Sidney Crosby has been named captain of Team Canada's men's hockey team for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina, marking his third appearance in the Games. Connor McDavid and Cale Makar will serve as alternate captains. The announcement came on Sunday ahead of Canada's tournament opener against Czechia on Thursday.
Sidney Crosby, the Pittsburgh Penguins center and longtime NHL captain, was selected to lead Team Canada at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. At 38 years old, this will be Crosby's third Olympics; he helped Canada win gold in 2010 Vancouver, where he scored the overtime winner against the United States, and in 2014 Sochi. He has captained Canada in the previous three best-on-best international tournaments, securing victories each time, including the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.
Crosby, who has worn the captain's 'C' for the Penguins since 2007, enters his 21st NHL season with 59 points (27 goals, 32 assists) in 56 games. He is one of only two players on the roster with prior Olympic experience, alongside Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty. "You have to be open-minded, go with the flow," Crosby said. "And you have to embrace the whole experience. It’s a special one, not only representing hockey, but just the entire Team Canada and celebrating sports."
Alternate captains McDavid and Makar join Crosby in the leadership group, as they did at the 4 Nations tournament. "What Sid means to me, I think that’s been well-documented," McDavid said. "For our generation, and for him to still be here and being the captain and still playing a massive role, it’s special."
Canada's preliminary roster was announced in July, featuring stars like Nathan MacKinnon and Sam Reinhart. The team is in Group A with Czechia, Switzerland, and France. The men's tournament begins Wednesday and runs through February 22, with Canada facing Czechia first at 10:40 a.m. ET on Thursday at Santagiulia Arena.
Hockey Canada executive Scott Salmond highlighted Crosby's impact: "He has this incredible ability to bring people together... These players have the weight of the nation on their shoulders, but they look at Sidney Crosby and they want to carry on that legacy." With Crosby, Canada holds a 54-8 record in major tournaments.
