Crosby’s Olympic Dilemma: Play or Sit Out for the Team?
Doug MacLean was on Kyper and Bourne talking about Sidney Crosby’s status for the gold-medal game against the U.S., and honestly, it’s pure Crosby stuff from start to finish. That lower-body tweak he picked up in the quarterfinal against Czechia was no joke. He took an awkward hit, his legs went everywhere, and you could see the pain hit him right away. He tried to tough it out on the bench, but eventually he had to shut it down. He missed the semi against Finland, too, though Canada still managed to grind out a 3-2 comeback.
Jon Cooper said after that semi, they’ve got about 48 hours to figure things out. He hinted Sid’s got “a better chance” of playing in the final than he did for the semi, but it’s far from a guarantee.
MacLean’s Take on Sid’s Mindset.
MacLean kept it pretty simple. Crosby was on the ice shooting pucks and testing the injury, so he’s not ruled out. But the real question is whether he’d play if there’s even a chance he couldn’t finish the game. MacLean doesn’t think so. Sid’s always been wired a certain way. He’s that Pittsburgh-built, team-first guy who never wants to be the reason things go sideways. The instinct is always to help the group, not think about his own stats or legacy.
At this stage, it’s not even about how badly he wants the gold medal. It’s about whether he can actually help Canada win it. If he thinks he’s 100% and can make a real impact, he’ll be in there without hesitation. But if it’s one of those 50/50 situations where he could pull something, limp around, or leave the team shorthanded? MacLean doesn’t see him taking that gamble.
The Clock Is Ticking for Crosby.
Crosby’s 38 now. Those injuries don’t just disappear because it’s a gold-medal game. He knows that. He also knows this could be his last real shot at something like this, which probably makes the call even tougher. But again, that’s who he is. If you’ve watched him over the years, none of this is surprising.
So here we are, waiting out the last 24–48 hours. If Crosby suits up on Sunday against the United States, it’ll be because he knows he can tilt the game. If he doesn’t, it’ll be because he put the team before everything else. Either way, it feels exactly like something he’d do. Classic Sid.