Sidney Crosby cautiously stepped onto the ice as television cameras closely followed his every move. Amid concerns about his fitness ahead of the 4 Nations Face-Off, Canada’s captain eased into practice, gently stickhandling before taking shots on net.
Joining his teammates for their first session, the 37-year-old faced lingering questions about his health. However, Crosby quickly silenced doubts as the high-paced drills commenced.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion will represent Canada at the tournament after recovering from an upper-body injury that sidelined him for two games with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“Met with a couple different doctors,” Crosby said about being cleared to play. “I’ve talked to docs here and had some good dialogue with the coaches. There’s been a lot of questions. A lot of, ‘How are you feeling?’ … I’m excited just to get into a routine here and get back to normal.”
The 4 Nations Face-Off marks the return of best-on-best international hockey for the first time in nearly a decade, with the Bell Centre in Montreal hosting the event. Crosby, who led Canada to gold in the 2010 and 2014 Olympics and captained the team to victory at the 2016 World Cup, was determined to compete in the tournament.
“It was a busy week,” he said. “Happy to be here and just excited to get going.”
Canada’s head coach Jon Cooper confirmed Crosby remains day-to-day, with the team set to open against Sweden on Wednesday. The United States will face Finland on Thursday.
“There’s so much humility that just bleeds through him,” said Cooper, who also coaches the Tampa Bay Lightning. “You talk about wanting to play for your country … it’s remarkable, the passion he has for it. It’s probably a reason why he’s got a whole lot of wins and not a whole lot of losses when he plays in these events.”
Crosby’s teammates were thrilled to see their leader back on the ice.
“You’re concerned about him,” said Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid. “Great sign that he looks so good out there. Looks ready to roll.”
Crosby has been a driving force for the Penguins this season, leading the team with 55 points (17 goals, 41 assists) in 55 games. He also became the 21st player in NHL history to score 600 career goals in November.
“This is an awesome opportunity, something I haven’t done in a long time,” Crosby said of the 4 Nations tournament. “I wanted to be part of this group and also wanted to make sure that I can play at the level that you need.”
Florida Panthers winger Sam Reinhart emphasized Crosby’s leadership.
“The guy that guys are looking towards, especially an experience like this where it’s new for so many,” Reinhart said. “Guys know he hasn’t played the last couple, and it’s easy to see what it means to him.”
Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon, also from Cole Harbour, joked about pestering Crosby for updates.
“He wasn’t answering my calls,” said MacKinnon, the reigning Hart Trophy winner. “I don’t think he likes people asking him how he’s doing. He’s as tough as it gets. Not worried about that guy.”
During practice, Crosby centered a line with MacKinnon on the right and Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone on the left. Another trio featured McDavid between Reinhart and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Mitch Marner.
“You’ve got speed, you’ve got brains, and you’ve got guys that can shoot in the net,” Cooper said of the McDavid-Reinhart-Marner combination. “You hand me a line like that, I’ll take my chances.”
Cooper remained tight-lipped on Canada’s starting goaltender, with Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues), Adin Hill (Vegas Golden Knights), and Sam Montembeault (Montreal Canadiens) vying for the spot. However, he ruled out a rotation.
“It’s not like anybody can’t do it,” Cooper said. “Somebody’s got to be put into the net first, but I don’t see it being a rotation.”
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, was added to Canada’s roster after an injury forced out Alex Pietrangelo of the Golden Knights.
“It meant the world to me,” said Doughty, who recently returned from a broken ankle. “It was probably the best day I’ve had in a lot of months. I was just super excited. I’ll do whatever role they need me to play.”
Source: Swifteradio.com
