10 Observations: MacKinnon, Toews, Makar Win 4 Nations Face-Off With Team Canada

That was fun.

Connor McDavid scored the overtime game-winning goal on Thursday to crown Team Canada as the 4 Nations Face-Off champions over Team USA.

Nathan MacKinnon, Devon Toews, and Cale Makar all played a big role in Canada’s accomplishments. MacKinnon was named MVP of the tournament — scoring four goals in as many games, and the blueline duo were Canada’s most-used skaters. An impressive feat for three guys who have just one day to celebrate before joining the Avs for an early puck drop in Nashville less than 48 hours later.

I’m not sure anyone in the NHL expected this tournament to play out as well as it did. That was hockey at its best. The moment McDavid scored began the timer on the 2026 Winter Olympics. We’re only 350 days away.

I can’t wait.

10 Observations

1. Canada scored the first goal in each of its four games in this tournament. Twice it was McDavid and twice MacKinnon. Big game players do big things in big moments.

2. I always love those iconic photos you get from tournaments like this. In 2010, Sidney Crosby and Scott Neidermayer were charged up right before they jumped into each other’s arms. This time, it’s McDavid and Toews.

February 28th 2010 / Febuary 20th 2025. pic.twitter.com/TE3msKD6Fd

— Dyl (@dhockey13) February 21, 2025

3. I hate to say it, but Jordan Binnington was an absolute stud in overtime. He’s a fascinating goalie. He’s inconsistent and flawed but he’s got the clutch gene. That’s what led to him winning a Game 7 at TD Gardens in 2019 before stomping on the Americans’ dreams six years later in the same building.

4. There was something funny about the game-winning goal being set up by Mitch Marner while Auston Matthews was the player that left McDavid wide open in the slot. If you’re a Maple Leafs fan, are you worried Matthews is gutted? Or excited to see Marner play a big role in a big moment? The answer is probably both.

5. Makar played more than 28 minutes and Toews was right on his tail at 27:27. It cannot be understated how much Makar meant to Team Canada. Losing him last Saturday was the difference.

6. Canada’s blueline was all sorts of flawed after losing Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore, and Josh Morrissey. Their second pair in the championship game was a defenseman in Thomas Harley who was on his way to Cabo five days ago before suddenly joining the team and Drew Doughty — a 35-year-old veteran who made his season debut three weeks ago and was added to the team 10 days later.

7. I spoke about this in my podcast earlier in the week, but I had a sense going into this game that the Tkachuk brothers emptied the tank way too quickly in this tournament. It’s not even the same type of marathon as the Stanley Cup playoffs — it’s four games.

Surprisingly, Tkachuk, who is coming off two consecutive trips to the Final, was the one who couldn’t make it all the way through. Team USA needed both of them. Brady delivered, Matthew was struggling with an injury. They’ll both be back in 2026.

8. If I’m a Devils fan, I’m a little concerned about Jack Hughes looking like he didn’t belong in a best-on-best tournament.

9. MacKinnon scored a goal per game, won the MVP, and the championship. None of this will measure up to how he’ll feel if he could ever successfully convince Crosby to join him in Colorado. To be a fly on the wall when those two guys are talking.

10. I knew going into this tournament that MacKinnon and Makar are arguably two of the three best players in the world. But watching the respect they deservedly got from the hockey world over the past week or so was special. I try to say this as often as I can, but it’s worth remembering that we truly are blessed to get to watch these two guys at the peak of their careers.