Canadian Coach Gives Sidney Crosby Divine Compliment
Team Canada coach Jon Cooper is the longest tenured coach in the NHL and has faced Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby many times, including the 2016 Eastern Conference Final, which Crosby won.
*Boston Hockey Now beat writer Andrew Fantucchio is covering the Four Nations Face-Off event for National Hockey Now and provided the quote.
Now, as the head coach of Canada at the Four Nations tourney (and next year at the Olympics), Cooper delivered some high praise for Canada’s captain, Crosby after they reached the Final by beating Team Finland.
“I’ve got a ton (of takeaways on how Crosby has dealt with younger players) and probably a lot more will come out after this tournament ends. You see somebody from afar, and then you don’t want to be disappointed when you meet them in person,” Cooper began. “You want to meet your hero and you want them to be your hero. Honestly, I think a lot of times it doesn’t happen. And how many times have you said, ‘Man, I wish (I hadn’t). You look at them in a certain light. The way that you look at Sidney Crosby is still the same light when you meet him.
“And he’s been he’s a true inspiration to all the young guys in the locker room and even older guys. He is–in our country–he walks on water and he is as humble as they come. You can see why he arguably is one of the most respected people in this game.”
Crosby, 37, is the oldest player in the tournament and leads the four-team tourney in scoring, too. In three games, he has five points with one goal. With some irony, the second leading scorer in the tournament is long-time Crosby winger Jake Guentzel, who has four points in two games prior to the Team USA game against Sweden on Monday night.
Canada beat Finland Monday afternoon to punch its ticket to the Four Nations Face-Off Final Thursday night against Team USA. The U.S. beat Canada 3-1 Saturday night at the Bell Centre in Montreal. The final will be held at TD Garden.
I don’t think anything Crosby does can surprise us anymore. However, he can still amaze us. In this tournament of stars, he leads in scoring. It would be an even wider margin too if USA hadn’t somehow held him scoreless. I predict that he will come up big again on Thursday, but I hope not…🇺🇸
Can the Pens parlay that awe and influence to snag a free agent or two this offseason?
Maybe a top younger UFA? advertise it as a 1st line winger to play with sid and on PP.
Omg. Watching the end of that game, Sid and McKinnon get a shift, nearly score empty net goal. Cooper rolls MCDavid and 4th lines out multiple times, they keep getting pinned in own zone, give up 2 straight goals. I’m yelling inside my head, just put Sid’s line out there and end this thing. My God, 37 y/o superstar absolutely freight trained Granlund, somehow gets up and outs it away. I live Mario and did not think I’d ever say this, but Sid is greatest player other than Gretzky, and if he keeps doing what he is doing this late… Read more »
Also, contrary to all the talk about how great the fights were at beginning of USA Canada game, I was turned off by thuggish display by us. Play the damn game. I have to wonder if Sid questions how he was treated by Sullivans step son mcavoy in that game Saturday. Really? Crosschecks to head while he’s on ground? Makes this old army vet want to root for Canada…and coach Quinn
This vet says, “Boo the anthem, pay the price. So Proud of team USA!”
I guess. But if Canada’s leader was saying US should kneel and become another Canadian province, i’m pretty sure i’d be booing the canadian anthem. Hockey players should just play the damn game. i think all that thuggery did was steel canada’s resolve, and it is righteous. US team behaved like flyers or islanders team. I have trouble rooting for ahole&.