Hockey Canada VP crowns 38-year-old Sidney Crosby as Team Canada’s ultimate Olympic advantage over rivals

With the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics coming, Team Canada is preparing its roster led by Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid. Hockey Canada vice-president Scott Salmond said the team has one clear advantage. That advantage is Crosby, even at age 38. Salmond said no rival country has a player like him.

"If there’s any advantage anymore for Canadians, or for our Canadian team," Salmond said, via The Athletic. "And there is, there’s one. That’s Sidney Crosby. When you look at our biggest competition, I don’t think anyone else has that.”

He believes Crosby makes a big difference with his impact.

"I think what he brings to Hockey Canada, the way he carries himself, the way he represents Canada, is incredible," Salmond said. "And it’s a huge advantage for us, no question.”

Crosby continues to play at a high level in the NHL. He has 20 straight seasons averaging at least one point per game. At the 4 Nations Face-Off, he tied McDavid for Canada’s scoring lead with five points. So, younger teammates see him as a role model.

Crosby is expected to play a key role in Italy. Despite his age, he remains in Canada’s top group of forwards. He will be among the oldest NHL players to skate in the Olympics. Rivals such as the United States, Sweden and Finland are looking strong, yet Canada sees Crosby as its X-factor.

Salmond talked about the Crosby-led belief in the team.

"I believe that there’s this belief within the team and the players that they don’t want to let him down," Salmond said, about Crosby's impact. "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 that he’s created."

Sidney Crosby ranked eighth in NHL 26 rankings

Sidney Crosby is still one of the NHL’s most reliable players. He scored 33 goals and 58 assists last season. That gave him 91 points, but he finished with a -20 rating. It led to his fall in NHL 26 game rating, and he ranks eighth overall with a 94 rating.

The Penguins struggled last season, missing the playoffs for the third straight year, which hurt Crosby's numbers. Younger players like Connor McDavid (97), Nathan MacKinnon (96) and Leon Draisaitl (96) hold higher ratings, but Crosby is still making his presence felt after dominating the league for two decades.