Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon has put an end to the ongoing debate about who the best hockey player in the world is by endorsing Connor McDavid.

When Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche and Team Canada was asked to clarify why he’s repeatedly called Connor McDavid the best player in the world, MacKinnon had the perfect response that got members of the media laughing.

MacKinnon, along with Cale Makar and Devon Toews, had the opportunity to play for Canada in a best-on-best men’s tournament for the first time at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. He had the chance to play with his childhood idol-turned-friend Sidney Crosby in games that matter for the first time. He also didn’t let down 8-year-old Nathan MacKinnon.

Less than five minutes into the game, McDavid and MacKinnon made a statement that anything short of a return date against the U.S., who defeated them 3-1 on home soil less than 48 hours earlier, was unacceptable. They scored in a span of 36 seconds to put Canada ahead 2-0, McDavid at 4:13 and MacKinnon at 4:59.

MONTREAL (AP) — Canada’s absurdly talented power play did not take long to make a difference at the 4 Nations Face-Off on Wednesday night.