McDavid has been clamoring to compete for Canada in a best-on-best international event for years – and been vocal about those desires. Since turning pro after being drafted first in the 2015 draft, McDavid took part in the 2016 World Cup as a member of the under-23 North American team and in two world championships in 2016 and 2018.

Connor McDavid does not believe there is any debate as to who should be Canada’s captain for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. “It should be Sid. It should be Sid for sure, that’s not even a question,” the Edmonton Oilers center said of Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby on Thursday.

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.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in town to face the Edmonton Oilers, which has naturally led to a shift in focus to Connor McDavid vs. Sidney Crosby. The two superstars of this generation have played against each other many times since McDavid entered the NHL nearly a decade ago and we’ll soon see them play together on a team for the first time.