Sid was a kid the last time the Canadian men lost a hockey game of this magnitude in a best-on-best environment. The salt-and-pepper hue now running through his hair is a reminder of how much time has passed since Feb. 21, 2010.
So as Jon Cooper and Team Canada’s coaching staff start plotting where to go next in this 4 Nations Face-Off, the biggest question they’ll wrestle with is how much can be expected of Sidney Crosby.
No one would dare question the captain’s heart or commitment, not after all he’s done just to dress in these games. Crosby somehow managed three primary assists in Wednesday’s tournament opening win over Sweden despite playing with what one team official described as “one good arm.” Given that Cooper believes the 37-year-old has already chiselled his bust onto Team Canada’s Mt. Rushmore, it’s little wonder why the coach showed so much faith in him during Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Team USA.
Unfortunately, the 19 minutes he played came with much less favorable data points.
Read more from The Athletic’s Chris Johnston on what Canada needs from Sidney Crosby vs. Finland below.
GO FURTHER
In must-win mode at 4 Nations Face-Off, how much can Canada expect out of Sidney Crosby?