Rick Tocchet gives his take on who should captain Canada at 4 Nations Face-Off

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Cooper Godin
October 26, 2024 (3:55 PM)

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Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet has given his take on who should captain Canada at 4 Nations Face-Off in February.

The 4 Nations Face-Off is set to get underway in less than four months with Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States vying for the title at the first best-on-best international event since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet will be an assistant and Jon Cooper's staff and was recently asked about who should wear the 'C' for Canada when puck drops in Montreal on February 12th.

Tocchet said without a doubt that Sidney Crosby, who's worn the 'C' for Canada before, should be their captain for the tournament and was full of praise for the future Hall of Famer.

"When I went to the Four Nations Summit, I remember Doug Armstrong said it's unanimous. All the big guys said that Sid should be the captain; it is not even just McDavid," Tocchet said. "I think he's the, quote, unquote, godfather of that team."

Tocchet added, "I don't think anybody would want to wear the 'C' other than Sid because of his approach to the game. What he means to the game, and what he means to his teammates. Anytime you mention top players, he's still there at 37; it's amazing. I have so much respect for him and the way he plays and approaches the game."

On the international stage, Sidney Crosby has worn the 'C' for Canada on three occasions - 2014 Winter Olympics, 2015 IIHF World Hockey Championship and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Crosby will bring a ton of experience to this Canadian team. The full roster won't be released until December 2nd, but it's likely that Canada's management group and coaching staff will name their leadership group around the same time.

Rick Tocchet will make his international coaching debut when Canada takes on Sweden on February 12th at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec.