CALGARY — Nearly 16 years since his golden goal in Vancouver and almost 12 since he captained Canada to a second straight Olympic gold medal in Sochi, Sidney Crosby‘s presence, leadership, experience and expected impact means, even at 38 years old, he is still arguably his nation’s greatest weapon as it prepares for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 this February.

“We talked yesterday about if there is any advantage any more for Canadians or for our Canadian team, and there is. There’s one, and it’s Sidney Crosby,” said Scott Salmond, Hockey Canada’s senior vice president of high performance and hockey operations. “When you look at our biggest competition, I don’t think anyone else has that. It can’t be overstated.”

Crosby is one of 41 NHL players here this week at Hockey Canada’s 2025 National Teams Orientation Camp. Crosby, Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty and Toronto Maple Leafs center John Tavares are the only men’s players here who have played in the Olympics.

Doughty, like Crosby, won gold in 2010 and 2014. Tavares won gold in 2014 despite sustaining a season-ending knee injury in the quarterfinals.

Crosby, the Pittsburgh Penguins center, is one of six players who already have been selected to be on the men’s team in 2026, joining Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid, Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart, Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Cale Makar, and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brayden Point.

All 24 players from Canada’s team that won the 4 Nations Face-Off this past February are at the camp, but it’s Crosby who is the de facto leader, the likely captain, and still the very famous face of Canadian hockey as a two-time Olympic gold medal winner, an IIHF World Championship gold medalist in 2015, a World Juniors gold medalist in 2005, a World Cup of Hockey winner in 2016 and 4 Nations Face-Off champion as Canada’s captain this past February.

“We saw it again at the 4 Nations, he has this incredible ability to bring people together,” Salmond said. “I believe that there’s this belief within the team and the players that they don’t want to let him down. These players have the weight of the nation on their shoulders, but they look at Sidney Crosby and they want to carry on that legacy that he’s created. You can never underestimate it. What he brings to Hockey Canada, the way he carries himself, the way he represents Canada is incredible and it’s a huge advantage for us, no question.”

Crosby, though keenly aware of his place in Canadian sports history and what he still means to Canada’s chances to win another gold medal, doesn’t talk about advantages when he discusses his chance at playing in a third Olympics.

Instead, he said it’s hard to put into perspective what the opportunity means to him considering he was 26 years old and just a one-time Olympic gold medalist and Stanley Cup champion the last time he was in Calgary for an Olympic orientation camp.

“I think just grateful for the chance to still be competing and having the opportunity to do this,” said Crosby, now a three-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist. “You never know. It’s a tough sport and it’s competitive, so to be a part of this, just grateful. But I also know how special the opportunity is and what it means. I think knowing that, it’s motivating. It’s a lot of fun. You can feel the energy coming off of 4 Nations. That was huge. Everyone got a taste of international hockey and what the Olympics are going to look like. So, yeah, I think a lot of different emotions, but really just excited, motivated and being grateful for the opportunity to be at it again.”