Notebook: Team North America spawns reunion

QUEBEC CITY - Team North America coach Todd McLellan didn't only create one super line - Johnny Gaudreau-Connor McDavid-Jack Eichel - when he switched up his lines at practice Friday. He also brought back a combination for the World Cup of Hockey 2016 that used to be a dynamic force: Jonathan Drouin and Nathan MacKinnon.
The pair left a legacy in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, where they played together for Halifax, especially in 2012-2013. That year, MacKinnon had 32 goals and 43 assists in 44 games. Drouin had 41 goals and 64 assists in 49 games.

"We were dominant," MacKinnon said. "It was junior, but the way we connected was very special. It doesn't happen all the time. It's more fun to score now because it's a lot harder, but it was definitely a lot of fun playing in these kind of buildings, winning the Memorial Cup in Saskatoon. We had a lot of success together. I don't want to hype it up too much, but I think we'll be fine come Sunday."
So it seemed inevitable that McLellan would put them together at some point on Team North America at the World Cup, which will be played at Air Canada Centre in Toronto from Sept. 17-Oct. 1.
"It made sense to go there, certainly with the pair," McLellan said.

And if the reunion can make MacKinnon even better than he was Thursday, that would be impressive. MacKinnon was perhaps the best player on the best line against Team Europe, skating with Auston Matthews and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. Replacing Matthews with Drouin might make him and the line even better.
"For me, my first experience with Nathan is in 2015 at the world championships," McLellan said. "That was hands-on experience. Prior to that, we knew what a tremendous player he was playing in the Western Conference.
"He's maturing as a player. He's learned a lot, he's had some very good coaches that have helped him along the way. Even from 2015 to now, you see a much more mature individual. Very focused. His conditioning level right now is probably as good as it's ever been. He's lean and he's fast and he has a skill set that is second to none. Those guys go first overall for a reason, it doesn't matter if you're a so-called generational guy or not. You've got a ton of talent."
And together, there's even more.
"In the summer we chatted a bit about it," Drouin said, of the possibility. "But we didn't put much into it. Like I said, we're happy to be playing together again. I've seen the Twitter thing a bit. People want to put us together on a line, and I saw it this morning coming into the room. It was definitely something nice to see. Me and Nate had a little fun this morning about it."
They had fun on the ice, too, with MacKinnon saying that the chemistry was already there immediately. Even passing in practice was natural, familiar. So too was the city, with his memories of playing in Quebec City in juniors. Except, that wasn't at Videotron Centre.
"It's funny to see the Coliseum next to this UFO," MacKinnon said, of the arena where the Quebec Remparts used to play. "When I was 16, I'd go to the Coliseum and I thought it was the biggest rink I'd ever seen. There was 15,000 people. It was massive. And then you've got this thing next to it.

"Love being here, love playing here. Just being in Quebec, it's a lot of fun."
Even more if he's playing with his old linemate.
MIXING IT UP: The coaching staff pushed the nets to the center ice circle, setting them on either side. Inside the ring were two goaltenders, one manning each net, and a set of three-on-three skaters. It was a drill not for the faint of heart, especially if that faint-at-heart hockey player was a goalie.
From the stands, McLellan could be heard cautioning the goaltenders, "Goalies, breathe. Goalies, breathe."
"It's a fun drill, the players like to do it," McLellan said after it was over. "There's a lot of hidden components within it, the battle in the middle, the quick hands, the emphasis on shooting. The goaltender gets to react quickly. It serves its purpose, but the players have a tremendous amount of fun."
The drill was on short ice, with the players battling to score using quick reactions and quick hands. It was clearly a joy for them, less so for the defenders, and certainly less so for those goaltenders.
"They'd still be out there playing if we'd let them," McLellan said. "Not the goalies. But we had three of them, we could rotate them through. But the players would go all day if they could. Now, you line them up and you want to do backchecking or forechecking drills, they'll let you know about five minutes in they've had enough. We recognize that. But it's a fun drill and there's still a lot of purpose to it.
As Gaudreau said, "It was fun. It was a lot of fun. We were moving the puck, quick passes, playing defensively, at the same time playing offensively. It's a fun game. I know I had fun out there."