Crosby Ponders Worlds for Team Canada; Too Much Hockey?

CRANBERRY — Sidney Crosby will be 38 years old when the Penguins convene for training camp in September.

He has appeared in 78 of their first 80 games this season, and is averaging 20 minutes, 23 seconds of ice time, the most of any Penguins forward.

And, oh yeah, when most of the league was taking a little time off in February, Crosby was captaining Canada to the championship of the Four Nations tournament.

It’s hard to deny that the guy has earned some time off, and he almost certainly will take some — OK, a little — before the 2025-26 season rolls around.

But even though the Penguins’ season will end when their games against Washington at PPG Paints Arena Thursday night has concluded, Crosby’s might go on a bit longer.

For while a lot of veterans — especially, the accomplished ones, let alone those special few who could have begun crafting a Hockey Hall of Fame induction speech years before entertaining the most cursory thoughts of retiring — decline offers to represent their country in the IIHF world championship tournament, Crosby isn’t ruling out playing for Canada this spring.

“I’m not sure yet,” he said after practice Saturday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. “I’m just going to think about it. It’s been a lot of hockey and, obviously, after a long season, there are always bumps and bruises. But I think I’ll have a better idea in the next week.”

The world championship event is scheduled for May 9-25 in Sweden and Denmark.

Although Kyle Dubas, the Penguins’ president of hockey operations and general manager, will be Team Canada’s GM for the tournament, Crosby said that will not affect his decision on whether to participate.

“It’s more about how I feel,” he said. “With Four Nations and, at my age, missing some time with my elbow and stuff like that … not missing some time, but going through that. It’s one of those things where you just try to balance where your body’s at and continuing to play.”