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Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby left Canada's quarterfinals game against Czechia, putting his nation and NHL organization into a sense of panic.
A second-period play left Canada shorthanded for the remainder of the game. As Crosby dumped the puck into the offensive zone near the center line, Czechia defenseman Radko Gudas stepped up on the veteran center. Trying to avoid the hit, he ducked down low, but fell awkwardly with Gudas landing on him as well.
Crosby then skated gingerly to the bench, and he appeared to keep weight off of his right leg. He was immediately tended to by the medical staff before entering the tunnel into the locker room for further evaluation.
Crosby is a part of the most dangerous group of forwards at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Through four games, he has been one of the best players in the All-Star lineup. Through three games, he posted two goals and four assists for six points.
Without Crosby, Team Canada is still a deadly group. The issue, now, is they lose their leader. Crosby is not only an incredible player still at age 38, but he's also a locker room presence. His career's worth of winning is an easy path to follow, and it's part of the reason why they've dominated the international stage with Crosby in the lineup.
If he misses any more time, players like Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon and Macklin Celebrini can take control. The new generation of Canadian stars will finally get the chance to take the proverbial torch from Crosby and lead Canada to Olympics gold.
If Crosby misses any NHL action due to this lower-body injury, the Penguins are in trouble. The Pens have been a surprisingly impressive team this season and are in second place in the Metropolitan Division currently.
If the NHL playoffs started today, the Penguins would hold home-ice advantage in the first round.
Without Crosby, however, the Penguins' playoff chances take a huge hit. The team has exceeded expectations all season and is in position to secure a postseason berth. Without their best player and captain, however, they will struggle to match that same consistency and keep stacking wins.
Simply put, the Penguins' season goes down the drain if Crosby suffers a long-term injury. Both Pittsburgh and Canada are hoping he avoids anything too serious.
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Jacob is a featured writer covering the Pittsburgh Steelers for Steelers On SI and the NHL for Breakaway On SI. He also co-hosts the All Steelers Talk podcast. Previous work covering the NHL for Inside the Penguins and The Hockey News.
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