Pittsburgh Hockey Insider has no direct affiliation to the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL or NHLPA
Sidney Crosby at 38: Penguins Captain Still Canada's Golden X-Factor
Photo credit: Elite Prospects
Not only is Sidney Crosby the leader of the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he's also going to be tabbed the leader for Canada at the 2026 Milan Winter Olympics.
The 4 Nations Faceoff in February, which resulted in a thrilling overtime victory for Canada against the United States, proved that international competition featuring NHL players is still a major draw.
For the 1st time in over a decade, NHL players will once again represent their respective countries in the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan, and not surprisingly, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will lead the way for Canada again.
Why Crosby's Olympic Role Proves He's Still Among the NHL Elite
Even at 38, Crosby showed that he's still among the best players in the NHL, scoring 91 points (33G, 58A) on a Penguins roster that was less than stellar and that has now missed the postseason 3 years running, the longest drought of Crosby's NHL career.
Crosby will almost certainly be named the captain of Canada, a role that he's held multiple times in international competition, including in the 4 Nations Faceoff and the IIHF World Championship.
What His Leadership Means for the Penguins' Next Chapter
The bad news for the Penguins is that they aren't expected to come anywhere close to competing for a postseason spot this year, meaning that their streak of no playoffs is likely to extend into a 4th straight year.
The good news is that there are few players in the NHL today who serve as a better example for young players than Crosby.
Pittsburgh has multiple young players who will soon be shouldering most of the load, including Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen. They'd be wise to soak up as much knowledge from Crosby as possible before they become the main draws on the Penguins.
| POLL | ||
SEPTEMBRE 4 | 26 ANSWERS Sidney Crosby at 38: Penguins Captain Still Canada's Golden X-Factor Will Sidney Crosby lead Canada to gold in the 2026 Olympics? | ||
| Yes | 23 | 88.5 % |
| No | 3 | 11.5 % |
| List of polls | ||