Captain Canada Rides Again: Crosby Tabbed for Olympics

After a lull in his international career, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby looks to make it three tournaments in a row for Team Canada. He was named Monday as one of that country’s first six players on the roster for the 2026 Olympics.

That he was part of the initial six for Canada was hardly a surprise. Crosby has a rich history in international play. That includes two Olympic gold medals, and in 2010 he scored the overtime golden goal against the United States to give Canada the title at the Vancouver Olympics.

He also was part of the Team Canada squad that won the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

After more than eight years of sticking to NHL hockey only – the NHL opted out of a couple Olympics, and Crosby did not participate in the IIHF World Championship because the Penguins were in the playoffs or he was banged up — Crosby, 37, represented champion Canada in February at the 4 Nations Face-Off. In May he was part of the worlds, where Canada got upset by Denmark in the quarterfinals.

Each of the 12 teams that have qualified for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan and Cortina in Italy named their first six players on Monday and will round out their rosters closer to the Games.

The other Canadians are Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point and Florida’s Sam Reinhart.

Penguins president of hockey operations/general manager Kyle Dubas was previously announced as director of player personnel for Team Canada at the 2026 Games.

Crosby was the only Penguins player who made any of the preliminary Olympic rosters.

Russia’s ban on international play remains in effect, so Penguins center Evgeni Malkin is not eligible.

Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson and winger Rickard Rakell were not among the first six players named to Team Sweden.

There was a general thought that Karlsson played some of his best hockey in February when he represented Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off. Rakell joined Sweden as an injury replacement for the 4 Nations.

They, of course, could still be named to their native country’s Olympic squad when the full rosters are announced.