Marner, Matthews and Nylander Speak Out on Facing Eachother at 4 Nations Face-off
With Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, and William Nylander set to take place in the 4 Nations Face-Off, here's what they had to say ahead of their matchups.
The 4 Nations Face-Off is set to kick off on Wednesday night as Team Canada takes on Team Sweden. With a trio of Maple Leafs stars set to take place, they've given their thoughts ahead of the international exhibition.
So how does each player feel going into the tournament?
Marner, Matthews, Nylander All Set For Competition Amongst Friends
Even though they are typically teammates, they become enemies for two weeks and while all three players are obviously not going to have any hard feelings after this tournament -- they're still trying to win:
Auston Matthews was brief and to the point in his comments:
It seems the Leafs captain is all business, as per usual.
Having dealt with two separate absences due to injury, Matthews has still managed to put together 20 goals and 25 assists in 40 games for the Leafs.
Mitch Marner was a bit more eloquent in his wording, and looked forward to playing with some new faces -- and getting to chirp the familiar ones:
You're going to have to work for your chances and make the most of your opportunities.
Yeah, it'll be great. It's exciting. We've played against each other before in these kinds of events, so it's always fun to go up against your teammates. There's always a little bit of chirping, so it should be a good one.
Unquestionably the team's MVP this season, Marner has 16 goals and 55 assists in 54 games despite all of the drama surrounding his free agency status.
Nylander followed in the same footsteps as Matthews, but added that he does appreciate being able to play with his fellow countrymen:
Nylander is having a stellar season as well with 33 goals and 22 assists in 55 games for the Maple Leafs and is on pace for his third straight 40-goal season.
While the NHL season does lead to these players more often than not fighting tooth and nail with each other, it's always great to see players come together and play for their country; eschewing rivalry for a brief union in search of a greater prize.
All three men are going to be given prime chances to make an impact, as Marner is lining up with Connor McDavid, Matthews has Jack Hughes on his wing, and William Nylander can do damage with Mika Zibanejad -- so the chances for success are there.
The tournament runs from Feb. 12-20, so there are plenty of chances for us to watch as teammates turn foes for one week. It feels like a more intense World Cup of Hockey; which the 4 Nations is replacing -- and that's great for business.
Whatever happens though, one thing remains certain: When all is said and done, all three men have one collective focus -- a Stanley Cup.
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