Canada vs. US at 4 Nations Face-off has the potential to be best hockey ever seen

Montreal – “I think it’s going to be the biggest game I’ve ever played in my career,” Brady Tkachuk said on Thursday.

When Canada and the US face in Montreal on Saturday, it has the potential to be the best game we’ve ever seen.

If it works hyperbolic, good … fine.

But it’s been eight and a half years since Canada and the US played on this stage, and even further since we’ve seen the best of both nations play, and it’s fair to say that the development of the game since the World 2016 Cup has Probably promised us an unprecedented hockey display between some of the best players to ever fit both country.

Back in 2016, Connor McDavid, Nathan Mackinnon, Jack Eichel and Auston Matthews played for neither Canada nor the United States. They are four of eight players participating in Saturday’s match who have taken care of the under-23 North American team, and they laid the basis for what we will see on the same ice surface as they changed the game together.

“It’s the speed, skill, finesse, the way they think the game is incredible,” said Team US Jaccob Slavin on Friday morning. “I think from a tempo point of view, the game is so much faster now, and guys are making these skills games at such a higher level. I think that’s what you see that appear every night in these games especially … ”

Jarmo Kkalainen called 4 Nations Face-off opener between Canada and Sweden Wednesday “One of the top five games I’ve ever seen.”

Assistant General Manager for Team Finland played in Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux’s NHL in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Then he began his career in leadership in his homeland before building a reputation as one of the game’s most prominent scouts. The Kkalainen was GM of Columbus Blue Jackets from 2013-2024. We are talking about a hockey -lifer who has seen thousands of games through the most educated eyes you can have, and he agreed that the first game of this tournament was probably just appetite growth for Saturday’s main course.

If you are wondering what is attending it means for Slavin, he says he would have skipped a much needed holiday just for this one alone.

The 30-year-old defender plays in the most demanding system in the NHL with Carolina Hurricanes. He expects to win the biggest one-on-one-match’s evening after night. And he said that even if you scraped the whole tournament and had nothing but practicing for five days that led into Saturday’s game, he would have “been on the first flight here.”

“These are games that you dream of playing,” he added. “You see the highlights of them grow up, but now you actually get it.”

Dylan Larkin thought this option would arise many times since he fits the U23 NA team in 2016. But with the NHL, who jumped over 2018 and ’22 winter -ol, the wait has felt endless.

“I think Team North America was a cool experience and we were all young and in the same part of our lives and what not,” said the 28-year-old. “But you look at it, there are a lot of guys on that team – most of us who did that team probably – it would have been able to make Team USA and represent our country and it means a lot and it would “Has been a great experience. Fortunately, we are back here and playing 4 nations … ”

Fortunately for hockey fans, this may be the best game we’ve ever seen, and more of the best ever thanks to the agreement between the NHL and NHLPA to continue sending players to the Olympics and reviving the World Cup. It makes Saturday’s game the first page of a new and most exciting chapter in the rich story between Canada and the United States.

The 1996 World Cup, won by the United States, really started the modern rivalry. It was propelled by the fact that Canada ended a 50-year-old gold medal drought at the 2002 Olympics with his 5-2 win over the Americans in Salt Lake City.

McDavid said after Canada’s practice on Friday that the Vancouver Games in 2010 gave his biggest Canada-US Memory.

“It was a fantastic game,” he said. “So exciting, of course, that it ends on a Canadian victory in overtime.”

Crosby delivered the golden goal that day. He was in uniform for the 1-0 win over the Americans in the last true best-on-best game between both nations-at Olympics in 2014-and he is one of only three Canadians playing in Saturday’s games that too Dressed up for 4-2 Canada wins over the United States in September 2016 at the World Cup.

Drew Doughty and Brad Marchand are the others and they approach this next as the opportunity for life.

“There is no major rivalry than Canada-US in Hockey,” Marchand said. “They are the games that everyone dreams of playing up. These are memories that will last life. We all really look forward to it. Can’t come fast enough. “

For the United States -coach Mike Sullivan it comes quickly and furiously, and he can’t wait to see it unfold from what he said is “the best seat in the house.”

“These are the generational talents that pave the way for the development of the game with some of the things they do out there, and their creativity and the way they think of the game and perform at such a high level,” Sullivan said. “It’s a great honor for us.”

The Americans put a show in a 6-1 rut of Finland on Thursday, with both Brady and Matthew Tkachuk treating it as the biggest game they had ever participated in.

But this one feels bigger – and has the potential to be so much better.

“It’s unique and it’s going to be incredible,” said US Charlie McAvoy. “The atmosphere becomes fantastic, the rivalry speaks for itself. It is determined where your mind goes when you think of dreaming of this as a child and you are thinking about playing in an event like this. That’s the team that comes to mind; It’s USA versus Canada (in Montreal) on a Saturday night. That’s what you’re dreaming of and it’s right in front of us, so I know we all can’t wait for the opportunity. “

• When Slavin was asked about Florida Panthers Superpest Sam Bennett’s entry into Canada’s lineup, Slavin said, “I have a good story with him.”

He was reminded that many players in the NHL do and did not repeat all of those left on the ice unconscious by Bennett.

“He is a physical guy who plays hard,” Slavin said, “but that doesn’t change what we’re doing.”

• The Americans Out-Hit Finland 32-16 in Thursday’s match and had the puck for most of it. So of course they are up to that task.

• Sullivan by defending Canada’s power-playing device by Crosby, McDavid, Mackinnon, Makar and Sam Reinhart: “Obviously, it will be a major challenge. It is difficult to enter on a single aspect of the group, they have threats in all positions. I think we will have to make sure that from our point of view we just have to make sure we are there for each other. We have tried to incorporate a certain foundation for our criminal murder, both in zone and out of the faceoffs, and occur up the ice; Some of the critical aspects of killings are important for success. We just have to make sure that basically we are on the same page and we are locked inside. We will have to win Faceoffs. We will have to win puck matches. We will have to make it clear. If we can make the items difficult for them and potentially limit their zone time, it goes a long way to help us succeed. “

Sweden was unable to do any of it, with Canada, scoring 12 seconds after William Nylander took a high -ranking penalty in the first period.

What the Swedes did good was to stay out of the box after taking one punishment, which was obviously a huge factor in those who came to overtime.

• We mentioned three players who played for Canada the last time there was a game of this size against the United States that the Americans do not have here and have the youngest list in this tournament.

Doesn’t necessarily mean anything. Just a fact.

• A quick scan of the resale market for Saturday’s games has sold the last row of tickets sold for a total of $ 867.15 per. Piece.

What costs nothing is the Fan party NHL and NHLPA throw right outside the arena on Saturday, starts at. 11 and runs all the way up to 1 p.m. 20, with chances of taking photos with 4 Nations Trophy and getting autographs from NHL alumens.