Canada captain Sidney Crosby ruled out of Olympic gold-medal game vs. United States

MILAN — sidney crosby was ruled out of Canada’s Olympic gold-medal game against the United States roughly an hour before the scheduled start, a last-minute development that removes the team’s veteran leader from its active lineup. The timing changes Canada’s game-day preparations and leaves Connor McDavid to continue as playing captain.

Sidney Crosby ruled out before United States game

The decision that Crosby would not play came about an hour before puck drop in Milan, after his availability had remained in doubt up until the official announcement. The 38-year-old Canadian captain did not recover in time to be included in Canada’s active lineup for the final against the United States.

Injury in quarterfinal vs Czechia

Crosby suffered a lower-body injury during Canada’s quarterfinal victory over Czechia. In that game he was hit along the boards in the second period by Martin Nečas and Radko Gudas; those strikes represented the third major hit he had taken that period. He exited the ice soon afterward, limped toward the locker room, and was soon ruled out of that quarterfinal game.

Jon Cooper on recovery and roster decisions

Canada head coach Jon Cooper said on Friday he believed Crosby had a chance to play in the gold-medal game. Cooper’s assessment changed after the team observed Crosby’s recovery trajectory, which ultimately left him unavailable for the final and prompted the decision to leave him off the active game-day roster.

Connor McDavid to serve as playing captain

With Crosby sidelined, Connor McDavid will again serve as the playing captain for Team Canada, as he has since Crosby’s injury. McDavid had already taken on the role during the tournament; his leadership on-ice continues in the absence of the longtime captain. After Crosby’s injury, McDavid said, "He’s Sidney Crosby. He’s going to have a big influence no matter what. In the lineup, not in the lineup, he’s going to have a big influence. That’s what he does. "

Crosby’s Olympic history and Milan performance

Crosby is a two-time Olympic gold medalist who has played in three Olympic Games for Canada, winning gold in Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014. He scored Canada’s golden overtime goal in 2010 that sent Canada past the United States. While in Milan this tournament he has recorded two goals and four assists; he also holds the Canadian NHL-era Olympic record with 16 total points. Crosby, the oldest player on Canada’s roster, skated in practice on both Friday and Saturday but made no public statements, as both practices were closed to media.

Fragmented headline and remaining uncertainty

An item in the available record carried only the partial headline "Sidney Crosby says he was" with no accompanying text; unclear in the provided context. What makes this notable is the way last-minute health developments and limited public access to practice sessions have left the full public picture incomplete in the hours before the final.

The immediate cause—multiple heavy hits in the quarterfinal that led to a lower-body injury—produced the effect: Crosby’s exit from that game, an extended period of uncertainty through the following practices, and ultimately the team’s decision to omit him from the gold-medal roster about an hour before the game began. That chain of events reshapes Canada’s on-ice leadership and game plan for the championship matchup with the United States.