Updated Projected Team Canada Roster for 2025 Four Nations Faceoff   | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors

Second-Line Forwards

2 of 8

Nathan MacKinnonMichael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images

Brad Marchand - Sidney Crosby - Nathan MacKinnon

We're thinking outside the box here and shifting MacKinnon over to the wing. Not only because Canada is loaded down the middle at center, but because it would be fascinating to see longtime friends Crosby and MacKinnon get a chance to play together.

Crosby is getting deeper into his 30s, but he remains one of the NHL's best two-way players at center, and MacKinnon is fresh off winning his first NHL MVP award. He also won the Ted Lindsay Award as the most outstanding player voted on by his peers.

Those two should have tremendous chemistry together and form a terrifying duo.

Adding Marchand into that mix makes it so this line might not ever give up the puck. Marchand's two-way play, defensive ability, possession-driving and offense make him one of the NHL's best all-around players. He also has the sandpaper element that makes him one of the most frustrating players to play against.

This would be an unquestioned top line on almost any international team. For Canada, it is only the second line.