‘It’s exciting’: Sidney Crosby looking forward to playing alongside MacKinnon, McDavid at 4 Nations Face-Off
Fans are finally going to be treated to some best-on-best hockey this week, putting together some dream combinations when the 4 Nations Face-Off begins on Wednesday.
One of those scenarios looks to be coming to fruition on Team Canada. With captain Sidney Crosby confirmed to be playing in the event, despite injury concerns that kept him out of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ last two games before the break, the two-time Olympic gold medalist will have the chance to play with two Canadians that he’s never been able to before–Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid.
“It’s exciting,” Crosby said in a media scrum on Monday morning. “Obviously, a ton of talent, a ton of skill, having to think and move quickly and all that sort of thing, be instinctive, but also react to some of the plays that they make. I think that’s fun. It’s challenging.”
The last time Crosby played for Canada in any form of international competition was during the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. During that tournament, in which Canada took home the gold, McDavid and MacKinnon were on the exciting Team North America squad that captured the hearts of all hockey fans.
Now, with this trio of star power on the same team, people are excited to see what three of the best players of the past decade can do when they’re on the ice together. During Canada’s first practice in Montreal, Crosby, MacKinnon and McDavid were all on the first power-play unit, alongside Sam Reinhart and MacKinnon’s Colorado Avalanche teammate, Cale Makar.
McDavid was listed on the top forward line with Reinhart and Mitch Marner, while Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia natives Crosby and MacKinnon were on the second line with Mark Stone.
Lines & Pairings at the first Team 🇨🇦 practice:
Reinhart – McDavid – Marner
Stone – Crosby – MacKinnon
Marchand – Point – Jarvis
Hagel – Cirelli – Bennett
Toews – Makar
Morrissey – Parayko
Theodore – Doughty
Konecny (illness) is not practicing.
Sanheim skating as 7D
Crosby admitted that with not a lot of time to practice before Canada’s opening game against Sweden on Wednesday, becoming a single unit can be tough.
“The biggest challenge is just becoming a team and getting sharp,” Crosby said. “So, today was the first step for that. It’s fun to see the skill and the speed and just the talent.”
For Crosby, who helped Canada win two Olympic gold medals and a world championship from 2010 to 2015, getting back to best-on-best hockey has been a long time coming.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve been able to do this. I think all the guys are excited, regardless of what country they’re playing for.”
It will be the first time in a while that both MacKinnon and McDavid have represented their country in a tournament. MacKinnon won silver with Canada at the 2017 IIHF Men’s World Championship, while McDavid donned the maple leaf at the Men’s Worlds the following year.