North America names McDavid captain

Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid will serve as captain of Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey, the team announced Thursday.

The club also announced that Philadelphia Flyers forward Sean Couturier and Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will serve as alternate captains.

McDavid had been widely speculated to assume the role and is slated to skate on the top line alongside Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jonathan Drouin and Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele.

McDavid's captaincy could also serve as a preview for the Oilers, as general manager Peter Chiarelli and head coach Todd McLellan are both currently serving those same duties with Team North America.

Earlier Thursday, Chiarelli told Sportsnet's Tim and Sid that Edmonton would name its captain midway through training camp.