Everyone wants to talk about the "Super Line." You know the one—putting Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon on the same sheet of ice and just letting them delete the opposition's defense. It’s the kind of thing you do in a video game when you’re bored. But honestly, as we look back at how the Team Canada 4 nations lines actually shook out during that February run, the magic wasn't just in the speed. It was in the weird, gritty, "hockey-sense" pairings that Jon Cooper cooked up.
Canada walked away with the trophy after that 3-2 overtime thriller against the Americans, and while McDavid got the winner, the structural foundation of that team was a masterclass in ego management. You have a locker room full of captains. You have guys like Mitch Marner and Sam Reinhart—players who usually play 20+ minutes a night—suddenly asked to be secondary gears. It’s a hard sell. But Cooper, being the Tampa mastermind he is, found a way to make it work by leaning on familiarity rather than just stacking pure stats.
The Top Six Logjam and the Crosby Factor
There was this massive debate leading into the tournament: do you play Sidney Crosby with McDavid? Most people thought it was a lock. "The passing of the torch," they called it. But in the actual games, we saw something much more tactical.
Sidney Crosby ended up centering a line that felt like a throwback to 2014. He had Brad Marchand on his left and, for a good chunk of the tournament, Mark Stone on his right. That’s not a line that’s going to outrun you. It’s a line that’s going to hold the puck in your zone for 45 seconds, cycle you into exhaustion, and then score on a greasy rebound. By keeping the "Nova Scotia Connection" of Marchand and Crosby together, Cooper ensured he had a line that could play in all three zones without hesitation.
Meanwhile, the actual "speed" line was often Sam Reinhart, Connor McDavid, and Mitch Marner. Think about that for a second. You have the best player in the world (McDavid) flanked by a guy who scores 50 goals by standing in the right spot (Reinhart) and one of the best creative passers in the history of the Maple Leafs (Marner). It was basically unfair. They didn't just beat teams; they stretched them until they snapped.
The Modern Third Line
One thing that surprised a lot of people was how Brandon Hagel and Brayden Point were used. Because they play for Cooper in Tampa, they were the "Swiss Army Knife" unit. They’d jump from the second line to the third line depending on if Canada was protecting a lead or chasing one.
- Brandon Hagel: The ultimate puck-hound.
- Brayden Point: Elite skating and finishing.
- Mark Stone/Travis Konecny: The grit factor.
When you look at the Team Canada 4 nations lines, this middle group was actually the most consistent. While the stars were trading highlight-reel goals, the Hagel-Point duo was killing penalties and making life miserable for guys like Auston Matthews and Jack Eichel.
Defense Pairings: Why Chemistry Trumps Talent
If you’ve watched any Avalanche games in the last three years, you knew what the top pair was going to be. Cale Makar and Devon Toews are basically telepathic. There was zero chance Hockey Canada was going to break that up. Makar is the best defenseman on the planet, but he’s at his best when he knows Toews is covering the house.
The rest of the backend was a bit more of a scramble, especially with Alex Pietrangelo being replaced by Drew Doughty. It felt a bit like a "Greatest Hits" tour.
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- Devon Toews — Cale Makar: The undisputed #1 pair.
- Josh Morrissey — Colton Parayko: A blend of elite puck-moving and massive reach.
- Shea Theodore — Drew Doughty: The veteran savvy pair.
- Travis Sanheim: The versatile seventh man who could slot in anywhere.
Morrissey, coming off massive seasons in Winnipeg, really proved he belonged in that top-four conversation. He played a much more physical game than we usually see from him in the NHL, likely because he knew he had the 6'6" Parayko backing him up.
The Goaltending "Crisis" That Wasn't
Let's be real—going into the 4 Nations Face-Off, everyone was terrified of Canada's goaltending. We didn't have a Carey Price or a Roberto Luongo in their prime. We had Jordan Binnington, Adin Hill, and Sam Montembeault. On paper, compared to Hellebuyck for the US or Ullmark for Sweden, it looked like a weakness.
But Binnington turned into a wall. He’s a "big game" goalie—we saw it in 2019, and we saw it again in the final against the US. He finished that gold medal game with 31 saves, some of them coming on Grade-A chances from Matthew Tkachuk.
Adin Hill was a solid backup, but Cooper rode the hot hand. It’s a reminder that in short-term tournaments, you don't need the "best" goalie over an 82-game season; you just need the guy who doesn't blink when the lights get bright.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Olympics
The 4 Nations Face-Off was basically a dress rehearsal for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. If you’re trying to figure out what the roster will look like next year, the Team Canada 4 nations lines gave us a massive blueprint.
- Trust the pairs: Expect the Makar-Toews and Crosby-Marchand duos to stay glued together. International hockey is too fast to spend time "finding" chemistry.
- The "Heavy" Fourth Line: Watch for guys like Sam Bennett and Macklin Celebrini to push for spots. Celebrini, specifically, has been training with Crosby and MacKinnon in the off-season. He’s the wildcard who could jump into the top six by 2026.
- Special Teams are King: Canada’s power play at the 4 Nations was lethal because they used a "bumper" system with Brayden Point and Sidney Crosby. Expect that same look in Italy.
- Goaltending is a Committee: Don't expect one guy to be named "The Starter" six months out. It’ll be a battle between Binnington and whoever is hot in January 2026.
Keep an eye on the injury reports and the early-season NHL stats for 2025-26. The Olympic roster is largely set, but as we saw with the 4 Nations, one injury to a guy like Pietrangelo opens the door for a veteran like Doughty to make a comeback. The depth is there, but the line combinations are where the gold is won.
Check the current NHL standings and power play percentages for the top Canadian players to see who is trending toward a promotion. The transition from the 4 Nations to the Olympics is going to be seamless for this core group.