After Canada’s thrilling victory in the 4 Nations Face-Off, Mitch Marner reflected on his pivotal role in setting up Connor McDavid’s overtime winner, which secured the tournament title.

“It felt good, I can’t lie,” Marner said. “But I have to give big credit to Binnington. He made a couple of massive saves in overtime that could’ve ended the game. It felt really good to contribute, but we wouldn’t have gotten here without his work.”

When asked about the significance of setting up McDavid, Marner compared it to Sidney Crosby’s iconic golden goal from 2010. “Maybe there’s a bit of a passing of the torch moment,” Marner mused. “Crosby’s been an idol for so many of us, and I’m just happy to have him on my team in games like this.”

As he spoke about wearing the Canadian jersey, Marner acknowledged the pride that came with winning the tournament. “It’s special. It means a lot. We haven’t had as much success in past tournaments, so it feels great to finally win one of these.”

With the victory, Marner’s stock continues to rise as he heads back to the Toronto Maple Leafs, eager to carry the momentum from the international stage into the remainder of the NHL season.