For the first time since the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Sidney Crosby will not have a ‘C’ on his jersey when he represents Canada on the international stage.
Instead, Macklin Celebrini will remain Canada’s captain for the men’s world hockey championship, sources confirmed to Sportsnet on Thursday.
Celebrini, 19, was named as the Canadian captain on Sunday before Crosby had officially declared to play for the team. He is the youngest-ever captain for the senior men’s team.
The San Jose Sharks star captured a silver medal with Canada at the Olympics in Milan, registering five goals and 10 points in six games. He became the youngest Canadian to play at the Olympics and tied Jarome Iginla for the most goals scored by a Canadian at a tournament with NHL participation.
In Canada’s first pre-tournament game for this year’s worlds, Celebrini had a four-point performance in Canada’s 6-1 win over France on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the 38-year-old Crosby was not part of the team’s initial 23-man roster, as his Pittsburgh Penguins were just coming off a defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia Flyers in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Over his 53 games played with the Canadian senior men’s team, the Cole Harbour, N.S., native has 27 goals and 43 assists, and has led Canada to six medals on the world stage.
Crosby will serve as an assistant captain on the team alongside John Tavares and Ryan O’Reilly.
The tournament in Zürich and Fribourg, Switzerland, takes place from May 15 to 31. Canada plays its first game of the tournament on Friday against Sweden.
