Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was placed on injured reserve Wednesday and is expected to miss a minimum of four weeks with the lower-body injury he sustained while playing for Team Canada at the Olympics.

Crosby was injured in Canada’s quarter-final win over Czechia and missed the team’s semifinal against Finland and their gold-medal loss to Team USA.

“It’s a gold-medal game — Olympics,” Crosby said after Sunday’s 2-1 overtime defeat. “If I could play, then I’d be out there.

“It was a tough decision. In your head you always want to be out there and find every way possible, but not at the expense of what needs to be done. And then watching how we played today, the guys played incredible.”

The update comes at a devastating time for the Penguins, who are pushing to make the playoffs for the first time since 2022. Pittsburgh sits second in the Metropolitan Division as play resumes Wednesday, sitting eight points back of the Carolina Hurricanes and one point ahead of the New York Islanders. The team has a five-point cushion on the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are currently outside the playoff picture.

“It feels good. Obviously, I want to be back out there as soon as possible,” Crosby said of his injury Wednesday. “Just have to figure out what that looks like, how long it’s going to be and find a way to make sure that I’m at my best when I come back.”

Crosby also noted he does not blame Czech defenceman and Anaheim Ducks captain Radko Gudas for the injury.

“I didn’t have a problem with the play,” he said. “He was trying to be physical and step up. Play hard as any defenceman would. It went the wrong way as far as my end of it. I don’t think he should feel the need to reach out or anything like that.

“It’s hockey and that stuff happens. Unfortunately, it’s one of those things.”

The 38-year-old Crosby has 27 goals and 59 points in 56 games this season, on pace to top the point-per-game mark for the 21st straight year since entering the league. He had two goals and six points in four games with Canada at Milano Cortina 2026 before the injury.

The Penguins got some relief on the injury front Wednesday as Kris Letang was activated off injured reserve. The veteran defenceman was sidelined prior to the Olympic break with a foot injury. He has three goals and 25 points in 50 games this season.