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Sidney Crosby praises Connor McDavid for stepping up in an unexpected way at the 2026 Olympic Games


Jack Sutherland
Feb 14, 2026  (10:26 PM)
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby (87) chases Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid (97) up the ice during the first period at Rogers Place.
Photo credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby is praising teammate Connor McDavid for stepping up in an unexpected way in the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan, the first time in 12 years that NHL players are playing.

Helping Canada stay undefeated in the Olympics is the play of Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who already has six points in two games and set a new record for most points in the opening two games of Olympic play.
But another area of his game that he's unlocked is his physicality, as he's dished out multiple heavy body checks, something that he's not particularly known for.
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who is once again the captain of Canada as he was in the 2014 Sochi Olympics and the 4 Nations Faceoff, said that McDavid's physicality is causing everyone else to want to step up in the same way.
We want to play physical, and when he’s leading the way in that category, I think we all notice. I think that shows how badly he wants it. He’s leading in a lot of other ways. But especially that way, we all see it and we all want to follow suit.

Yeah. He does it all anyway. But it’s great to see. That’s part of the identity of our team. We want to be physical. And when you see him stepping up that way everyone’s got to follow. There’s no choice. - Sidney Crosby
Canada beat Switzerland 5-1 thanks to another multi-point from McDavid.

Both Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid Are Representing Canada Again

Just as they did last year for the 4 Nations Faceoff, Crosby and McDavid are representing Canada on the international stage.
Because it's the first time since 2014 that NHL players are playing in the Olympics, 2026 is the first time that McDavid is participating in the Olympics.
He's trying to help them claim gold once again as they did in the 2010 Vancouver Games and the 2014 Sochi Games.
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Sidney Crosby praises Connor McDavid for stepping up in an unexpected way at the 2026 Olympic Games

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