Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers are among the first six players named to the Canada team for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off on Friday.
Canada, the United States, Sweden and Finland will play in the tournament, scheduled for Feb. 12-20 at TD Garden in Boston and Bell Centre in Montreal.
“Obviously there is a lot of excitement getting to represent Canada best on best,” Crosby said. “It’s been a while since we’ve had the opportunity to do that. I think if you talk to all the guys who got named today I’m sure they’re all excited. It’s been a while.”
Joining them will be Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and forwards Brad Marchand (Boston Bruins) and Brayden Point (Tampa Bay Lightning). The remainder of the roster, which will consist of 23 NHL players (20 skaters, three goalies) will be named later this year.
Crosby led the Penguins with 94 points (42 goals, 52 assists) in 82 games. It was the 19th season the 36-year-old forward has averaged at least 1.00 points per game, tying Wayne Gretzky for the most in NHL history.
A three-time Stanley Cup champion (2009, 2016, 2017), Crosby is 10th all-time with 1,596 points (592 goals, 1,004 assists) in 1,272 games since being selected by the Penguins with the No. 1 pick of the 2005 NHL Draft. Among his honors, the native of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, has won the Hart Trophy as NHL most valuable player twice (2006-07, 2013-14), the Art Ross Trophy as the League’s scoring leader twice (2006-07, 2013-14) and the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs twice (2016, 2017).
MacKinnon was second in the NHL this season with 140 points (51 goals, 89 assists) in 82 games, and won the Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the most outstanding player as voted by members of the NHL Players’ Association. The 28-year-old forward, a native of Halifax, Nova Scotia, also had 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 11 playoff games.
Since being selected by the Avalanche with the No. 1 pick of the 2013 NHL Draft, MacKinnon has 899 points (335 goals, 564 assists) in 791 regular-season games, and 114 points (48 goals, 66 assists) in 88 playoff games. That includes 24 points (13 goals, 11 assists) in 20 games to help the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022.
MacKinnon recently said he and Crosby had spoken about line combinations and potentially playing on the same line.
“We were on a golf trip and he brought it up,” Crosby said. “I think it was Day One. He was just kind of picking my brain. … Having the chance to play with him at the 2015 Worlds was a lot of fun. And it’s been a while since then.”
McDavid tied Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov for the NHL lead with 100 assists; they’re the first players with at least 100 assists in a season since Gretzky (122) in 1990-91. McDavid was third in the League with 132 points, the seventh time in nine NHL seasons he’s reached 100 points.
The 27-year-old native of Richmond Hill, Ontario, also led the NHL with 42 points (eight goals, 34 assists) in 25 playoff games to help the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006. He became the sixth player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP from a losing team. McDavid’s 34 assists were the most by a player in a single playoff run, and the most points since Mario Lemieux had 44 (16 goals, 28 assists) in 23 games for the Penguins in 1991.
Since being selected by the Oilers with the No. 1 pick of the 2015 NHL Draft, McDavid has 982 points (335 goals, 647 assists) in 645 regular-season games and 117 points (37 goals, 80 assists) in 74 playoff games. He’s a three-time Hart Trophy winner (2016-17, 2020-21, 2022-23) and is a finalist for the award this season.
“And the fact that we know a little further out (about being on the roster), and it’s something we can talk about and prep a little bit,” Crosby said. “I think there’s anticipation of guys preparing for the season but also being motivated in knowing this is something they can be a part of, I think that’s great for everybody.”
Makar was second among NHL defensemen with 90 points (21 goals, 69 assists) in 77 games this season, and had 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) in 11 playoff games.
The 25-year-old, who was born in Calgary, was a finalist for the Norris Trophy as the best defenseman in the NHL for the fourth straight season; he won the award in 2021-22, the same season he also won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP when the Avalanche won the Stanley Cup. His 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists) in 20 games led the postseason and set a record for Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques defensemen.
Selected by Avalanche in the first round (No. 4) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Makar has 336 points (86 goals, 250 assists) in 315 regular-season games and 80 points (21 goals, 59 assists) in 72 playoff games.
Marchand, in his first season as Bruins captain, was second on the team with 67 points (29 goals, 38 assists) in 82 regular-season games, and had 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 11 playoff games.
The 36-year-old forward, who was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, has 929 points (401 goals, 528 assists) in 1,029 regular-season games and 138 points (56 goals, 82 assists) in 157 playoff games. That includes 19 points (11 goals, eight assists) in 25 games to help the Bruins win the Stanley Cup in 2011. Boston selected him in the third round (No. 71) of the 2006 NHL Draft.
Point was second on the Lightning with 90 points (46 goals, 44 assists) in 81 regular-season games and had five points (two goals, three assists) in five playoff games.
The 28-year-old native of Calgary was selected by the Lightning in the third round (No. 79) of the 2014 NHL Draft, and has 553 points (264 goals, 289 assists) in 580 regular-season games and 87 points (42 goals, 45 assists) in 87 playoff games. That includes a combined 56 points (28 goals, 28 assists) in 46 games to help the Lighting win the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021.
Don Sweeney of the Boston Bruins is Canada’s general manager, and Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning will be the coach.
Canada will play Sweden at Bell Centre on Feb. 12, the United States at Bell Centre on Feb. 15 and Finland at TD Garden on Feb. 17.
DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings signed forward Lucas Raymond to an eight-year, $64.6 million contract Monday, completing a deal with one of their best young players less than 72 hours before training camp begins.
Raymond will count $8.075 million against the salary cap through 2032. The 22-year-old was a restricted free agent without a contract for the upcoming NHL season and was coming off setting career highs with 31 goals, 41 assists and 72 points.
The Red Wings have another one of those in defenceman Moritz Seider, who won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 2021-22.
Detroit is looking to end an eight-year playoff drought dating to the Original Six franchise’s last appearance in 2016.
Raymond, a Swede who was the fourth pick in 2020, has 174 points in 238 games since breaking into the league.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Kirk Cousins led a flawless last-minute drive for Atlanta and connected with Drake London for a 7-yard touchdown with 34 seconds left to give the Falcons a 22-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night.
Saquon Barkley dropped a short pass that stopped the clock with 1:46 left and forced the Eagles to settle for a field goal instead of a game-sealing first down. That was plenty of time for Cousins — especially against an Eagles defense playing soft coverage with a nonexistent pass rush.
The 36-year-old veteran, playing his second game since tearing his Achilles tendon last Oct. 29 while playing for Minnesota, shook off an uneven effort and hit Darnell Mooney for 21 and 26 yards on consecutive plays during the decisive drive.
Cousins found London on a short pass to his right for the tying score, and Younghoe Koo put Atlanta (1-1) on top with a 48-yard extra point after London was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The go-ahead drive took just 65 seconds.
Jalen Hurts had his final pass intercepted by Jessie Bates III to seal Atlanta’s win and set off a wild celebration on the sideline.
The Eagles (1-1) went ahead on Hurts’ 1-yard tush push score with 6:47 left. Barkley finished with 95 yards on 22 carries in his home debut for Philadelphia, but his drop provided the Falcons with some hope.
And then Cousins started playing like the QB Atlanta thought it was getting when it signed him to a four-year, $180 million contract.
Cousins finished 20 of 29 for 241 yards and two touchdowns. Atlanta’s first TD was a 41-yarder from Cousins to Mooney, who finished with three catches for 88 yards.
Hurts was 23 of 30 for 183 yards, including a touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith. With No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown out with a hamstring injury, Smith led the Eagles with seven catches for 76 yards and a score.
Jake Elliott kicked two field goals for the Eagles. His 28-yarder with 1:39 left made it 21-15.
Atlanta kept stalling in the red zone, getting three field goals from Koo, before Cousins fired over the middle to Mooney, who shook loose from C.J. Gardner-Johnson and left him on the turf before he somersaulted into the end zone with 1:21 left in the third quarter for a 15-10 lead. Cousins failed on the 2-point conversion pass.
Hurts had some juice in his step during a second-quarter TD drive, running with abandon for big plays much like he did in the 2022 season. He spiked the ball in a rare, raw show of emotion on a 23-yard run, earning a delay-of-game penalty. He shrugged off the 5-yard setback and scrambled for 9 yards and 15 yards to move the Eagles to Atlanta’s 19.
With comedian Shane Gillis and actor Bradley Cooper among the fans cheering on the Eagles, Hurts connected with Smith in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard TD that made it 7-3.
Under new defensive coordinator Vince Fangio, the Eagles have established an early knack for allowing long drives that end with three points instead of seven. Koo kicked field goals of 39, 22 and 34 yards, the last one enough for a 9-7 lead in the third quarter. In their opener, the Eagles held the Packers to just three field goals when they drove inside the 20.
Questionable call
Rather than take a chip-shot field goal from Elliott, the Eagles’ fourth-and-4 gamble at Atlanta’s 9-yard line in the first quarter failed when Hurts threw an incomplete pass.
Elliott kicked a 29-yarder with 4:31 left in the third quarter for a 10-9 lead.
Running wild
Bijan Robinson ran for 97 yards for the Falcons. The Eagles stuffed him late on fourth-and-1 at the Atlanta 39.
Barkley was quiet until the go-ahead drive, a week after he rushed for 109 yards and scored three touchdowns against Green Bay. Eagles fans booed when the opening drive of the game ended without Barkley touching the ball. They went wild when he had consecutive 9-yard runs to open the second drive. Barkley had 40 yards rushing in the first half.
Foles honored
Former Eagles QB Nick Foles, who led the franchise to its only Super Bowl title, served as an honorary captain and led the crowd in a rendition of “Fly, Eagles, Fly.”
Injuries
The Falcons played without LB Nate Landman (calf, quad).
Up next
Atlanta hosts Super Bowl champion Kansas City on Sunday.
TORONTO – Singles star Leylah Fernandez and doubles specialist Gabriela Dabrowski will anchor Canada’s five-player lineup when the team tries to defend its Billie Jean King Cup title in mid-November.
The 26th-ranked Fernandez, the 2021 U.S. Open finalist from Laval, Que., is the lone Canadian in the top 100 of the WTA Tour’s singles rankings.
Dabrowski, from Ottawa, is ranked fourth on the doubles list. The 2023 U.S. Open women’s doubles champion won mixed doubles bronze with Felix Auger-Aliassime at the recent Paris Olympics.
Marina Stakusic of Mississauga, Ont., returns after a breakout performance last year, capped by her singles win in Canada’s 2-0 victory over Italy in the final. Vancouver’s Rebecca Marino is also back and Bianca Andreescu, the 2019 U.S. Open champion from Mississauga, Ont., returns to the squad for the first time since 2022.
“Winning the Billie Jean King Cup in 2023 was a dream come true for us, and not only that, but I feel like we made a statement to the world about the strength of this nation when it comes to tennis,” Canada captain Heidi El Tabakh said Monday in a release. “Once again, we have a very strong team this year with Bianca joining Leylah, Gaby, Rebecca and Marina, making it an extremely powerful team that is more than capable of going all the way.
“At the end of the day, our goal is to make Canada proud, and we’ll do our best to bring the same level of effort and excitement that we had in last year’s finals.”
Fernandez, who beat Jasmine Paolini to clinch Canada’s first-ever title at the competition, is ranked No. 42 in doubles.
Canada, which received an automatic berth as defending champion, will play the winner of the first-round tie between Great Britain and Germany on Nov. 17 at Malaga’s Martin Carpena Arena.
Australia, Italy and wild-card entry Czechia also received first-round byes. The tournament, which continues through Nov. 20, also includes host Spain, Slovakia, the United States, Poland, Japan and Romania.
Stakusic is up 27 spots to No. 128 in the latest world singles rankings. Marino is at No. 134 and Andreescu, the 2019 U.S. Open champion, is ranked 167th.
Canada will look to become the first team since Czechia in 2016 to successfully defend its Billie Jean King Cup title.
Malaga will also host the Nov. 19-24 Davis Cup Final 8. The Canadian men qualified over the weekend with a 2-1 victory over Great Britain in Manchester.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 16, 2024.
