BROSSARD, Quebec — Barely more than two weeks ago, a stunned Nathan MacKinnon sat at his locker inside TD Garden and gave his raw, emotional thoughts on losing a friend in the biggest in-season NHL trade in two decades.
On Monday, MacKinnon sat at a stall inside the Montreal Canadiens’ practice facility, again surrounded by reporters and answering questions about playing with friends. The emotions were again raw but a complete reversal.
This was pure joy.
“I definitely just feel like a little kid coming to the rink today,” MacKinnon said.
Avalanche stars Cale Makar, Devon Toews and MacKinnon have traded in burgundy and blue for the red, white and black of Canada. On Monday, they practiced for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off for the first time. The tournament starts Wednesday with Canada against Sweden at Bell Centre and concludes next week back at TD Garden in Boston.
NHL players have not competed in a “best-on-best” tournament since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. MacKinnon, who played in that event for Team North America, has been excited about this moment for more than a year.
It became a reality Sunday when the teams convened in Montreal.
“I was pumped,” MacKinnon said. “We were hanging out, watching the Super Bowl. We were hanging out until 12:30 (a.m.), just telling stories and shooting it. It was awesome. Great way to get to know everybody. Everyone on this team is an awesome person, so it was a lot of fun.”
The biggest story Monday involved MacKinnon’s close friend, Sidney Crosby. Canada’s captain missed the final two games for the Pittsburgh Penguins before the break, but he was on the ice and expects to play Wednesday against the Swedes.
He was skating on a line with MacKinnon and Vegas wing Mark Stone. It’s not the “Nova Scotia Line” with Brad Marchand, but it should be the first time that Cole Harbour’s two most famous residents get to play in a game that counts together.
“Honestly, I found out today that I was playing with these two guys, just checking the sheet to see where I’m at,” MacKinnon said. “It’s fun. It’s like a beginner’s mindset. Everything is new. You don’t know where you are at. You don’t care where you are at, to be honest.
“It’s incredible. One of the best players ever, and a good friend of mine. Just being close to him, it’s not too weird for me. … If I didn’t know him, I’d probably be really, really intimidated.”
It appears Makar and Toews will begin the tournament paired together, as expected. Makar is also going to quarterback one of the greatest collections of talent put together on a power play in the history of the sport.
Canada will start with Makar up top, MacKinnon and Connor McDavid on the flanks, Sam Reinhart in the bumper spot and Crosby in front of the net. Reinhart — the “worst” player of the five — scored 57 goals last season for the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
“I would probably put three goalies in the net and just let them try to the job,” said Marchand when asked to try and defend that group. “We were joking out there, but it’s five of the best players that have ever played the game on that power play. Even as a fan of the game, it’s fun to be out there and watch them do their thing. It is special.”
It’s been nine years since the sport has put these super teams together with the pride of representing their country adding to the stakes. Several players spoke of trying to not defer too much, and needing to be selfish at times.
That might be magnified when Canada’s PP1 lines up together for the first time on Wednesday.
“It’s different. It’s weird, just how fast they snap it around, how quick everything is,” Makar said. “It’s really cool. You want to be able to put it in their hands, then we’ve got to find ways to get it in the net, too. It will be fun to see, once everything starts to come together.”
Players have been fielding questions about this tournament all season. Most have been measured about looking forward to it but still focused on their club’s objectives. The excitement was palpable Monday, both from the frenetic pace of practice and the adrenaline running through players afterward.
MacKinnon is one player who hasn’t shirked his enthusiasm for this event. He, Crosby and McDavid have never been on a team together. The United States has its most talented roster ever. Sweden and Finland will be led by future Hockey Hall of Fame members.
This tournament could be heaven for hockey nerds who have been starved for best-on-best at this level. Sitting at his stall, MacKinnon very much sounded like one of them.
“It’s definitely a dream come true,” MacKinnon said. “Those two (Crosby and McDavid) are both top-five players ever. I think they are leading the way and the rest of us will follow.
“On your home team, you feel a lot of pressure. You’re kind of the leader of the team. I feel like here, everyone’s pretty equal. Everyone’s a leader on their respective teams. So when we get together, it just feels like a load off and just a lot of fun.”
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