Ryan O'Reilly told media that he sped to Pittsburgh on Tuesday night after he learned that he would be replacing injured Team Canada forward Tyler Seguin.
O'Reilly skated at center with Joe Thornton and Claude Giroux.
Babcock told media after the skate that he was very impressed with Jumbo-ROR-Claude trio and their on-ice chemistry at the IIHF World Championships in Prague in May 2015. All things old can be new again, eh, Babs?
O'Reilly has scored 18 points in 20 career games played for Team Canada.
O'Reilly is fits the Babcock template for the perfect possession hockey player. ROR is a 57% Faceoff man who holds pucks and created chances for his lines. He plays every nook and cranny of the 200 by 85 foot NHL ice surface, which is the exact ice dimensions at The ACC in Toronto where the World Cup of Hockey will be played.
To make room for ROR in the 12 man forward group, coach Mike Babcock scratched Matt Duchene. O'Reilly and Duchene were long time Colorado Avalanche teammates.
Team Canada Game day skate lines for tonight's tilt with Geno Malkin and Team Russia:
Marchand-Crosby-Bergeron Couture-Toews-Stamkos Tavares-Getzlaf-Perry Thornton-O'Reilly-Giroux
O'Reilly can also play the wing, if need be.