Mat Barzal burst onto the scene in the NHL this year, but his team didn’t quite make the cut for the postseason – so he will play for Team Canada at the World Hockey Championships.
Barzal will likely be a New York Islander for a long time, so for the most part he knows who will be his opponent in the league for the rest of his career. That’s what makes these international competitions so unique: you get to see players that will go head-to-head for most of their NHL careers play on the same teams and line.
For Barzal, one person seemed to catch his eye on the Team Canada roster and it’s one that will attract a lot of attention from NHL players for the rest of their career.
Of course, Oilers fans shouldn’t get too excited about Barzal coming to Edmonton (Although they did have an opportunity to get him), but the fans should be excited about players wanting to play with the man who will likely be the greatest player of his generation. Talent attracts more talent in sports and if there was a team to form a super team in the NHL, it would no doubt start with someone like McDavid.
In the meantime, they might get a taste to see what it’s like to surround McDavid with a team of superstars, which should be exciting. If team North America was any indication, this could be one of the best World Hockey Championships in years.
That's just with these players on the same team. Now imagine if they end up on the same line...
