Connor McDavid reveals who should be Canada’s captain at 4 Nations

The 2024-25 NHL season will pause in February for a new tournament called the 4 Nations Face-Off. The US, Canada, Finland, and Sweden will put together their rosters for a round-robin tournament. Preliminary selections have already taken place with some obvious selections being finalized. Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby will both be representing Canada for the first time together. When the Oilers’ captain was asked who should captain the Canadians in February, he did not hesitate.

Connor McDavid believes Sidney Crosby should be the captain of Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

He doesn’t think it should even be in question. pic.twitter.com/by0KauTX0Z

— TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 24, 2024

“Should be Sid. Should be Sid, for sure. That’s not even a question.”

Crosby captained Canada to a gold medal in the 2014 Winter Olympics and 2016 World Cup of Hockey. He was not the captain for his most famous international moment, the Golden Goal at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. That goal made him a Team Canada legend and has certainly earned him a leadership role in perpetuity.

McDavid won’t be the only fellow captain on the team. Brad Marchand is already on the roster and he wears the C for the Boston Bruins. Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are alternate captains for the Colorado Avalanche and made the initial roster. Two-time former captain John Tavares is in the running, as is former Lightning captain Steven Stamkos. Team Canada will have no shortage of leaders.

Team Canada must defend the international crown in 4 Nations Face-Off

International best-on-best hockey has been absent for the last decade. Even the 2016 World Cup had Team North America, which took Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid off their teams and onto a separate U23 squad. Not since Sochi has a fully-stocked Team USA and Team Canada competed for the same trophy. While the excitement of putting Crosby and McDavid is palpable for the Canadians, the Americans are putting together a formidable squad as well.

For the first time in decades, Team USA has a goaltending advantage over Team Canada. With Patrick Roy, Martin Brodeur, Carey Price, and Roberto Luongo all putting on the Red and White in the past three decades, it’s been a hard advantage to get. But now, Connor Hellebuyck is one of the best goalies in the world. Team Canada GM Don Sweeney will likely go with Adin Hill.

The high-end skill that McDavid and Crosby bring to the table can almost be matched by Team USA. Auston Matthews and Matthew Tkachuk are two of the best forwards in the world and will bring offensive power to the games. They also have Jack Eichel and will likely add Jack Hughes to a team that can easily win the top prize.

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