Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics: Crosby’s last dance 

It was overtime in the final game of the 2010 Hockey Winter Olympics. Halfway through the period, the puck was in the corner and was passed out to an open Sidney Crosby who fired it in half a second. Time slowed, hearts pounded, and the puck slid into the back of the net. “Sidney Crosby, the golden goal!” the commentator exclaimed. With that game-winning goal for Olympic gold, Crosby cemented the moment into Canadian history. 

In February at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Team Canada will again be led by Sidney Crosby. For the 37-year-old this is almost certainly to be his last Olympics. Crosby, a monumental Canadian hockey player who has a decorated career, is celebrated by fellow Canadian teammates. He embraces the pressure to perform in the clutch, where his leadership and commitment to the game are key elements that make him the player he is, inspiring the next generation of players.  

 The upcoming Olympics are heavily anticipated among hockey fans because the participation of NHL stars has been in question. For the past two winter Olympics, there had been disputes between the NHL and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The issue was that the IOC was unwilling to cover and pay for players accommodations, insurance and travel to where they had previously done so for past national games. The NHL found that it was not worth the risk to send players under expensive contracts to play internationally where they could possibly get injured. For just over a decade, professional hockey athletes have not participated in Olympic hockey, which has built up anticipation for fans across the globe. 

Canada, an exciting team consisting of young high-octane power, matched with experienced veterans, creates a dynamic that helps them compete with other powerhouses. Crosby, a veteran within the team, plays a monumental role that will determine whether Canada brings home gold or not. His play on the ice is only the tip of the iceberg, from looking to make the smart play, to assisting teammates, Crosby leads by example and expresses his high-class leadership skills.  

In a Canada Camp Interview, teammate Connor McDavid said of Crosby, “For him to still be here and be the captain and still play a massive role, its special.” Not only is it special but it benefits the team to have a person to rally behind, and in many of the players’ cases, an idol that they’ve looked up to. Like many of Crosby’s teammates, McDavid was a teenager watching, learning, and modeling parts of his game after him, and are now having a full circle moment where they can play at an international level with him. 

In the recent 4 Nations Face-Off last February, Crosby, as Canada’s captain, was a vital contributing factor towards the team’s success. Crosby’s high IQ plays were the highlights of the game, as in the opening match against Sweden, Crosby had the game winning assist via a drop pass, leading to Mitch Marner, a skilled winger to score the game winner. Later in the tournament, where the team almost lost their 4-0 lead to Finland, Crosby made a huge center ice hit and gained possession of the puck to score an empty net goal. A dagger that would ultimately win the game for Canada 5-3. 

In moments when Canada had its struggles and needed an experienced leader to stay calm under pressure, Sid steadied the ship and had led team Canada once again to a finale on the national stage.  

The final’s atmosphere in Boston was unlike any sporting event anyone had ever seen. Red, white, and blue glow sticks waved in the dark arena, as American fans stood on their feet chanting USA, while the boos gradually got louder and louder for every Canadian player announced.  

In the past few years, in the U20 and IIHF tournaments, the USA had been dominating bringing home three golds in the last two years in those competitions. This rise in dominance and growth of hockey in the US has created a pressure filled test for Canadian players that would make or break legacies. For players such as Connor McDavid or Sidney Crosby who haven’t had many recent international hockey opportunities, the US had put a lot more attention towards the stars. 

 Before the game in a TSN podcast, reporter Jason Strudwick said, “there’s a little bit of doubt right now, you know that Canada lost to the US and the US talks a lot about how good they’re getting and how much better they are.”  

As the game had progressed, Crosby drew defenders out and set screens for the first goal, while McDavid drove the offence and kept the Americans in their defensive zone for long shifts. They showed that the pressure on them had disappeared as they pushed through the doubt from before the game.  

The final showed how Crosby’s team-first mentality allowed him to adapt his playstyle to the game where defensive play and smart play making would be as important as offence. In a turnover situation, Crosby elected to make a disciplined play to pass the puck to a rested and open teammate, instead of trying to make a highlight reel play by himself. Throughout the game Crosby acted as a defensive anchor against the USA’s best, where his positioning and breakouts out of the defensive zone were crucial. Not only that but his smart play making and defensive IQ took pressure off others so they could focus on what they are best at doing. Similarly to Vancouver 2010, the game had headed into overtime with a 2-2 tie and tensions at an all-time high. Just one goal would decide the championship.  

The puck rimmed around the boards, back into the same corner of the rink as it did fifteen years ago, as the puck was passed out to an open Connor McDavid who fired it within a split second. Time had slowed, yet again, as the puck flew into the net, a story like finish to pass the torch from one generational talent to the next. Gloves, sticks, and hands flew to the sky, while Canada proved its dominance once again showing why, as announcer Chris Cuthbert said referring to Canada, “best on best, and still the best.” 

 At 37 years old, Crosby is one of the oldest players in the NHL, and this discussion of age have some media members wondering whether he and team Canada can get it done. Crosby who rarely missed games, had recently dealt with upper-body injuries that had him leaving and returning at an inconsistent basis caused reporters to further question his health. Reporter Jim Rixner from Pensburgh.com said, “There is an invisible but very real wall for elite NHL hockey players. It tends to happen in between turning 37 and 38… but this next challenge could be his biggest one yet.” A wall that could impact whether Crosby can continue to succeed and play at the level that he is at. 

Despite the narratives, the last dance for Crosby remains. Can Crosby get it done one last time? Or does the US get their shot at redemption?  

Cover Image: unsplash/Anders Krogh Jorgensen