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Brandon Hagel’s Sidney Crosby quote says everything about Team Canada captain
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Brandon Hagel calling Sidney Crosby “the best in the world” at 4 Nations Face-Off is the kind of praise that sticks to your ribs.
Hagel was Crosby’s Olympic plane seatmate with Team Canada, and you can tell he’s still processing what he saw up close.
The Lightning winger didn’t try to be cute about it, he just said it straight.
"He’s a leader. He’s the best in the world, in my opinion."
-Brandon Hagel
-Brandon Hagel
Hagel leaned into the humility part that always jumps off the screen.
“There’s no guy that does it like him. The way he portrays himself and how humble he is, it’s incredible to watch.”
- Brandon Hagel
- Brandon Hagel
For Penguins fans, this is the familiar feeling, pride mixed with a tiny bit of dread that the clock is always ticking.
Crosby’s 2025-26 line says the engine is still hot: 27-30-57 in 52 games.
That matters, because international games get tight, and leadership shows up in details, faceoffs, back pressure, and the next shift after a mistake.
Sidney Crosby gives Team Canada its calm edge
You can feel the fanbase mood right now, grateful we get to watch this, but also weirdly nervous that people keep realizing what Pittsburgh already knows.
Hagel, 27, was a 2016 sixth-round pick, 159th overall by the Buffalo Sabres, and he’s not tossing compliments around like candy.
He’s producing too, with 27-27-54 in 50 games for Tampa Bay, while living in the dirty areas and killing plays early.
That’s why his words land, they come from a player who understands what “hard” looks like.
4 Nations in February 2025 was a best-on-best appetizer, and Crosby apparently owned the room anyway.
Now the Olympics are here, and Team Canada opens Thursday against Czechia with 87 wearing the weight like it’s a hoodie.
If you’re a Penguins fan, you’ve seen this movie, you just never get tired of the ending.
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