Injury Update: Sidney Crosby Leaves Team Canada’s Olympic Quarterfinal

The 38-year-old Penguins star took multiple heavy hits during a rough shift, including a crunching check along the boards from Czech defenseman Radko Gudas (and earlier contact from Martin Necas and Ondrej Palat). Crosby appeared to favor his right leg after one awkward fall, limped to the bench in visible pain, received attention, and then headed down the tunnel to the locker room without putting full weight on the leg. He has not returned to the ice.

Reports describe it as a lower-body injury (possibly leg/knee-related based on the awkward bend and limping), and it’s a massive blow for Canada, who were trailing 2-1 at the time of his exit (game is now tied 2-2).

Crosby had been a key contributor through the prelims, with two goals and four assists.

Team Canada Will Have To Adjust Without Crosby

This comes at a critical juncture for Canada in the knockout stage of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympics. Losing their captain – a two-time Olympic gold medalist (2010 hero, 2014 contributor) is a big deal. For Team Canada fans, the hope is that his exit is a rallying point and motivator for the rest of the team. “Next man up” seemed to be the mantra, and the team played a much better game after the injury. It psychologically woke the team up.

No official diagnosis or timeline has been released yet, but the visible pain and gingerly exit don’t look promising. He did not return during the second period.

We’ll update as soon as more details emerge – post-game pressers, Team Canada statements, or confirmation on severity. The lines were rotated and rolled after Crosby’s exit, with several players getting double-shifted. Elliotte Friedman said during the intermission, “McDavid’s got that look, like we’re not going to lose.”