Sidney Crosby, 38, was injured in the second period of Canada's quarterfinal against Czechia on Wednesday after a hit from defenseman Radko Gudas caused his right leg to buckle. He was also crunched into the boards by Gudas and Martin Necas. Crosby spent time on the bench, then left for the locker room and did not return. Despite being absent for over half the game, he addressed the team at the second intermission while the score was tied, urging them on. Canada rallied to win 4-3 in overtime on goals from Nathan MacKinnon, Nick Suzuki, and a winner by Mitch Marner.
On Thursday, Crosby did not participate in the optional team practice. Coach Jon Cooper stated Crosby is "by no means ruled out" and the situation is being taken "day by day," with an MRI conducted to assess severity. If Crosby cannot play in the semifinal against Finland on Friday, international rules require another player to wear the captain's 'C,' almost certainly Connor McDavid.
McDavid leads all scorers in the tournament with 11 points (2 goals, 9 assists) in his Olympic debut. He has been serving as alternate captain alongside Cale Makar. Beyond scoring, teammates and coach Cooper have noted McDavid's growing leadership presence on and off the ice, describing it as an evolution from the 4 Nations Face-Off to these Games. Crosby himself praised McDavid's play as exemplary across all facets.
Canada plays Finland in the semifinal Friday. The broader semifinal bracket also includes USA vs. Slovakia. Finland, USA, and Slovakia are all legitimate medal contenders, with Finland as defending Olympic champion and the US holding the No. 1 world ranking.
