Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner was recently named to represent Team Canada at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off in February. The eight-day best-on-best tournament kicks off on Feb.12 in Montreal, QC, with Canada facing off against Auston Matthews and Team USA, William Nylander and Team Sweden, and Jani Hakanpaa and Team Finland.
Marner was selected as one of Canada’s 13 forwards and from all accounts, it’s going to play a major role on head coach Jon Cooper’s team. While Marner is as versatile as they come, even playing defence in a crunch for the Leafs last season, the Markham, ON native is expected to play heavy minutes in an offensive role among the top six, and should certainly get some ice-time killing penalties. With Matthews not an option down the middle, Marner is going to have to build chemistry with another centre, as quickly as possible.
Insert Connor McDavid.
McDavid is the perfect centre for Marner. They both think the game and see the ice in similar fashion, with Marner having the playmaking skills to be able to find McDavid at full speed for some magic. Playing with McDavid can actually have its challenges with having to keep up, and to be able to think the game the same way, and these are two areas Marner won’t have any issues in.
Marner has proven year after year he has elite vision, he’s a better shooter than people think, he’s one of the smartest hockey players on the planet, and he’s as defensively sound as any forward in the NHL. Marner could play with anybody, he’s that talented, and regardless of the role he’s offered, he’s going to do whatever he can to help the team win. Canada’s team is one of the deepest teams the country’s ever seen in international play. “It’s going to be crazy. All four teams are stacked,” Marner told via NHL.com’s Mike Zeisberger. “It’s going to be a great tournament for a lot of people to watch and I’m sure excited and super honoured that I get the privilege to do that.”
There’s little doubt McDavid will be used as Canada’s first-line centre, and if Marner plays his natural spot on right wing, he should be riding shotgun to McDavid all tournament long. And for good measure, throw Florida Panthers’ forward Sam Bennett on the left wing. Bennett and McDavid played on the same line in minor hockey together for close to a decade, and Bennett’s in-your-face style would be the perfect compliment for Marner and McDavid.
Bennett could play a similar role to what Zach Hyman plays in Edmonton, where he’s expected to forecheck hard, retrieve pucks, lay the body, and find open areas for easy goals. Playing with Marner and McDavid, Bennett better have his stick on the ice at all times, and expect the unexpected when it comes to passing lanes.
McDavid is very excited to represent Canada, as without the NHL players participating in the Olympics of late, it’s finally time to see McDavid on the ice with some of the country’s very best. “Hard not to say Sidney Crosby, hard not to say Nathan MacKinnon. A guy like Cale Makar,” McDavid told Sportsnet Dec.4, when asked about who he’s excited to play with for Canada. “Sammy Bennett was my minor hockey linemate for eight years, so looking forward to playing with him as well.”
Playing Bennett, McDavid and Marner on the top line gives coach Cooper a chance to play the Nova Scotia trio together on his second line, with Brad Marchand, Crosby and MacKinnon. With chemistry being such a major factor in the short tournament, this star trio know each other very well, skate a ton together in the offseason and complement each other’s skillsets a tremendous amount.
If for some reason, Cooper wants Marner to play more of a defensive role, playing him alongside Tampa Bay Lightning’s defensive specialist Anthony Cirelli and Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis could give Canada quite the shut-down line.
Wouldn’t it be quite the storyline to see Marner playing a shut-down role against Auston Matthews’ top line for Team USA? That’s the best part about the best-on-best tournament, all-stars are going to have to play different roles to make an impact for their country, and NHL linemates are going toe-to-toe.
Unselfish and committed, two very important aspects of an eight-day tournament. Regardless of who Marner plays with, he’s going to do whatever he can to lead Canada to victory. Let’s be honest, at the end of the day, it’s hard to put a player of his calibre in a ‘bad’ spot in the lineup.
Sponsored by bet365
