Zizing ‘Em Up: Nova Scotia to be well-represented at 2025 4 Nations Face-Off

NHL.com staff writer Mike Zeisberger has been covering the NHL regularly since 1999. Each Monday he will use his extensive network of hockey contacts for his weekly notes column, "Zizing 'Em Up.”

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia -- Walk into the arena known as Cole Harbour Place, and one of the first things you see are banners dangling from the rafters honoring native sons Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon.

Do the same at St. Margaret’s Centre, about 27 miles to the west, and you’ll spot a handful of Brad Marchand’s minor hockey jerseys on display.

In a country that spans almost 5,000 miles coast-to-coast from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific, it’s intriguing that half of the six players selected to Canada’s roster for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off come from the greater Halifax area.

What’s the deal here? Something in the water on the Nova Scotia coast that produces some of the most elite hockey talent in the entire country?

“I don’t know about that,” Crosby, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain and a native of Cole Harbour, laughed. “But I know we’re proud of that.”

They have reason to be.

When Canada revealed its initial group of players on June 28, Crosby, MacKinnon and Marchand were named, along with Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Tampa Bay Lightning center Brayden Point and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar. Crosby says it was a special day for Nova Scotia hockey.

Special enough for the three players to get a small provincial flag sewn on the shoulders of each of their Team Canada jerseys?

“If we’re allowed, we might,” he said with a chuckle. “Either way, it’s a great feeling for us. I guess things have kind of come full circle. This is for all those years we’d go to those big tournaments in Toronto and Montreal, and sometimes we got waxed. Well, you know, now we'll do the waxing. We'll be the proud ones.

“Nova Scotia, it’s a smaller [province], and we're certainly proud of it. We have a lot of pride being from there, and now there are more guys from there too. We’re all pulling from one another, and to see more and more guys coming from there is awesome.”

Crosby, MacKinnon and Marchand often are part of summer skates in the area. MacKinnon, an Avalanche forward and a native of Cole Harbour like Crosby, said he is always on the opposite team of the one with Sid and Marchand.

“It’s competitive,” MacKinnon said. “A couple of times over the course of the summer there are heated arguments, but it’s fun.”

Crosby is 37, eight years older than MacKinnon. As such, when the latter was playing minor hockey in the area, he idolized the local kid who’d gone on to be Penguins captain.

Years later, they are the closest friends. During the summer they train together, skate together, hang out together. They even appear in commercials together, including the most recent one in which they drive a Zamboni through a Tim Hortons drive-thru.

In February, they’ll be teammates together, representing their country in the first best-on-best competition since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

“I'd love to be on his wing,” MacKinnon said. “That'd be cool. I think we’d play well together.”

During the World Cup of Hockey eight years ago, it was Marchand, now the captain of the Boston Bruins, who was on Crosby’s wing. Marchand scored short-handed with 44 seconds left in the title game for a 2-1 victory against Team Europe.

Marchand, who was born in Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia, is three years younger than Crosby and grew up hearing about the older kid in the area who was becoming more of a hockey phenom with each passing year. Who knew that, all these years later, he’d be teaming up with him, and MacKinnon, for Canada on an international stage?

“I think there’s kind of a hard-working mentality back home,” Marchand said. “And when you skate with elite guys like that, you tend to push each other, especially with those two. They train together a lot more and push each other to be the best. It’s amazing to stand back and watch it.

“It’s great that three kids from the same area get to play together on a team like that. It doesn’t happen often, and we’re proud of it. It’s a pretty incredible thing.”

For Crosby, MacKinnon and Marchand. For Team Canada. And especially for the Halifax area and the people of Nova Scotia whose passion for the sport cannot be questioned.

MEETINGS OF THE MINDS

Hockey Hall of Fame weekend in Toronto will be followed by the general managers meeting at the League offices Tuesday.

One of the hot topics of discussion revolves around replays and the length of time it takes to make decisions in certain situations. Issues involving Stanley Cup Playoff rosters are also on the agenda.

With the GMs already gathered in the same place, the management teams of Canada and the United States will take advantage and also congregate Tuesday and Wednesday to continue debates as to their final rosters, which must be submitted in early December. The first six players for each of the four teams, which also includes Sweden and Finland, were submitted in late June.

Interestingly, with such a short lead-in for the tournament, which runs Feb. 12-20, there are different philosophies when it comes to roster construction.

According to Canadian assistant GM Jim Nill, who is also the GM of the Dallas Stars, familiarity between players is a key because there will be so little practice time before the games begin. For example, pairings from the same team, such as hypothetically teaming up Oilers forwards Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman or Makar and Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews, are factors that come into consideration.

U.S. GM Bill Guerin, who is also GM of the Minnesota Wild, has a different take when it comes to that.

“We’re looking at it not so much as familiarity, as it is on how guys can fill roles,” Guerin said. “Look, these are All-Star players. So, who’s willing to take on a defensive role? A checking role? Kill penalties? All these things go into it.

“I’ll say this much, when you’ve got so many skilled players to choose from, it’s not easy.”

CHARA CHANGED THE GAME

It’s just one person’s opinion, but it says here that Zdeno Chara was the most influential free agent signing in the NHL in the past 20 years.

Here’s why.

The behemoth 6-foot-9, 250-pound defenseman signed a five-year, $37.5 million contract with Boston on July 1, 2006. He would play for them for the next 14 seasons before retiring as a Bruin in 2022 after one-year stints with the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders.

What he meant to the Bruins -- and the sport, for that matter -- speaks for itself.

He was Boston’s captain from 2006-2020 and, as such, was handed the Stanley Cup by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman after the Bruins won in 2011. He helped them reach the Cup Final two other times, against the Chicago Blackhawks in 2013 and St. Louis Blues in 2019. He won the Norris Trophy as the League’s top defenseman in 2009 and the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2011.

In the process, he changed the way the sport is played, which very few players in the history of the game have done.

“When he was out there, with his size and wingspan, teams couldn’t just enter the zone freely,” former Bruins teammate Patrice Bergeron said during an interview last year. “You either had to be precise in your passing to avoid him, or you had to dump it in behind him and risk the physicality of going to get it. And the way he could take away passing lanes with that long stick on the penalty kill was something we saw throughout his career.

“Opposing teams had to change their game plans whenever he was on the ice.”

As Hockey Hall of Fame celebrations here in Toronto reach the climax with induction ceremonies Monday, a look into the crystal ball shows candidates for the Class of 2025 might rank as one of the best ever. Included in those who are eligible: forwards Ryan Getzlaf and Joe Thornton, defenseman Duncan Keith and goalie Carey Price.

And, of course, Chara.

There have been some elite Hall of Fame classes in the past: Ken Dryden, Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Harry Sinden (1983); Mario Lemieux, Bryan Trottier, Glen Sather (1997); Ron Francis, Al MacInnis, Mark Messier, Scott Stevens, Jim Gregory (2007); Brett Hull, Brian Leetch, Luc Robitaille, Steve Yzerman, Lou Lamoriello (2009); Rob Blake, Peter Forsberg, Dominik Hasek, Mike Modano, Pat Burns, Bill McCreary (2014).

Is next year’s worthy of comparisons?

Whatever the case, Chara certainly is. After all, if ever there was a player who influenced how the game was played regardless of what the scoreboard or stat sheet showed, it was uniquely him.

Isn’t that what the Hall of Fame is all about?

4 NATIONS STOCK MARKET

Each Monday, we'll look at two candidates vying to make one of the teams participating in the 4 Nations Face-Off, one who's hot, one who's not.

Who’s hot: Tage Thompson, United States

Heading into Monday’s game against the Montreal Canadiens, the Buffalo Sabres forward had points in 11 of his past 12 games and has 17 points (10 goals, seven assists) in 15 games this season. Combine that talent with his size (6-6, 220), and you have a rare talent that U.S. brass is definitely intrigued by. The 27-year-old normally plays center, but there have been internal discussions about shifting him to the wing, given the glut of talent the Americans potentially have up the middle.

Thompson’s unique ability to shield the puck in tight spaces, then suddenly step on the gas pedal for a burst of speed when a crack of open ice presents itself, well, that combination is not only rare, but coveted as well.

In the end, Thompson’s productive start to the season definitely has caught the attention of the U.S. hierarchy, if it hadn’t already.

Who's not: Patrick Kane, United States

Here’s the dilemma: At 35 years old, there’s no doubt the veteran forward’s best days are behind him. At the same time, he’s an inspirational figure for many of the younger American players. Forward Auston Matthews, for example, has repeatedly said Kane was his favorite U.S.-born player growing up and inspired him to become one of the best goal-scorers in the entire League. Kane’s potential influence and presence in the United States’ dressing room would be undeniable. But who among a deep talent pool of American candidates would he replace? Through 14 games, he has only scored two times and has just eight points for the Detroit Red Wings and is minus-4. Interesting decision here for Guerin and his staff.

QUOTE/UNQUOTE

“It was great. I didn’t know where the puck was. It was a bit of a dog pile. Nice to see him come out with the puck in his hand and still have all five fingers.”

-- Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner after goalie Anthony Stolarz made a save with his bare hand during a chaotic scramble in front of the net during a 3-1 victory against the Detroit Red Wings on Friday

THE LAST WORD

There is a different buzz in a visiting NHL arena when McDavid comes to your town. Generational players like the Oilers superstar have that effect.

It is multiplied whenever he comes to Toronto to play the Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena like he will this Saturday (7 p.m. ET; CBC, SNO, SNP, NHLN).

The 27-year-old is from Newmarket, Ontario, about 35 miles north of Toronto and has never been shy about his love of southern Ontario. He spends his offseasons there. He trains there in the summer under the watchful guidance of former NHL forward-turned super-trainer Gary Roberts. He owns a lakeside vacation home in the fashionable Muskoka, a couple of hours north of Toronto, and got married in the area this past summer.

During a 1-on-1 sit-down he had with yours truly at Erie Insurance Arena on Feb. 8, 2015, McDavid, an 18-year-old forward with the Erie Otters at the time, opened up about what it would be like to play for the Maple Leafs.

“That would be an absolute dream come true,” he said. “It’s pretty crazy to even think about.”

“I’m from Toronto,” he continued. You have to be a Leafs fan, so of course I was. Of course. My dad was a Leafs fan. Every Saturday night watching Hockey Night in Canada would be my favorite time.

“I still remember going to my first ever Leafs game. It was a Rangers-Leafs game. The Leafs won 4-1. I don’t remember (which players) were playing or who was scoring. I just remember that when my dad and I would drive down, we always used to joke who could guess the score. And for whatever reason, I picked Leafs to win 4-1. And that’s what happened.

“I’ll remember that forever.”

Fast forward nine years. McDavid, who was selected No. 1 by Edmonton at the 2015 NHL Draft, has constructed an ongoing legacy there and came just one goal short, along with his teammates, in the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers last spring. He has consistently stated his appreciation of Oilers fans and has become embedded in the fabric of the Edmonton community.

During a sit-down at the NHL/NHLPA North American Players Media Tour in September in Las Vegas, the Oilers captain cited exactly that as being significant in eventually deciding where his career will take him long term. He’ll be eligible to sign a new contract with Edmonton on July 1, 2025, before he enters the final season of the eight-year, $100 million contract ($12.5 million average annual value) he signed July 5, 2017.

“Everything’s a factor,” he said. “Obviously, my loyalty to Edmonton, the fans, the organization, the loyalty to the players, all while understanding my will to win, my desire to win. All while balancing my family, my need to see them and spend time with them and make sure the people I care about are good.

“I think there are so many factors that go into a decision like that.”

Keep this in mind too: Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, one of his closest friends, signed an eight-year, $112 million contract ($14 million AAV) with Edmonton on Sept. 3. The 29-year-old forward is in the final season of an eight-year, $68 million contract ($8.5 million AAV) he signed with them Aug. 16, 2017, and could have become a free agent next summer.

He’s never come out and said it, but you have to think the two pals have discussed what it would be like to play together in Edmonton well into their 30s. It would be naive not to.

Which brings us to Saturday.

Whenever McDavid makes a so-called homecoming, which he considers any game at Scotiabank Arena to be, there is a paranoia on social media within certain members of the Oilers’ fanbase that his vocal affection for Toronto means he’ll leave Edmonton for the Maple Leafs when his contract expires.

Let’s put the brakes on that and calm down for a minute.

Forget, for a moment, about issues such as if Toronto would have cap space to do such a move, or if it could match or exceed a potential Edmonton offer. Or if he wants to leave the Oilers. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. All of that is premature. Anyone who knows McDavid understands that he lives in the here and now. His sole focus is winning the Stanley Cup. Not individual records. Not where he’ll play in two years.

Anyone who saw the Amazon Prime documentary in which he’s shown openly weeping after the crushing 2-1 loss to the Panthers in Game 7 of the Cup Final knows just how much hockey’s prized trophy is his raison d’etre. Anything else is just white noise.

McDavid no longer is that teenager who professed his love for the Maple Leafs as a junior player in Erie. He’s just a kid at heart who likes coming home to play in front of friends and family. Nothing more, nothing less.

He will be extra motivated when he steps on the ice at Scotiabank Arena later this week in front of a capacity crowd and a national audience on Hockey Night in Canada. History tells us just how much.

In 10 career games in Toronto, McDavid has 16 points (three goals, 13 assists) including six (one goal, five assists) in his past two appearances there. Of those, the top moment easily was his spectacular goal in which he turned Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly inside-out in the Oilers’ 6-4 victory Jan. 6, 2020, one that had Wayne Gretzky, who was watching from a private box, “jumping out of my seat.”

Who knows what happens in two years? Maybe he’ll be signed long-term by Edmonton by then. Maybe the urge to play at home will be strong enough on his heartstrings that he and the Maple Leafs will find a way.

There are so many maybes here. The only certainty here is that there are 32 teams who would clamor at the chance to have McDavid on their roster.

So, come Saturday, put any kind of speculation or paranoia aside and simply enjoy watching one of the greats play on one of the sport’s biggest stages.

Is that too much to ask?