The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without captain Sidney Crosby for at least four weeks after placing him on injured reserve, following a lower-body injury sustained at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.
Crosby was injured during Canada’s knockout-round win over Czechia when he absorbed multiple hard checks along the boards. He was seen favoring his right leg before heading to the locker room and later underwent an MRI. Although he was considered a possibility for Canada’s final two games, he did not dress for either the semifinal against Finland or the gold-medal matchup — a 2-1 overtime loss to the United States. He finished the tournament with two goals and six points in four appearances.
Speaking this week, Crosby offered few details about the injury but remained optimistic: “It feels good. Obviously, I want to be back out there as soon as possible. Just have to figure out what that looks like, how long it’s going to be and find a way to make sure that I’m at my best when I come back.” He also addressed one of the hits that led to the injury, saying, “I didn’t have a problem with the play. [Radko Gudas] was trying to be physical and step up. Play hard as any defenseman would. It went the wrong way as far as my end of it. I don’t think he should feel the need to reach out or anything like that. It’s hockey and that stuff happens.”
Crosby said the team “deserved better” and explained that sitting out was ultimately his call: “I was pretty close I mean, ultimately I wasn’t able to go out there and do what I needed to do in order to help the team, so at that point, you’ve got to make a decision that’s best for the group. Not an easy one. But, you know, that’s hockey.”
Crosby, now in his 21st NHL season, leads the club with 27 goals and 59 points through 56 games and recently surpassed franchise icon Mario Lemieux as the Penguins’ all-time points leader. The team sits second in the Metropolitan Division at 29-15-12 and is battling to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2022.
With 19 games packed into 34 nights after the Olympic break, the Penguins will need others to step up in their captain’s absence. Crosby, however, expressed confidence in the group’s resilience: “I’m confident. I think we’ve shown all year that we have injuries, and guys have stepped up to get to where we are at this point. I think it is because of our team play, I don’t think it has been any one person. I think it’s because collectively as a group we’ve found different ways to win.”
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