4 Nations is an international ‘coming out party’ for Connor McDavid, finally playing for Canada

Canada's Connor McDavid (97) skates during 4 Nations Face-Off hockey practice in Montreal, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press)

Connor McDavid is in his 10th NHL season, has played in more than 750 games, led the league in scoring five times and won the Hart Trophy as MVP three times.

Still, what he is experiencing right now is something brand new to him.

McDavid at the 4 Nations Face-Off is playing for Canada in an international tournament featuring the world’s best players, an opportunity that has eluded him along with winning the Stanley Cup. Fresh off carrying the Edmonton Oilers to Game 7 of the final before falling short, this tuneup for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics has the chance to be McDavid’s latest moment to shine in the sport he has become the face of.

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“It’s been extremely unfortunate for us as hockey fans and for Connor as a player that this is the first time he’s getting to play in an international event,” Canada coach Jon Cooper said. “I don’t want to say this is Connor’s coming out party, but it kind of is on the international stage, and hopefully we’re going to the Olympics in a year and we get to see more and more of him. But it’s been too bad that we haven’t been able to see him more often.”

The last time there was a “best on best” tournament of this kind, McDavid was on the 23-and-under Team North America, not Canada, at the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. The 4 Nations puts him alongside his idol, Sidney Crosby, for the first time in their country’s red and white Maple Leaf.

McDavid described his emotions as similar to the eve of the Cup final as far as experiencing something for the first time.

“I’ve waited a long time to play in one of these events, to represent my country, play for Team Canada, but lots of guys are in that boat,” McDavid said. “Everybody’s in the same boat here. This is new for 99% of the guys here, and we’re excited about it.”

The excitement amplifies thinking ahead to Milan, especially given that McDavid — and others, like countrymen Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, U.S. captain Auston Matthews and Sweden winger William Nylander — are the victims of circumstance to have been professionals for a while but never got to take part in the Olympics. The NHL skipped in 2018 and pulled out of 2022 at nearly the last minute.

Barring more unforeseen circumstances, it’s not difficult to envision McDavid being a big part of Canada trying to win a third consecutive Olympic gold medal with NHL players involved.

“Connor, you see when you watch him play in the National Hockey League, it’s just pure excitement what he can do on the ice,” Canada general manager Don Sweeney said. “I think every guy is excited to see him on this level and this stage and really taking a leadership role with Hockey Canada now and moving forward.”

Sweden’s Mattias Ekholm, who plays with McDavid in Edmonton, sees the excitement and passion, whether he’s a teammate or an opponent.

“To me, he’s just a hockey player through and through,” Ekholm said Thursday. “He loves this. You can see the pride, whether he’s wearing the Edmonton jersey or he’s wearing the Canada jersey.”

Cooper’s first impression of McDavid in a Canada jersey, coaching him for the first time, was left almost breathless by witnessing a different level of greatness from behind the bench.

‘You’re watching as fast a hockey (game) with as much pace as you could possibly see ... and he still brought you out of your seat just because of the plays he can make at such a high rate of speed," Cooper said. “And I’m like, ‘Well, this is the fastest the league gets — doesn’t get faster.’ And then he still is just a cut above in that speed department, and to be able to process the game at that high rate of speed, it’s a unique ability that he has.”

Coaching against McDavid for the first time, Sweden’s Sam Hallam began to feel a kinship with his counterparts in North America tasked with trying to slow down the 28-year-old playmaker.

“There’s how many teams in the NHL, 32? So, 31 teams, four of the smartest hockey coaches in the world on each team, they all try to stop him,” Hallam said. “He still scores 130, 140, 150 points. That’s who he is. He’s a remarkable player.”

By Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press