Connor McDavid knew the answer all the way back in October.
Asked about Canada's captain for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, the Edmonton Oilers superstar said there should only be one name on the list — Sidney Crosby.
"That's not even a question," McDavid said at the time. "It's just such a no-brainer."
The leader set to have the 'C' stitched on his red sweater next month in Montreal and Boston was revealed Thursday.
A no-brainer, indeed.
Crosby was named Canada's captain for the showcase event that marks NHL players' return to high-level international competition.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to again represent Canada," Crosby said in a release. "It is an honour to be named captain for the 4 Nations Face-Off on a team with so many great leaders.
"All of us are excited to wear the Team Canada jersey and to kick off the 4 Nations Face-Off in front of Canadian fans."
The three-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medallist was captain at the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia, when he helped his country secure a second consecutive podium-topping finish.
Crosby, who scored a memorable overtime winner against the United States in the 2010 Olympic final in Vancouver, also wore the 'C' when Canada captured the 2016 World Cup.
McDavid and Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar will serve as alternates at the 4 Nations.
Toronto Maple Leafs sniper Auston Matthews was named U.S. captain earlier Thursday. Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Victor Hedman was tabbed to lead Sweden, while Florida Panthers centre Aleksander Barkov got the honours for Finland.
The 4 Nations will be the closest hockey has come to a best-on-best men's tournament since the 2016 World Cup, with the round-robin event set to run Feb. 12-20 at the Bell Centre and TD Garden. Russia is banned due to its ongoing war in Ukraine, while reigning world champion Czechia is also on the outside.
Canada opens its schedule Feb. 12 against Sweden in Montreal, while the U.S. faces Finland the next night.
The tournament is expected to serve as an appetizer ahead of the NHL's Olympic return in 2026. The league went to five straight Games between 1998 and 2014, but skipped 2018 for financial reasons before the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled plans in 2022.
In his 20th NHL season, Crosby has 608 goals and 1,043 assists for 1,651 points in 1,325 regular-season games. The Penguins captain has added 201 points (71 goals, 130 assists) in 180 playoff contests.
The 37-year-old from Cole Harbour, N.S., who grabbed gold for Canada at the 2005 world junior hockey championship and again a decade later at the men's world championship, leads Pittsburgh with 55 points (16 goals, 39 assists) across 53 games in 2024-25.
Crosby is a two-time Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP, a two-time Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy winner as the league's top goal-scorer, a two-time Art Ross Trophy winner as top scorer, and a two-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP.
The No. 1 pick at the 2005 draft also captured the Ted Lindsay Award as the league MVP voted on by the NHL Players' Association membership on three occasions.
Matthews, in his first year as Leafs captain, has secured the Richard three times, including last season's eye-popping 69-goal campaign. The top selection at the 2016 draft also took home the Hart and Lindsay in 2021-22.
Florida Panthers winger Matthew Tkachuk and Boston Bruins defenceman Charlie McAvoy will serve as alternate captains for the Americans.
The Calder Trophy winner as NHL rookie of the year in 2016-17, Matthews has 388 goals and 299 assists for 687 points in 598 regular-season games. He's added 48 points (23 goals, 25 assists) over his 55 playoff contests.
The 27-year-old Scottsdale, Ariz., product, who missed a combined 15 games earlier in the schedule with an upper-body injury that saw him travel to Germany for treatment, has registered 38 points (20 goals, 18 assists) in 36 games in 2024-25.
Matthews won bronze for the U.S. at the 2016 world juniors and suited up for his country at that year's men's worlds.
The superstar centre then joined the likes of McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Jack Eichel on the 23-and-under Team North America at the 2016 World Cup.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 30, 2025.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
