The Athletic is providing live coverage of two pivotal matchups in the men’s hockey semifinals at the 2026 Winter Olympics, featuring Canada against Finland and the USA facing Slovakia.
In a significant development, Team Canada confirmed on Friday that star player Sidney Crosby will not participate in the semifinal against Finland due to a lower-body injury. However, head coach Jon Cooper emphasized that Crosby has not been completely ruled out of the tournament, stating they are evaluating his status “day by day” and prioritizing player safety.
Crosby suffered the injury during Canada’s thrilling 4-3 overtime victory over the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals. He was injured when veteran defenseman Radko Gudas attempted a check near the bench, leading to an awkward fall that affected Crosby’s right leg. Gudas expressed his regret following the incident, sharing concern for Crosby’s well-being amidst the high-stakes competition.
At 38 years old, Crosby has shown impressive form in the tournament, contributing two goals and four assists across four games. Known for his remarkable Olympic history, he has accumulated seven goals and nine assists in 17 Olympic appearances, helping lead Team Canada to gold medals in the 2010 and 2014 Olympics.
His teammates recognize Crosby’s influence on and off the ice. Defenseman Drew Doughty acknowledged Crosby’s role as a leader, despite his absence from play, and emphasized the need for others to rise to the occasion. Connor McDavid echoed this sentiment, highlighting that Crosby’s presence continues to impact the team significantly, whether or not he is on the ice.
With international regulations requiring the ‘C’ to be reassigned to another player in Crosby’s absence, Team Canada faces a challenging path ahead but remains hopeful for Crosby’s potential return later in the tournament.