Sidney Crosby has done this plenty of times.
Accepting a prized silver award after a fiercely competitive hockey game is something he has done repeatedly throughout his dazzling 21 years in the NHL.
After all, his name appears three times on the Stanley Cup, composed of a silver and nickel alloy.
But on Sunday, the context was different.
Crosby didn’t play, but he took to the ice in full equipment and uniform to receive a silver medal as the injured captain of Canada’s entry into the men’s Olympic tournament in Milan.
Having guided Canada to the gold medal in the 2010 and 2014 Olympics, Crosby watched as the rival United States claimed gold for the first time in 46 years with a riveting 2-1 victory at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.
An unspecified injury he suffered in a quarterfinal-round game kept Crosby out of the lineup for Canada’s final two games of the tournament.
Crosby reportedly made the decision to sit for Sunday’s game, feeling he would be a detriment to Canada’s chances.
“It was about what’s best for our group and what gives us the best chance to win,” Crosby said, via the Canadian Press wire service. “That becomes pretty clear at that point. If I’m not able to go, I’m not (going to) compromise our team, put myself ahead of that.”
Crosby’s choice did not surprise his teammates with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“That’s just a high character player,” linemate Bryan Rust said following practice Sunday in Cranberry. “Every player in that situation — but especially him — wanted to play in that game. But knowing that he wasn’t going to be able to help his team to the best of his ability — or even to an ability that was acceptable — shows a lot of self-awareness, and it’s extremely high character.”
Crosby has a lengthy history of exercising such caution if he feels he could damage his team’s chances of winning in a high-stakes scenario.
Most famously, during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, Crosby’s left knee was rammed into the boards of Joe Louis Arena by Detroit Red Wings forward Johan Franzen in the second period.
Hobbled, he remained on the bench for most of the remainder of that contest, which the Penguins won 2-1 to claim the franchise’s third title.
“I’m pretty sure he tried everything to play that game,” said defenseman Kris Letang, a member of that 2009 championship squad. “And at the end of the day, if he thinks it’s not going to help, he’s going to leave a spot for a guy that’s healthy and try to help the team. So selfless and he’s a guy that worries more about winning than anything other than just his self-image or anything like that.”
As far as when Crosby will be able to help the team he is employed by in this country, that remains to be seen.
Coach Dan Muse indicated a status for Crosby as it pertains to his duties with the Penguins would not be determined until he returned to town. Idle since Feb. 5 for the Olympic break, the Penguins are scheduled to resume play Thursday with a home contest against the New Jersey Devils.
Given that Crosby was simply in consideration to be in Canada’s lineup Sunday, spirits were buoyant amongst his Penguins teammates.
“There was a chance of him playing in the game,” Rust said. “Just to see that means that he’s not far off.”
That, ultimately, might prove to be a silver lining for Crosby and the Penguins.
“Knowing him, it must have been hard,” Letang said. “He probably sat in the locker room with his gear on and watched it on TV. It must have been hard.
“You know, a guy like that wants the puck on his stick and (to) try to make a difference to help his team win the gold.”
Notes: Penguins forward Rickard Rakell (Sweden) and goaltender Arturs Silovs (Latvia) rejoined their Penguins teammates for practice after participating in the Olympics. Defenseman Erik Karlsson (Sweden) was given a day off to rest and is scheduled to practice Monday, Muse said. … The NHL’s trade freeze is scheduled to expire at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday.
