Team Canada star center Sidney Crosby exited his team’s Olympic quarterfinal win over Czechia on Wednesday with a lower-body injury. Crosby, who will undergo imagining in Milan to determine the severity of his injury, left the contest in the second period after absorbing an awkward hit from two Czech players, and he was ruled out for the third.
Over the course of a single shift midway through the second period, Crosby took a stiff shot from Czechia defenseman Radko Gudas in the neutral zone and got crunched between Gudas and Martin Necas along the boards. The second hit appeared to be the one that injured Crosby as he labored getting off the ice before immediately seeking assistance from medical staff on the bench.
The Canadian trainer examined Crosby on the end of the bench for a few moments before accompanying him to the locker room. Crosby displayed a noticeable limp down the tunnel.
Canadian coach Jon Cooper said the team used Crosby’s injury as a rallying cry heading into the third period. Canada notched a dramatic 4-3 overtime win, which included a comeback late in regulation.
Entering the game on Wednesday, Crosby was tied for second on the Canadian team in points with six. Fortunately for Canada, the team’s center depth is still exceptional with the one-two punch of Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon as the headliners down the middle.
What could this mean for Team Canada?
On top of the implications for Team Canada, this could be a significant development for Crosby’s career. Now 38 years old, Crosby would be 42 in 2030, which means this may have been his last opportunity to play on the Olympic stage. Crosby already has his iconic Olympic moment — the “Golden Goal” in 2010 — but he was looking for one final run in 2026.
Losing Crosby for the rest of the tournament, while not devastating, would be a tough blow for the Canadians. Although Canada would still boast the most talented roster in Italy, Crosby remains among the best players in the world, and he is one of just two members of the team (along with Drew Doughty) with Olympic experience.
Crosby’s potential absence doesn’t crater Canada’s gold medal chances after surviving an overtime scare from Czechia in Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Crosby is still an elite two-way player, he gave Canada absurd center depth and he is the rare NHL player with prior Olympic experience. All that said, the Canadians are still the favorites to win this tournament. Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon — perhaps the two best players in the world — give the team a knockout out-two punch at center.
If Crosby does miss the last game or two, Canada would replace him with Sam Bennett, a two-time Stanley Cup champion and the reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner. That’s the definition of elite depth.
What could this mean for the Penguins?
In addition to the entire nation of Canada, the city of Pittsburgh will be holding its breath as everyone awaits a more definitive update on Crosby. The heart and soul of the Penguins franchise since his rookie season in 2005-06, Crosby has the team in the thick of the playoff race this season.
One of the NHL’s biggest surprises, the Penguins are 29-15-12 and sit in second place in the Metro Division, thanks in large part to the efforts of Crosby. He leads the team in goals (27), assists (32) and points (59). When it comes to goals and points, no one else on the team is particularly close. Crosby is the straw stirring the drink in Pittsburgh.
If Crosby is forced to miss significant time, the Penguins would go from Stanley Cup dark horse to first-round cannon fodder, assuming they didn’t drop out of the playoff picture altogether. A long-term injury to Crosby would also force general manager Kyle Dubas to make some split decisions at the March 6 trade deadline. If Crosby is sidelined, might Pittsburgh choose to sell?
What could this mean for future Olympics?
The return of the NHL to the Winter Olympics has been such a joy to watch, but as we saw on Wednesday, the risk of star players being injured is ever present. Los Angeles Kings star Kevin Fiala already suffered a season-ending injury playing for Swizterland, and now Crosby was hurt wearing a Canadian sweater.
NHL players already had to fight for their right to make an Olympic return in the latest CBA negotiations. The current CBA is set to expire in September of this year, but a new deal that has already been agreed upon will kick in and runs through the 2029-30 season. That deal also includes Olympic participation, but could we see more pushback from the owners starting in 2034?
When a superstar like Crosby goes down in a game with no bearing on the NHL standings, there are ripple effects throughout the league.
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