The Greatest Show on Ice had led his country in scoring at the 4 Nations Face-Off (three goals, two assists in four games). He had swiped 63.5 per cent of his draws. He had averaged 20:56 in ice time, more than any Canadian forward, in between back-to-back lung-draining, heart-wrenching trips to the Stanley Cup Final.<\/p>\n
Oh, and he had scored the tournament\u2019s golden goal in a nail-biting overtime against rival Team USA in the first best-on-best tournament of his pro career, inside Boston’s raucous and politically charged TD Garden.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Still, even after the medals got hung, the champagne dried and hockey hugs unwrapped, something wasn\u2019t sitting quite right. And McDavid wanted to let his national coach know before the big one.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s weird,\u201d Team Canada\u2019s Jon Cooper said. \u201cWe talked after 4 Nations, and he didn\u2019t think he was at his best in that tournament, which I thought he was outstanding for us.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nah, if 4 Nations was simply\u00a0il primo, a first course and anticipation for the Olympics\u2019 main dish\u00a0il secondo, then the NHL\u2019s 2025 showdown would also serve as merely an appetizer for the full McDavid buffet.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s coming here on a mission, and you\u2019re watching it,\u201d Cooper said after Canada\u2019s back-to-back drubbings of Czechia and Switzerland.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are the best players in the world, and he\u2019s finding a way to rise above. It\u2019s a lot of fun to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the millions rooting in Canada, of course. But equally so for the sport of hockey, and for all of us who have been pining to see the elite go toe-to-toe on the global stage.<\/p>\n
There are a couple of guys, however, who may be less than thrilled by McDavid\u2019s Italian exploits.<\/p>\n
Like Lukas Sedlak, the poor Czech defenceman, who went to retrieve a dumped-in puck on 97\u2019s first Olympic shift, only to discover what happens when McDavid\u00a0does his best Tom Wilson impression.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re accustomed to describing McDavid as fast, elusive and creative. But mean, strong and vicious?<\/p>\n
\u201cWe want to play physical, and when he\u2019s leading the way in that category, I think we all notice. I think that shows how badly he wants it,\u201d captain Sidney Crosby says. \u201cHe\u2019s leading in a lot of other ways. But especially that way, we all see it and we all want to follow suit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Doesn\u2019t it seem unfair if the most dangerous scoring threat in the tournament can double as a forechecking menace?<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah. He does it all anyway,\u201d Crosby replies. \u201cBut it\u2019s great to see. That\u2019s part of the identity of our team. We want to be physical. And when you see him stepping up that way everyone\u2019s got to follow. There\u2019s no choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
The torch is being passed in front of our eyes.<\/p>\n
Silver will be no consolation in Milan.\u00a0<\/p>\n