A Friday morning update answered whether the NHL superstar will play in the men’s hockey semifinals at the Winter Olympics.
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One of the most popular and decorated NHL athletes of his generation suffered an injury that put his 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics status in doubt — at the worst possible time for Team Canada.
Canada native Sidney Crosby — who is currently in the middle of his 21st season with the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins — suffered an injury during Team Canada’s quarterfinal victory against Czechia on February 18, just two days before the men’s hockey semifinals games on Friday.
During the quarterfinal game’s second period, 38-year-old Crosby’s knee buckled as he braced from a hit from Czechia’s Radko Gudas. Crosby was quickly removed from the game and did not return.
But will he be well enough to play in the semifinals on Friday?
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Unfortunately, Crosby, who was Team Canada’s captain, will not be playing in the game against Finland on Friday. Connor McDavid, who was an alternate captain for the team at the 2026 Winter Games, will step in as captain for the match.
“Sidney Crosby will not play in the semifinals,” Hockey Canada announced on X Friday morning, just hours before the start of the country’s semifinals game against Finland. “Connor McDavid will wear the ‘C’ today, with Cale Makar and Nathan MacKinnon serving as alternates.”
Earlier in the week, Jon Cooper, head coach of the Canadian men’s ice hockey team, had said that Crosby’s status was up in the air, according to The Associated Press.
“Sid is by no means ruled out of the tournament,” Cooper said. “We’re taking this day by day. And we’re not going to put anyone in harm’s way. But if he can play, he’s definitely going to. We’ll know more in 24 hours.”
Czech Republic’s Radko Gudas, #03, tackles Canada’s Sidney Crosby, #87, during the men’s play-off quarter-final ice hockey match between Canada and Czech Republic at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan on February 18, 2026.
Though Crosby won’t play in the semifinal match against Finland on February 20, his teammates suspect he’ll still have an influence over the game.
“He’s Sidney Crosby,” Canada’s leading scorer Connor McDavid said. “He’s going to have a big influence, no matter what. In the lineup, not in the lineup, he’s going to have a big influence. That’s what he does.”
Speaking of that matchup, here’s how to tune in.
Sidney Crosby, #87, of team Canada reacts during the Ice Hockey Men Quarterfinals match between Canada vs Czechia on day twelve of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Milano Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
Canada is officially in the final four — and they can punch their ticket to the gold medal game with a win in their next match: a semifinal showdown against Finland on Friday, February 20.
The game will stream live on Peacock at 10:40 a.m. ET. It will also air on USA Network at 11:50 a.m. ET.
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But that’s not the only must-watch men’s hockey game happening on Friday, February 20. At 3:10 p.m. ET, Team USA will face Slovakia in the other semifinal matchup, live on NBC and Peacock.
Crosby will have a little more time to rest up and hopefully recover in time for his next NHL game.
The Penguins’ next game is a home clash against the New Jersey Devils on Thursday, February 26.
Sidney Crosby, #87, of team Canada handles the puck during the Ice Hockey Men’s Play-off Quarterfinals match between Team Canada and Team Czech Republic on day twelve of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 18, 2026 in Milan, Italy.
The 2026 Olympic Winter Games take place February 6-22 in Milan, and you can watch them all on Peacock. Anywhere. Any time.
Every event in the Games — yes, every one! — is streaming live and on-demand on Peacock. And with features like Multiview and Rinkside Live, you’re not just watching the competition: You’re experiencing it.
Visit the Olympics hub on Peacock to access these features during the Games:
Multiview: Stream multiple live Olympic events on one screen simultaneously. With Discovery Multiview, watch up to four different events at once; with Traditional Multiview, focus on the action within one sport (e.g. curling or hockey).
Rinkside Live: An immersive viewing mode for figure skating and hockey, featuring an interactive, mobile-first view with multiple camera angles and live highlights that give fans complete control over their Olympics experience.
Can’t Miss Highlights: Swipe through vertical stories to get quick recaps of the Games, athlete stories, and other big moments, only on the Peacock mobile app.
Gold Zone: “Whip around” coverage of the biggest moments from the Winter Games, delivering live updates on all the happenings from Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Prediction Games: Guess outcomes, track results, and more, only on the Peacock mobile app. Test your Olympics knowledge with trivia questions on history, sports, athletes, and interesting facts.
Got more questions about the 2026 Olympic Winter Games? OLI, NBCUniversal’s AI-powered Olympic guide, has answers. Read more about OLI here.
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