Sidney Crosby appeared to injure his arm/shoulder within the third interval of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 3-2 shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday evening. That noise you heard was Pittsburgh and Canada out of the blue gasping for air. Often, the panic associated to a Crosby harm is restricted to the Larger Pittsburgh space, however with the 4 Nations Face-Off proper across the nook, panic may hit a nationwide scale up north.
Crosby got here again and performed the remainder of the sport, and seemed to be fantastic. He performed his common shifts by means of extra time after which participated within the shootout. Then The Athletic’s Josh Yohe tweeted out this video of Crosby:
Then got here this report from head coach Mike Sullivan right this moment:
Now, the alarm bells are going off in each Pittsburgh and the Nice White North. However who has it worse proper now? The Penguins, whose playoff likelihood is on life assist, or Canada, the nation determined to reclaim supremacy on the worldwide stage?
Let’s Begin With Pittsburgh
As of this writing, the Penguins have a 1.7% likelihood of constructing the playoffs, in keeping with MoneyPuck. I consider which means their odds are slim. With Evgeni Malkin already sidelined, if Crosby is out for any stretch, will their odds drop tp zero?
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If Crosby and Malkin are each out, apart from Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust, I don’t see anyone on the offensive aspect of the lineup who’s greater than a job participant on a contender. The Penguins aren’t precisely filling the online, even with Crosby and Malkin within the lineup. I doubt their absence will spark a scoring flurry. So sure, Crosby lacking any time could be the ultimate nail within the 2024-25 Penguins coffin.
What About Canada?
Did you suppose Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs have been dangerous information for Canada? What if Crosby can’t play, and Canada is with out the participant who has led them to 2 Olympic gold medals and a World Cup championship the final thrice the large boys performed on a global stage?
Certain, the Canadians have a great deal of expertise. I imply, they’ve Connor McDavid, in any case. However many view this as McDavid’s likelihood to ‘discover ways to win’ underneath Crosby. Can Workforce Canada win with out Crosby? Certain, however the odds of that occuring take fairly a tumble with out the captain.
Plus, Workforce Canada’s goaltending was initially the most important query mark of the match. To not disparage any of the rostered netminders, however we aren’t precisely Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur between the pipes. The very last thing Canada wants is extra uncertainty surrounding the crew, and Crosby lacking time doesn’t assist.
Crosby: A Nation’s Satisfaction
Let’s face it. There’s extra to the 4 Nations Face-Off than successful a match. Between this and subsequent yr’s Olympics, Canada must have a great exhibiting. Not only for nationwide delight, however for an opportunity to reign supreme on the worldwide stage, perhaps for the final time. It’s not farfetched to say that Canada’s days as the prime hockey nation are numbered. USA Hockey has been creeping nearer and nearer to Canada, and the groups are actually in a useless warmth.
Contemplate the next:
- The USA has gained the final two World Junior Championships and Canada didn’t even end within the prime 4.
- Hockey can’t probably get any extra in style in Canada, however it may possibly in the USA, and it has been. Canada has a inhabitants one-eighth the scale of the USA. You do the mathematics.
- The Canadian Greenback is weak, and it elements into the place gamers need to play, which suggests it may possibly additionally issue into the place they need to reside. Extra hockey youngsters born in America means extra youngsters in USA’s pipeline.
The purpose is that the scales are sliding in Workforce USA’s route and there could also be no getting back from that. If that’s the case, then the 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics may be Canada’s final likelihood to face on prime. They’ve the prospect to place Crosby, McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Cale Makar all on the ice collectively on the identical time. It may be now or by no means for Canada, and there’s no higher individual to ship a victory for Canada than Crosby.
So, we’ve two groups ready with bated breath to see if Crosby can swimsuit up for them. Certain, the Penguins want to make the playoffs, however even when they don’t, normal supervisor Kyle Dubas appears to be stockpiling the property that may get the Penguins to the highest of the mountain once more sometime quickly. Workforce Canada, then again? This may be it. This may be their final finest likelihood to assert their nationwide birthright.
I don’t know what’s going to occur on this match or the long run, however I do know that the eyes of the hockey world shall be watching Crosby’s each transfer between now and subsequent Wednesday.
