Look out, January.

Connor McDavid is about to turn things up in the lead-up to his inaugural Olympic appearance.

In preparation for him and his fellow NHL superstars on the roster Team Canada announced Wednesday, McDavid said he’s game-on from here on out.

And that means a lot coming from the Edmonton Oilers captain, who just put together one of the best individual months an NHL player has ever had, carrying a point streak of 13-games and 33-points (13 goals, 20 assists) into the final game of the 2025 calendar on Wednesday at Rogers Place against the Boston Bruins.

The streak rocketed him to the lead in the overall points race with 69 points (24 goals, 45 assists) in 40 games, which has him on pace for 140 — good enough for the second-best season of his illustrious career.

“He’s playing extremely well, and if he’s ramping it up even more, I’m afraid for the opposition,” said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch. “He’s just been tenacious, wanting to make something happen every shift, hungry to score goals. Every time he has the puck, he’s driving the net, and if he can’t get to the net then he’s looking to make the next play.

“A very driven player, very focused, which is the case for him all the time. But he’s taking it to another level right now with how he’s playing.”

And that’s good news for hockey fans outside of Edmonton, as well, as McDavid was so much a shoo-in to wear the Maple Leaf in Italy in February that he was one of six preliminary roster members announced on June 17 alongside the Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon and defenceman Cale Makar, and forwards Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Sam Reinhart of the Florida Panthers.

They will lead the way for Canada in the 12-team tournament Feb. 11-22, which will feature NHL players for the first time since 2014.

“I think just because you’re named early, everyone wants to earn their spot,” McDavid said. “It’s an incredible honour to be named to that team, whether that was (in June) or today. It’s an incredible honour to represent your country at the Olympics, the biggest sporting event in the world.”

And if last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off is any indication, McDavid is planning to make a big impression among the rest of the nations in attendance.

“I said earlier in the year, you have to find a way to peak in February, it’s kind of unique in that way,” said McDavid who scored the overtime goal in the championship game against Team USA last February. “Last year was a new experience. You go from playing regular season, middle-of-the-season kind of sleepy game to a couple of days later, you go to what feels like a playoff Game 7.

“It’s going to be the same this year, and obviously it’s important that guys are ramping up their game. Personally, it feels like I’m trying to do that too. I feel my game is in a good spot as we head down the stretch here heading into the Olympics.”

The last time NHL players were there, Canada won back-to-back gold medals in men’s hockey, blanking Sweden 3-0 at Sochi 2014, after edging the U.S. 3-2 in overtime at Vancouver 2010.

But this year, Finland enters the Olympics as defending champs following their gold-medal victory at Beijing 2022.

“It’s definitely getting real with the team announced today, we’re a month away basically from our break,” McDavid said. “It’s getting here, and I’m excited about it. Everyone in here is excited, Leon (Draisaitl) is excited, it’s a great opportunity for us. It’s something that we haven’t done ever.”

His right-hand man in Edmonton for McDavid’s entire career, Draisaitl will be wearing different colours this time, as he leads the way for Team Germany, who wasn’t part of the 4 Nations preview last year.

In the meantime, it will be the Oilers benefitting as the two superstars prepare to fly their respective flags at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

“It’s more rounding out your game, you want to make sure the details are there,” McDavid said. “I know that’s cliche, but playing the 4 Nations, it was playoff hockey, and you need to be ready. Every aspect of your game needs to be ready to roll.”

E-mail: gmoddejonge@postmedia.com

On X: @StarkRavinMod

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