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LAS VEGAS — From Patrick Roy to Martin Brodeur to Curtis Joseph to Roberto Luongo to Carey Price, goaltending has always been a position of strength for Canada in international hockey over the past three decades.

Until now.

The wow factor was front and center when the NHL and NHLPA announced the first six players for the Canadian roster for the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off on June 28th.

Forwards Connor McDavid (three) of the Edmonton Oilers, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins (two) and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche (one) have combined to win the Hart Trophy as NHL most valuable player six times. Defenseman Cale Makar won the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year in 2019-20, the Norris Trophy as top defenseman in 2021-22 and Conn Smythe Trophy as Stanley Cup Playoff MVP that same season. Forward Brayden Point has 185 points (97 goals, 88 assists) in 163 games the past two seasons. And forward Brad Marchand, captain of the Boston Bruins, has 401 goals and is a plus-292 for his career. They’ve combined to win the Stanley Cup eight times.

This group will have no problem scoring goals, but the major concern is who will be responsible for preventing them.

“Without a doubt, goaltending is a position that will constantly face scrutiny for any team, and particularly so for Team Canada, given Carey’s prior experience,” remarked Crosby on that occasion. He acknowledged Price’s remarkable achievements in leading Canada to victory at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. “He’s an irreplaceable player, but I believe there are plenty of individuals who possess the ability to step up and fill that role.”

In my opinion, every role entails difficult decisions, but this particular one will require extra scrutiny due to Carey’s prior involvement.

Who?

Could it be Jordan Binnington, who helped the St. Louis Blues win the 2019 Stanley Cup?

What about Adin Hill, who helped the Vegas Golden Knights win the Cup in 2023? Or Logan Thompson, who was teammates with Hill on that championshp team before being traded to the Washington Capitals on June 29?

Or how about Stuart Skinner, who backstopped the Edmonton Oilers to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final this season?

Could another candidate arise for the upcoming tournament set to take place at Bell Centre in Montreal and TD Garden in Boston from Feb. 12-20? This event will mark the return of the first best-on-best tournament since the World Cup of Hockey 2016 held in Toronto.

“It’s definitely one of those things where Canada is skinnier there than it used to be,” Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur, the New Jersey Devils’ executive vice president of hockey operations who helped Canada win its first gold medal in 50 years at the 2002 Olympics, told NHL.com from the floor of Sphere at the 2024 NHL Draft. “But I do think Skinner did a great job and deserves to get a good look at that job. And there’s still a bunch of guys, like Binnington.

I believe that Canada will experience a difference compared to previous years, but I am confident that the country will ultimately be alright.

Maybe so. But when you compare their candidates to, say, the United States, which can pick from a rich cache including Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins; Connor Hellebuyck, 2024 Vezina Trophy winner as the League’s top goalie; Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars; and Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks, goaltending does seem to be Canada’s Achilles heel.

“We have ample time to find a solution,” stated Don Sweeney, the general manager. Assisting Sweeney in finding the solution will be Jim Nill (Dallas Stars), Julien BriseBois (Tampa Bay Lightning), and Kyle Dubas (Pittsburgh Penguins), who hold positions as associate GM, assistant GM, and director of player personnel, respectively.

Meanwhile, Crosby is already excitedly anticipating the tournament.

Crosby expressed his enthusiasm about the chance to represent Canada at its highest level. He acknowledged that it has been a considerable amount of time since they last had this opportunity. Crosby believes that all the players who were selected today share the same excitement.

MacKinnon has definitely been picking Crosby’s brain on potential line combinations.

Crosby mentioned that while on a golf trip, the topic came up. He recalls it being on the first day when he was asked questions and his thoughts were being sought. Playing alongside him at the 2015 Worlds was an enjoyable experience, and it has been quite some time since then.

During the offseason, Nova Scotia natives Crosby, MacKinnon, and Marchand engage in intense practice sessions in the Halifax area.

Crosby expressed that stepping onto the field is undeniably intense. However, he emphasized that this intensity is what makes it great. While everyone genuinely wants to witness each other’s success, there’s also a strong sense of competitiveness among us all.

Perhaps we have the ability to bring out the best in each other, or on occasion, unfortunately, the worst.

Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning views the upcoming opportunity to coach Canada in a best-on-best tournament as a long-awaited chance. His previous prospect to lead the team in the 2022 Beijing Olympics was unfortunately thwarted due to the cancellation of the event, stemming from COVID-19 concerns.

Cooper expressed how being at the doorstep previously and the sensation of disappointment in the depths of your stomach when that opportunity is lost, it serves as a driving force.

“What else can be said when you are representing your country?”