After weeks of swirling speculation, a dash of worry, and a lot of anticipation, the verdict is finally in—Sidney Crosby is indeed putting on his skates for the Four Nations Face-Off! The Penguins captain was in doubt due to injury but came out on Monday to clear the air that he would be in the lineup for the Canadian side in the tournament’s opener match against Sweden on Wednesday. Crosby’s road to this moment wasn’t exactly smooth, though. An awkward collision with Erik Haula of the New Jersey Devils had fans biting their nails, wondering if the hockey legend would be forced to miss out, considering he hasn’t played an NHL game since that incident.

But true to his reputation, Crosby wasn’t about to let anything keep him from representing the red and white. And as Crosby makes his triumphant return, another Canadian superstar is soaking in the moment. Connor McDavid, who’s gearing up for his own comeback to international competition, can’t help but reflect on what it means to have the Penguins’ icon back in action.

According to NHL.com’s report on February 10th, McDavid made it clear that Crosby’s comeback isn’t just a big deal—it’s the deal. The Penguins captain could’ve easily sat this one out after his injury scare, but nope, that’s just not how Sid operates. He pushed through, proving once again why he’s the ultimate competitor. And McDavid? He’s here for it. “It matters to everybody in here,” McDavid said, making sure no one missed out on seeing just how much weight Crosby’s return carries.

“Drew, the same thing. He could have easily turned it down coming off of his injury, and you saw what it means to him just in his comments how hard he was pushing to get back trying to make the team and everything like that. So obviously, it means a lot to Sid. It means a lot to everybody here. It’s an exciting tournament. It’s an exciting time to be a part of this group, and it’s fun to be out there.” With that kind of energy, you just know this tournament is about to be something special!

And guess what? Connor McDavid is not only observing Sidney Crosby’s comeback, but making one of his own as well! Sporting the Red & White for Team Canada, McDavid took to the ice for the first time during the practice session, with the selected and balanced team of skaters and goalies aiming for victory. It’s been a decade in the making—Canada’s first true best-on-best showdown since the 2014 Olympics—and McDavid is more than ready to suit up and give it everything he’s got.

For a player who’s spent most of his career dreaming about this kind of high-stakes international clash, finally donning that sweater again for the 4 Nations Face-Off is a moment he’s planning to savor. But McDavid isn’t the only one absorbing all the experience. When Sidney Crosby comes back to the ice, there is quite a stir around him and his return to the game.

Sidney Crosby’s comeback makes his teammates happy!

Sidney Crosby is back wearing the ‘C’ for Canada, just like he did when he led them to gold in Sochi 2014 and lifted the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. And let’s not forget his legendary golden goal on home ice at Vancouver 2010. So yeah, his teammates were beyond relieved to see him shake off that jump scare injury and suit up. “All of us would have been really bummed if he wasn’t here,” said Nathan MacKinnon, as he knows the importance of Crosby to the team.

The reigning league MVP, who also hails from Cole Harbour like Sid, further said, “It means a lot. I think he looks great, and I think he feels pretty healthy. But if he’s not, then he’s the last guy I’m worried about in terms of toughness.” Coach Jon Cooper isn’t making any guarantees, but Crosby’s presence at practice—centering a line with MacKinnon and Vegas star Mark Stone—is as good a sign as any. “We would not have put him in a position where he was going to get hurt or re-aggravate his injury,” Cooper made it clear, emphasizing that both Team Canada and the Penguins were aligned on the decision.

Stone summed it up best: “Shows he really wants to be here, really wants to be a part of this opportunity.” But Sid himself had already made it quite explicit that sitting out was not something he had in mind. “I wanted to play the games prior to the break, and it wasn’t really an option given what happened,” he admitted. And when it comes to Sidney Crosby, if there’s a big game to be played, you can bet he’ll be there.