TORONTO – Nathan MacKinnon knew he was going to pick his friend and fellow Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia resident, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby for his All-Star team Thursday.
He just thought he’d be welcoming him in person too.
“I didn’t even know he wasn’t going to be here,” the Colorado Avalanche forward said after the Tim Hortons NHL All-Star Player Draft at Scotiabank Arena.
“I saw his video (which played prior to the draft). I didn’t even know. But yeah, it’ll be cool to play with him in an All-Star Game. We’ve got some good leadership on the team now, and hopefully we can win it.”
Crosby will be here for the 2024 Honda (U.S.)/Rogers (Canada) NHL All-Star Game on Saturday (3 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC, TVAS). It will be Team MacKinnon against Connor McDavid’s team in Game 1 and Jack Hughes’ team against Auston Matthews’ team in Game 2.
In his absence Thursday, Crosby sent a “Thank You” video, and when Crosby was picked, a player from the Timbits hockey program skated out to represent him.
MacKinnon’s team is co-captained by Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and celebrity captain, Canadian singer, songwriter, dancer and actress Tate McRae. They’ve got their share of firepower, as the selected group has combined to score 162 goals this season.
But the biggest catch was Crosby, and MacKinnon said there was some bargaining prior to the draft to get him.
“I asked Quinn and Jack (Hughes) if they wouldn’t draft him. Their request was that I didn’t take (Brock) Boeser,” MacKinnon said of the Vancouver Canucks forward. “There are so many Canucks players, it’s hard not to take any of them. But it was all fun.”
MacKinnon’s team also selected another familiar face, Colorado goalie Alexandar Georgiev.
“I haven’t been drafted in the NHL before, so it’s a big moment for me,” said Georgiev, who signed with the New York Rangers as a free agent on July 19, 2017. “It felt awesome, you know, to get your name called and you get to wear a beautiful jersey. So, I appreciate that.
“[MacKinnon and Makar] are incredible players. I’m so blessed to play on the same team with them. It’s so much fun when they’re in the offensive zone, watching them cooking around the net and making those big plays. Just super excited to share this moment with them as well.”
Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman was a late pick by MacKinnon’s team and believes their group has an advantage.
“So, I love that we’ve got two Colorado boys leading us as well,” he said of MacKinnon and Makar. “You know they’re going to be in shape because they’re training in altitude. I like our picks and really fortunate to be a part of it all.”
MacKinnon joked that after getting Crosby on his team, “My lifelong dreams have come true now.” Now, if Crosby could only get MacKinnon’s texts letting him know they’re teammates.
“They’re not delivering, so I don’t know what that means,” MacKinnon said. “I don’t know if he blocked me or what because I drafted him. Not delivering.”
TEAM MacKINNON ROSTER
Nathan MacKinnon, COL
Cale Makar, COL
Sidney Crosby, PIT
Alexandar Georgiev, COL
Kirill Kaprizov, MIN
Sebastian Aho, CAR
Tom Wilson, WSH
Jeremy Swayman, BOS
Travis Konecny, PHI
Elias Lindholm, VAN
Oliver Bjorkstrand, SEA
