Nearly 16 years after his decisive goal at the Vancouver Olympics and more than a decade since he captained Canada to gold in Sochi, Sidney Crosby remains central to Canada’s hopes for another Olympic victory. At 38, Crosby continues to be seen as a key asset as the national team prepares for the 2026 Winter Games in Milano Cortina.
Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada’s senior vice president of high performance and hockey operations, highlighted Crosby’s unique value: “We talked yesterday about if there is any advantage any more for Canadians or for our Canadian team, and there is. There’s one, and it’s Sidney Crosby. When you look at our biggest competition, I don’t think anyone else has that. It can’t be overstated.”
Crosby is among 41 NHL players attending Hockey Canada’s 2025 National Teams Orientation Camp. He joins Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty and Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares as the only men’s players at camp with prior Olympic experience. Doughty also won gold medals in both 2010 and 2014; Tavares was part of the victorious 2014 squad despite suffering a season-ending injury during the tournament.
The Pittsburgh Penguins center is one of six already selected for the men’s team in 2026. The group includes Edmonton Oilers’ Connor McDavid, Florida Panthers’ Sam Reinhart, Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon, Tampa Bay Lightning’s Brayden Point, and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar.
All members from Canada’s recent win at the 4 Nations Face-Off are present at camp. However, it is Crosby who stands out as leader and likely captain—having previously won two Olympic golds (2010, 2014), an IIHF World Championship (2015), a World Juniors title (2005), a World Cup of Hockey (2016), and most recently leading Canada to victory at this year’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
Salmond added: “We saw it again at the 4 Nations, he has this incredible ability to bring people together. I believe that there’s this belief within the team and the players that they don’t want to let him down. These players have the weight of the nation on their shoulders, but they look at Sidney Crosby and they want to carry on that legacy that he’s created. You can never underestimate it. What he brings to Hockey Canada, the way he carries himself, the way he represents Canada is incredible and it’s a huge advantage for us, no question.”
Crosby expressed gratitude for another chance to compete: “I think just grateful for the chance to still be competing and having the opportunity to do this,” said Crosby. “You never know. It’s a tough sport and it’s competitive, so to be a part of this, just grateful. But I also know how special the opportunity is and what it means. I think knowing that, it’s motivating. It’s a lot of fun… So yeah, I think a lot of different emotions but really just excited, motivated and being grateful for the opportunity to be at it again.”
For younger teammates such as McDavid, Reinhart, MacKinnon, Point and Makar—among others—Crosby’s presence offers not only inspiration but valuable knowledge about international play preparation.
Crosby’s experience extends beyond gameplay; he understands how athletes must adapt from NHL routines to Olympic environments—including living in athlete villages with competitors from other sports—and how best to handle national expectations.
His past performances include seven points in seven games during Vancouver’s Olympics (including his overtime winner against Team USA) and three points over six games in Sochi (scoring in Canada’s final against Sweden).
McDavid commented on Crosby’s continued impact: “He’s cut from the ’06 team and in ’10 he scores that goal and he’s captain of the ’14 team… For our generation… it’s special for all of us.”
Despite missing out on two consecutive Olympics due first to NHL non-participation then pandemic disruptions affecting league operations https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-will-not-participate-in-2022-beijing-olympics/c-329203576, Crosby remained optimistic about returning: “With so many things out of our control… I tried not to think too far ahead… I was pretty confident we’d find a way back… I guess I kept belief but it wasn’t something I gave much thought [to] as far as missing out…”
Now set for another Olympic run alongside veterans like Doughty—with both seeking an unprecedented third gold medal—Crosby remains pivotal.
“It’s not lost on us,” Reinhart said regarding his teammate’s enduring influence.”The biggest motivation there is for us it doesn’t look like the window is closing for him any time soon.”
