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The day after a sprawling, thrilling day of international hockey — the day after three of four Olympic quarterfinals were decided in overtime, including Canada’s desperate win over Czechia — most of the sport’s attention turned to Sidney Crosby’s right knee.
“Sid is by no means ruled out of the tournament,” head coach Jon Cooper said after Thursday’s optional skate, attended by nearly the entire team. “We’ve got the best of the best looking at him.”
Cooper said Crosby’s medical evaluation was ongoing.
“Everything’s going down as we speak. We have time.”
Canada will play Finland in Friday’s first semifinal at 10:40 a.m. ET.
The anxiety over Crosby’s injury, which happened when he braced for a hard check from Radko Gudas in the second period, mirrors in many ways the knee injury sustained by Marie-Philip Poulin, the women’s veteran captain, in the preliminary rounds.
She missed two games before coming back to score both goals in Canada’s 2-1 semifinal win over Switzerland to carry her team into Thursday’s final against the heavily favoured Americans.
Crosby might also make an inspiring return. But the spectre of a longer-term injury to the 38-year-old raises questions about the NHL’s release of its players for Olympic duty for the first time since 2014.
If one of the game’s most beloved fixtures is lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins and their fans in the closing stages of an impressive season, the NHL’s participation might not seem worth the possible cost, no matter how good the hockey has been.
WATCH | Crosby injured against Czechia:
Canada captain Sidney Crosby leaves quarterfinal game with lower-body injury
Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby left their quarterfinal game against Czechia in the second period, with what appeared to be a lower-body injury.
Interestingly, Kyle Dubas, Pittsburgh’s general manager, is Canada’s director of player personnel, and watched Crosby limp off the ice.
“We’re not going to put anybody in harm’s way,” Cooper said. “But if he can play, he’s definitely going to.”
If Crosby can’t skate, Cooper will have to name a new captain or have Crosby dressed on the bench. The latter might be a genuine option, given how Canada’s come-from-behind win over Czechia was driven in part to see him play another game.
Cooper declined to explore those possibilities. “We’ll have to see if he’s ruled out,” he said.
He did add that he’s seen more leadership from other players since last February’s 4 Nations Face-Off, when Crosby was the clear heart of the team.
“I’m seeing much more out of the group now,” Cooper said, citing the leadership of Brad Marchand, Connor McDavid, and Drew Doughty, who, like Crosby, is seeking his third Olympic gold medal.
“They’ve been put in a whole bunch of crazy situations, and dramatic situations, and they keep passing the test,” Cooper said. “Nobody likes adversity. Everybody says they like adversity, it’s good for you, until you’re actually in it. And then all of a sudden you don’t really like adversity.
“But it’s how you find your way out of it.”