Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid is set to suit up for Team Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off next week, serving as an alternate captain.
This will be the first time he represents his country while playing alongside his childhood idol, Sidney Crosby. For hockey fans, many will be watching closely to see if these two legends end up playing on the same line — fingers crossed that they do.
As a preview for the 4 Nations Face-Off, we’ve outlined the five times McDavid has suited up for Team Canada below.
McDavid Won Gold with Team Canada at the 2013 U18 World Championships
McDavid first played for Team Canada at the 2013 IIHF U18 World Championship in Sochi, Russia, when he was just 15 years old. The tournament also served as a test event for the facilities to be used in the 2014 Winter Olympics.
McDavid flashed glimpses of his greatness, finishing as Canada’s top scorer in the preliminary round, where Team Canada went 4-0. He recorded 11 points (five goals, six assists) in four preliminary games, including scoring back-to-back hat tricks against Sweden and Switzerland.
In the finals, Team Canada defeated the four-time defending champions, Team USA, 3-2, to win the gold medal. Overall, the 1997-born McDavid dominated the competition against players mostly two years older than him, leading the tournament in scoring with 14 points. He was named tournament MVP and the Best Forward for his exceptional play and set a record for the most goals scored by a Canadian player in U18 tournament history. That said, that tourney was just a sneak peek of the dominance the 15-year-old kid was about to unleash on the hockey world.
McDavid Made His World Juniors Debut at Just 16 Years Old with Team Canada
The 2014 World Juniors (WJC) were held in Malmö, Sweden, and McDavid, at just 16 years old, was named to Team Canada’s roster after making an impression at the junior level, where he led the Erie Otters from last place to among the top teams in the OHL.
Remarkably, at the time, the young phenom was just the sixth 16-year-old to play for Canada at the under-20 tournament, joining the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Eric Lindros, Jason Spezza, Jay Bouwmeester, and Crosby. Though, as one of the younger players on the team, he didn’t make a huge impact, scoring one goal and three assists in seven games.
Unfortunately for the Canadians, they finished fourth in the tournament, losing 2-1 in the bronze medal game to Russia. This marked the first time since 1998 that Canada failed to earn a medal in two consecutive years.
McDavid Won Gold with Team Canada at the 2015 World Juniors
While McDavid didn’t earn a medal with Team Canada at the 2014 World Juniors, he returned a year older, wiser, and stronger. The future Oiler made an even bigger splash in 2015, earning another shot with Team Canada at the World Juniors, hosted on home ice with games split between Toronto and Montreal. Skating alongside Nic Petan and former Edmonton Oil King Curtis Lazar, McDavid gave the hockey world a sneak peek of his next-level speed and elite skill—soon to be let loose on grown men in the NHL the following season.
In a preliminary round game against Denmark, McDavid intercepted the puck at center ice, turned on the jets, and blew past two defenders to score a highlight-reel breakaway goal. Then, in the championship game against Russia, McDavid split the defence for another breakaway, slipping the puck five-hole past the goaltender to help Team Canada secure a 5-4 win.
All in all, McDavid tied for third in points at the 2015 World Juniors, led all players with eight assists, and played a key role in helping Team Canada capture the gold medal. On top of that, he earned a well-deserved spot on the tournament’s All-Star Team. Additionally, just five months later, the young phenom was selected first overall at the NHL Draft by the Oilers.
McDavid Won Gold with Team Canada at the 2016 World Hockey Championship
McDavid finished his rookie campaign with the Oilers in 2016, recording 48 points in 45 games, despite missing 37 games due to a clavicle injury. Still, he was selected to Team Canada for the World Hockey Championships in Russia that May, alongside his former Oilers’ teammate, Taylor Hall. Here’s a fun fact—the team was captained by his current Edmonton teammate, Corey Perry.
McDavid Won Gold with Team Canada at the 2016 World Hockey Championship
McDavid finished his rookie campaign with the Oilers in 2016, recording 48 points in 45 games, despite missing 37 games due to a clavicle injury. Still, he was selected to Team Canada for the World Hockey Championships in Russia that May, alongside his former Oilers’ teammate, Taylor Hall. Here’s a fun fact—the team was captained by his current Edmonton teammate, Corey Perry.
Overall, McDavid finished third in tournament scoring with 17 points in 10 games, while Patrick Kane led all players with 20 points in 10 games for Team USA.
It’s been seven years since McDavid last suited up for Team Canada, and for hockey fans, it’ll be such a treat to watch him play alongside elite Canadian talents like Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and Cale Makar. With that said, what’s your prediction—does Team Canada capture the gold?
