MONTREAL — Brad Marchand was talking about the 2016 World Cup and felt it was pretty appropriate for the 2025 Four Nations showdown.
“I've always seen guys in the tier throughout the league,” said Merchand. “You've got you [Connor] McDavids, [Sidney] Crosby, [Nathan] McKinnon, and all of that. And you have your middle class guy. I've always seen myself looking at those people: the best in the world. They are out of hand.
“And when I played as a part of that team, I realized that one of the biggest things knows that. They have that confidence.”
They're also the first time they're 60% of Team Canada's top power play.
It's the appeal of this tournament, the appeal of the latest hockey, and it's an eight-year product.
In 2016, McDavid and Mackinnon were up-and-coming and played for Team North America at the World Cup.
Until Wednesday night when Canada faced Sweden at the Bell Centre, playing together between McKinnon and Crosby was for the summer in Nova Scotia.
There's no more.
There's a question hanging from Team Canada heading for this tournament, and the atmosphere here in Montreal is under pressure.
Jordan Binnington, who started online with Trekroner on Wednesday, is not Martin Brodur or Patrick Roy.
But because of top-end talent and Joe Drop skills?
McDavid, Crosby, Mackinnon and Cale Makar could be Rushmore mountains in this tournament. They are all dressed in maple leaves.
It is this generation's answer to the '87 Canada Cup that Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux joined forces along the 1972 Summit Series roster packed with Dale Hawalchuk or legends.
Coach Canada's John Cooper started out with Mark Stone with Crosby and McKinnon on the line.
McDavid was centered around Sam Reinhart and Mitch Marner, while Makar and Devon Toews, the top pairs of Colorado Avalanche, were directly imported by Team Canada.
Crosby, of course, plays a lot of hockey for Team Canada, boasting two Olympic golds, a World Cup title and the most famous goals of his generation. .
Cooper has worked to develop a relationship with him and has spoken with Crosby more than Braden Point, the captain of Lightning. He joked.
“There's no shock or surprise as to why this kid has as many victories as he has,” Cooper said. “There's never a flaw. Tell me about something cool, because he's here.”
Mackinnon, Makar and McDavid are earning their first turn to represent Team Canada at this week's Best On Best Competition.
“I don't want to say it's a party where Connor comes out,” Cooper said Tuesday. “But it's on some kind of international stage.”
Ditto Mackinnon and Makar.
“I think everyone is even more excited. Since I joined the league, there hasn't been a Best On Best competition,” McCar said Tuesday. “Hopefully it's exciting for the fans. We know we're really excited as players.”
McDavid said his feelings about hearing “O Canada” on Wednesday would coincide with that of the Stanley Cup final last June.
“I played in one of these events, represented my country and waited to play for Team Canada,” he said. “There are a lot of people on that boat. It's been a while for everyone. It feels like a new generation that clearly has a familiar face to everyone.
“But you think about Orton [Matthews] Or Jack [Hughes]Willie Nylander of Sweden, those guys had no opportunity. Everyone is on the same boat here. ”
