Canada didn’t overthink this one.
With NHL players back at the Olympics for the first time in more than a decade, Hockey Canada has handed the captaincy to the most familiar big-game thermostat the program has: Sidney Crosby.
It’s a move that feels equal parts tradition and tactics—because no matter how stacked your roster is, Olympic hockey still comes down to a handful of chaotic, nerve-shredding moments. And Crosby has basically made a career out of looking calm in the middle of those moments.
Why Crosby, and why now?
This isn’t just a ceremonial nod to a legend. Canada is walking into Milano Cortina with a superstar roster and the weight of expectation that always comes with it. The Olympics are short, ruthless, and unforgiving—one bad period can end the whole thing.
Crosby brings:
- Proven Olympic leadership (he captained Canada to gold in 2014).
- The ultimate “been there” résumé (two Olympic gold medals: 2010 and 2014).
- A reputation for stabilizing star-heavy rooms, where everyone can score but not everyone can steer.
He’ll be 38 for these Games—an age where you’re not being chosen for potential. You’re being chosen because the program trusts your brain, your composure, and your standards.
The shadow of one goal (and what it still means)
If you’re Canadian, you don’t need a reminder. If you’re not, here it is anyway: Crosby is still branded to the national memory as the guy who scored the overtime “golden goal” at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.
It’s not just the goal itself—it’s what it represents: delivering when the entire country is basically holding its breath. Naming him captain again is Canada saying, we want the same heartbeat in the room—especially when it gets tight.
The leadership group: McDavid and Makar get the letters
Crosby won’t be carrying the load alone. Hockey Canada also named Connor McDavid and Cale Makar as alternate captains, giving Canada a leadership spine that covers multiple generations and roles: center, defender, and two of the most influential players of their era.
It’s a smart blend:
- Crosby = the standard and the tone
- McDavid = the game-breaking engine
- Makar = the modern, pace-setting defense backbone
NHL players are back—and the tournament is about to feel “real” again
One reason this announcement hits harder: NHL participation. The league is allowing players to compete at the Olympics again, after a long gap that kept many stars out of the Games.
That changes everything. The Olympics stop being a “what-if” tournament and return to being a true best-on-best measuring stick—exactly where Crosby built part of his legend.
What happens next: ice time, first skate, first test
Canada is expected to get on the ice in Milan for an early practice as the Olympic break begins, and their opening game is set against the Czech Republic later in the week.
From there, it’s the Olympic format: quick turnarounds, weird bounces, hot goalies, and pressure that doesn’t care how good your roster looks on paper.
The headline isn’t nostalgia. It’s a warning.
Crosby as captain isn’t Hockey Canada living in 2010.
It’s Hockey Canada telling the rest of the tournament: We’re bringing the guy who already proved he can carry the moment.
