Canada’s star athlete Sidney Crosby, pivotal in the gold medal match against the United States, has been placed on injured reserve by the Pittsburgh Penguins as of Wednesday. At 38 years old, Crosby is expected to sit out for at least four weeks due to a lower-body injury he sustained during Canada’s quarterfinal victory over the Czech Republic. This injury kept him from participating in the Olympic semifinal against Finland.
Fans had a brief moment of hope when he skated during Team Canada’s practice on Saturday, sparking speculation about his potential return for the finals, but ultimately he was ruled out prior to the game.
In four Olympic matchups, Crosby recorded two goals and four assists. His absence was keenly felt in the overtime loss to the US, where Canada could have really benefited from his experience in high-stakes moments. Crosby famously scored the decisive goal in Canada’s 3-2 win over Team USA during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
He’s not alone in facing injury issues; he joins two other NHL players impacted by Olympic injuries. Swiss forward Kevin Fiala from the Los Angeles Kings is out for the season with a serious foot injury, while Finnish forward Mikko Rantanen of the Dallas Stars will miss at least two weeks due to a lower-body injury.
Losing Crosby is significant for the Penguins, especially as they’re competing for a playoff spot. Currently, they sit in the second position in the Metropolitan Division with 70 points, trailing the Carolina Hurricanes by eight points and just one point ahead of the New York Islanders.
Despite his injury, Crosby has been impactful this season, tallying 27 goals and 32 assists in 56 games, averaging over one point per game. The latest injury news comes alongside the announcement that defenseman Kris Letang will also be placed on injured reserve.
