Sidney Crosby out for Team Canada, Armstrong says 45-minute doctor meeting on CBC
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Daniel Lucente
Feb 22, 2026 (9:31)
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Photo credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Sidney Crosby is not playing for Team Canada against the USA, and Milano Cortina 2026 instantly turns tense.
Doug Armstrong told CBC the decision came after a 45-minute meeting with the coach and doctors.
Armstrong said Crosby felt it was best for the team to hand the opportunity to someone else.
That wording matters, Crosby didn’t want a symbolic sweater, he wanted to be a real difference-maker.
He couldn’t get there, so he moved out of the way.
"Met with coach and doctors for about 45 minutes... end of the day he felt it was best for the team that he should give that opportunity to someone else... obviously a very gut wrenching decision for him, but it shows the character he has of stepping aside because he didn't think he could be at his best, to give us an opportunity."
- Doug Armstrong
- Doug Armstrong
Crosby’s absence is tied to the right knee injury he picked up in the quarterfinal against Czechia.
He already missed Canada’s semifinal win over Finland, so this isn’t a sudden scratch.
Canada’s staff also made it clear they weren’t dressing anyone “for inspiration” in a one-game final.
That’s cold, but it’s honest hockey.
Sidney Crosby forces Team Canada to win differently
Canadian fans can admire the sacrifice and still feel sick about it, because the timing is brutal.
On the ice, the loss is the steady shift after a bad bounce, the one that resets the bench.
Crosby usually owns the middle, wins a draw, and gets the puck behind the opposing blue line.
Without him, Canada has to create the same control by committee, and that’s harder under Olympic pressure.
It also shifts the man advantage, because Crosby’s short-area decisions keep plays alive when lanes close.
Connor McDavid keeps the “C,” but the group loses Crosby’s quiet authority between whistles.
Back in the NHL, Crosby still produced 27-32-59 this season, so this isn’t about decline.
Now the story is simple, Team Canada has enough talent to win gold, but it has to do it without its heartbeat.
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