What Cooper Really Said About Crosby’s Injury Status

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | By Old Prof | Last updated Feb 21, 2026 2:48 AM ET

I’ve been around long enough to know you never take a player like Sidney Crosby for granted. You think he’ll always be there — steady, sharp, doing the little things that win big games. And then suddenly you’re watching a semifinal without him, and it hits you just how much he still means to Canadian hockey.

That was the vibe on Friday when Canada squeaked out that 3–2 win over Finland with their captain in the press box instead of on the ice.

Crosby Was Injured Against Czechia

Crosby got dinged up with a lower-body thing against Czechia. It was one of those ugly plays where his legs just split awkwardly on the hit—you could see it hurt the second it happened. He tried to play through it, sat on the bench for a bit, shaking it off, but nope, he ended up calling it quits for the night. At 38, those kinds of tweaks don’t just disappear like they used to.

But interestingly, Jon Cooper didn’t shut the door on him. Not even close. In fact, Cooper made it sound like Crosby’s chances of playing Sunday morning in the gold medal game are better than they were for the semifinal. That’s a window you don’t leave open unless the player is pushing hard to get back. And if you know Crosby at all, even from a distance, you know he’s wired that way. He’s probably been living at the rink the past couple of days, skating when the cameras are off, working with the medical staff, testing every edge.

Although He Hasn’t Played, Crosby Has Impacted Team Canada

Even without playing, he hasn’t exactly been absent. Connor McDavid wore the “C” against Finland. He called it “keeping the seat warm for Sid.” You can tell there’s real respect there, almost a student-and-professor dynamic. McDavid said Crosby was around the team all night, same as earlier in the tournament, watching carefully, pointing out little things the rest of us would miss, and keeping the room steady. That’s leadership you don’t replace just by flipping lines around.

And it’s not like his impact vanished. Macklin Celebrini — the kid who took Crosby’s spot on the top power play — ended up setting up Nathan MacKinnon’s game-winner. That feels like something Crosby would smile about: the next generation stepping right in, doing the job, keeping Canada moving forward.

Crosby Was Impactful When He Played

Crosby has six points in four games here. He’s chasing a third Olympic gold. And if there’s even a sliver of a chance he can suit up Sunday morning, he will. I’ve watched enough hockey to know not to bet against him. Canada’s got 48 hours to find out whether its old captain has one more big moment left. I wouldn’t be surprised at all.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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