With Canada and the US becoming increasingly closer for talent and depth, the northerners still have one edge. It’s the experience and guidance of Sidney Crosby.
“We talked yesterday about if there is any advantage any more for Canadians or for our Canadian team, and there is. There’s one, and it’s Sidney Crosby,” said Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada’s senior vice president of high performance and hockey operations. “When you look at our biggest competition, I don’t think anyone else has that. It can’t be overstated.”
It’s difficult to dispute that. Crosby’s won the Olympics in 2010 and 2014. He’s won the NHL’s international events of World Cup of Hockey and the 4 Nations Faceoff. Sometimes he pops up at World Championships. It’s more newsworthy when they lose the odd game.
“I think just grateful for the chance to still be competing and having the opportunity to do this,” said Crosby, now a three-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist. “You never know. It’s a tough sport and it’s competitive, so to be a part of this, just grateful. But I also know how special the opportunity is and what it means. I think knowing that, it’s motivating. It’s a lot of fun. You can feel the energy coming off of 4 Nations. That was huge. Everyone got a taste of international hockey and what the Olympics are going to look like. So, yeah, I think a lot of different emotions, but really just excited, motivated and being grateful for the opportunity to be at it again.”
No one knows for sure, but 2026 could be the final chance for Crosby in the international spotlight. He’ll be 42 by the 2030 games and while it seems like he can go on forever playing at a high level, realistically this could be the curtain call.
Fittingly enough, the full circle moment for the Olympics happens back in Italy. That was the site of the games back in 2006 — when Canada famously chose to leave Crosby, then a rookie, off their club. Canada finished in seventh place, their worst ever performance in hockey at the Olympics. Crosby finished sixth in scoring in the NHL (fellow youngster and 100-point scorer Eric Staal was also not picked for Canada’s main roster. They did, however, find spots for the likes of Ryan Smyth, Kris Draper, Shane Doan and Todd Bertuzzi instead).
20 years later and Crosby is the Canadian golden boy. The 2006 Olympics are well-forgotten at this point after Crosby scored the OT Golden Goal on home soil in 2010 and captained the Canadians to another gold medal in 2014. NHL players weren’t involved in the Olympics in 2018 or 2022 but fittingly are going back to Italy for ‘26. It’s one more shot for Crosby on the world’s stage and looking to cap off that area of his career with the only thing he’s known — winning gold.
