Connor McDavid has waited a long time for this moment.
As the spotlight shines on Canada’s roster for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off, the Edmonton Oilers captain has been a vocal advocate for getting NHL players back on the international stage. For McDavid, the chance to play on the world’s biggest hockey stage, donning the iconic Maple Leaf, has been a dream since long before his NHL career began.
Now, with the tournament on the horizon, McDavid has another major milestone to look forward to next month — playing alongside his idol, Sidney Crosby.
“I’ve gone to a couple of camps with him,” McDavid, 27, from Richmond Hill, Ont., shared. “This will be just that much better.”
At 37, Crosby is still defying age, with 15 goals and 38 assists in 52 games this season for the Pittsburgh Penguins, proving that time has little effect on his elite play.
“It’s unbelievable,” McDavid said during a recent commercial shoot for Rogers, a 4 Nations sponsor. “Everything he’s done for the game and the fact he’s still playing at such a high level is incredible.”
The 4 Nations tournament, a rare best-on-best showcase since the 2016 World Cup, will take place from February 12-20, with the United States, Sweden, and Finland rounding out the teams.
“The excitement’s building, it’s hard not to think about it,” McDavid admitted.
Looking ahead, the 2028 World Cup is also on McDavid’s radar. The 2015 first-overall pick missed the chance to play in the 2018 Olympics when the NHL opted out, and the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted 2022’s Beijing Games. However, both the NHL and NHLPA are aiming for a return to the Olympics in 2026 and 2030, as well as a potential World Cup in 2028, with plans for regular international tournaments every two years.
McDavid noted that while the 4 Nations isn’t the Olympics or the World Cup, it’s a perfect precursor.
“I competed in the 2016 World Cup, but for Team North America,” McDavid said. “It would have been great to play for Canada, but the experience was unforgettable. Canada will be just as competitive we’re bringing some of the world’s best players together.”
The Canadian team will kick off the tournament on February 12 against Finland at Montreal’s Bell Centre, followed by an exciting match-up with the U.S. on February 15, and a clash with Sweden in Boston on February 17. The tournament will culminate in the final on February 20 between the top two teams from the round-robin.
For McDavid, this event is a long-awaited opportunity to experience best-on-best hockey, especially for players of his generation like Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, and Nathan MacKinnon, who have never had the chance to compete in such tournaments.
The 4 Nations, while lacking Russia due to the ongoing war, is seen as a warm-up before NHL players return to the Olympics in 2026.
“The tournament is a great opportunity to challenge yourself,” McDavid added. “As players, we’re all invested in growing the game, but this is exciting for us to showcase our skills on this stage.”
The three-time NHL MVP also had a front-row seat as Canada’s roster came together in December, with McDavid, Crosby, MacKinnon, Brad Marchand, Brayden Point, and Cale Makar all named early. The final roster was a testament to the deep talent pool in Canada, with McDavid expressing admiration for the selection process.
“I think Canada could have put together a ‘B’ or ‘C’ team that would have been competitive in this tournament,” he said. “There’s so much talent.”
The next generation of Canadian hockey stars, just like a young McDavid watching Crosby lead Canada to Olympic gold, will be eagerly following this competition.
“There’s always another great player coming up,” McDavid reflected. “Canada’s supply of talent is endless. There are kids across the country playing and loving the game, and we’ll be doing our best to make them proud.”
