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There is an argument to be made that Connor McDavid has been the face of Canadian hockey for the past decade, or even just the flagship star of the sport itself. However, it is a shock to many that the Edmonton Oilers center has never played for Team Canada at the Winter Olympics. All of that has remained true up until Milano Cortina. Is he now ready to hit the ice of the biggest tournament in the world?
Oilers legend ecstatic to be at Milano Cortina
The upcoming Olympics will be the first time since 2014 that NHL players will be allowed to have time on the ice. This means that there have been two cycles in McDavid's career where he was at his prime but just could not represent for Team Canada. So, the Oilers star could not quite contain his excitement about the Milano Cortina games, via Derek Van Diest of NHL.com.
"It's the biggest sporting event in the world and to do it together with 25 of Canada's best hockey players, it's a dream come true, it really is. I know everybody feels the same way and we're just looking for the opportunity to go over and play. It's the Olympic Games, but it's a hockey tournament at the end of the day, and we're there to play hockey and we're there to do a job," the Oilers superstar said.
This is not the first time that McDavid will don the Team Canada attire. He got to do so at the NHL Four Nations Face-Off in 2025. Unsurprisingly, he scored the game-winning goal which got his squad the 3-2 win over Team USA. While he continues in setting off to etch his own name in the annals of Canadian hockey history, there is one memory that he always remembers at the Olympics.
"I vaguely remember the 2002 one. I remember the whole thing with the Looney and the ice that was a pretty cool story looking back on. Obviously there's the Sid (Crosby) one in 2010. I remember that one pretty good," he added.
16 years later, McDavid will now share shifts with Crosby in representing Canada. There is a lot to be grateful for in this lifetime and one of them is being able to see these two greats on the ice at the same time while they still can. Team Canada starts their Milano Cortina Winter Olympics campaign on February 12 against Czechia.
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