Team Canada is one of those teams that many are looking forward to watching in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-off. Indeed, they have a lot of star players on their roster, including the Edmonton Oilers captain, Connor McDavid. However, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins will take up the main role, making #97 an alternate captain for his country.

Crosby is an essential player on the Penguins’ roster, but there are a few concerns floating around him lately. Indeed, during his latest game against the New Jersey Devils, he caught himself with an upper-body injury. With this information, a certain NHL insider has reported on the fate of the Penguins captain in the 4 Nations Face-off, which might be concerning for a lot of Canadian fans.

Appearing on NHL Coast-to-Coast, as seen on Sports on Prime Canada’s X post, Frank Seravalli shared a crucial message, stating, “Team Canada is cautiously optimistic, I would say, that the captain will be in the lineup six days from now when the puck drops on the four nations between Team Canada and Sweden in Montreal.”

Many are excited for the 4 Nations Face-off. Indeed, it’s been a while since a big international ice hockey tournament involving these four giants (Canada, the United States, Sweden, and Finland), and the community demands action. However, if Sidney Crosby is out of the event, it might upset a lot of people, as he is a major part of the country’s roster, even if they have Connor McDavid and Cale Makar as the alternate captains.

Should Team Canada rely on Connor McDavid to lead if Sidney Crosby misses the 4 Nations Face-off?

Yes, McDavid is ready

Absolutely, he’s on the right track

Furthermore, Seravalli added more information on Crosby’s injury, stating, “The belief is that this is a left wrist injury and a bit of a mixed bag for Crosby on Thursday, as he did skate but did not do much shooting as he was on his own on a separate ice sheet from the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was receiving passes and seemed to be skating just fine, but after getting crunched, it’s important to keep in mind that left wrist. In September 2021, he had surgery and had some plates inserted.”

After the match, people spotted the Penguins captain, but he stood out from others on the rink. This did raise a lot of concerns, as the way he fell on ice, exerting all of his force on his left wrist, might not be a favorable sign for him. The NHL insider did note that he previously had surgery in that area, and this might just get worse for him and directly affect Team Canada in the long run.

Sidney Crosby in Question, 4 Nations Face-Off Sees Massive Change

Even Crosby won’t be on the ice for today’s game of the Penguins against the New York Rangers, so the concerns among the fans have grown even more. But why so? The fans are aware of the importance that Crosby carries in his team. In the 55 games he played this season, he achieved 17 goals and 41 assists, and these stats are no joke. However, if he happens to miss the 4 Nations Face-off, who will lead Team Canada?

Expectations will come to Connor McDavid

Losing Sidney Crosby will be awful for Team Canada. No one hopes that this will happen, but the recent circumstances aren’t looking in favor of the Pittsburgh Penguins captain. And if he actually doesn’t make it to the event, then all eyes will be looking out for either Connor McDavid or Cale Makar, who both are currently the alternate captains of the team.

However, mostly the heads will turn to the Oilers #97, owing to his experience as a captain. Indeed, he will be the most anticipated player in Team Canada to wear the ‘C’ marked sweater if there is no Crosby, as he has led the Oilers for a long time now.