The 4 Nations Face-Off opened with a standing ovation from the crowd at Montreal's Bell Centre -- but it wasn't for a player in the tournament.
Those deafening cheers rained down for Mario Lemieux.
That was the scene Wednesday night ahead of the event's first game between Canada and Sweden. The Montreal native, former Pittsburgh Penguins captain and Canadian mainstay in international competition stepped onto the ice to thunderous applause, unveiling a ceremonial banner commemorating the evening's matchup. Before the game, Lemieux also made a surprise visit to Canada's locker room to announce the starting lineup.
The already-electric atmosphere reached another level when Lemieux waved over Canada's captain, Sidney Crosby -- a player with whom he shares a long history. Crosby became Lemieux's heir apparent in Pittsburgh after being drafted first overall in 2005. Crosby lived with Lemieux as a young star and has since captained the team for 18 seasons (and counting), leading it to three Stanley Cup championships -- one more than Lemieux's two.
Montreal LOVES Mario Lemieux ❤️ #4Nations
— NHL (@NHL) February 13, 2025
🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT & @SportsonMax ➡️ https://t.co/4TuyIATi3T
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/5clMRIPyms
A warm welcome back to Montreal for Le Magnifique! 🐐 pic.twitter.com/XJG6p768qN
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) February 13, 2025
Other alumni representing their countries Wednesday included Finnish legend Teemu Selanne, Sweden's Daniel Alfredsson and U.S. goaltender Mike Richter.
