution. A lot of things happened in those four years. We went from the old building to the new building. We drafted and developed some superstar players that are having an impact not only with the Oilers organization, but in the hockey world. They’re power-brokers and they deserve to be.

“And I remember a lot about the atmosphere and the environment, not only in this arena but in the community. It’s hockey, that 24-7 mentality and they have it here in Edmonton.”

Whether or not McDavid ends up having a similar sort of impact on the international stage, hoisting the entire country on his proverbial shoulders and carrying it toward the ultimate goal, only time will tell.

But McLellan was there for the much more humble beginnings of McDavid’s international journey, as head coach of the North American team back in 2016.

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“The environment that we were in was so new, so different with that Team North America,” McLellan said. “I think a lot of those players were excited about being there, just being able to play in that tournament. Now they go past that and they crave to be part of their home country. So Connor would probably tell you that was a great experience, and Leon (Draisaitl) with Team Europe, but they want to play for their countries and that’s what really is the difference.

“Those players that were on that Team North America, they’re the power-brokers, they’re the superstars in the league right now. It wasn’t the case at that time, but it shows how quick it happens.”

For young developing players, yes. But for hockey fans craving more international competition, not so much lately.

McLellan lumps himself in that group when it comes to 4 Nations.

“I’ll be like all of you, I’ll be watching. That will be some really competitive, good, hard hockey. And it will be interesting to see what the star players can do together,” he said. “Sometimes it doesn’t work. There are tendencies how players want to run 20, 22 minutes a night, now all of a sudden you’re back to 12. How does that affect your game?

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“So, the coaching staff and the players all have a lot of sacrifice, probably, to give to each other to make it work. But I think the group of players that are going on all the teams will make sure that happens.”

No pressure … right?

As far as expectations go, it’s no secret Canadians demand nothing short of top spot on the podium when it comes to competing in our own game.

That’s something that goes without saying.

You could have all the greatest ingredients in the world, but if you don’t mix them properly in the right amounts or apply heat at the right time, you could wind up with a gut ache. Or worse.

And that’s exactly what head coach Jon Cooper wants to avoid while serving up his brand of Team Canada hockey at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

“Don’t screw it up. And that’s honestly the case,” said Cooper, who knows a thing or two about high-pressure situations recently coaching the Tampa Bay Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships.

“When you go into a tournament like this, basically it’s three games and you hope to play the fourth. And you have, at best, two practices beforehand to put the players in the best position to succeed.

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“A little bit will be trial and error in the first couple periods, I guess, but they’re the best of the best and you talk about hockey sense and players that know what they’re doing. For us, simplify a game plan, don’t let them overthink and let them go play.”

It’s either going to be a recipe for success or disaster. But Cooper isn’t exactly tossing spaghetti at the wall.

Part of McLellan’s staff on that Team North America, Cooper already got his feet wet with the players who will be making the highlight reels at 4 Nations.

“I was an assistant. That’s when all these kids were just brand new. Auston Matthews was on that team but we didn’t know anything about him, he was playing in Europe. But that was a wonderful experience for me,” Cooper said. “Fast forward to now, and all these players that I was with then are now the cream of the crop of this league.

“But I think that’s a big part of it. It was an honour to be involved with that team and watch these guys grow and now having a chance to coach them in their primes is going to be pretty cool.”

This time, of course, Matthews will be captaining Team USA. But Cooper is nothing but confident in Canada’s chances. Especially with the likes of McDavid in Crosby’s captains cabin.

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“I’ve spoken to him quite often during this whole process after he was named and what an impressive kid,” Cooper said of the Oilers’ lone representative on Team Canada. “And I’m not talking about the hockey part of it. He’s really insightful and gives you honest answers, and I really appreciate that about him.

“So, I’m really, really looking forward to being able to be behind the bench.”

gmoddejonge@postmedia.com

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