Penguins captain Sidney Crosby injured in Canada's Olympic quarterfinal win

King Jemison, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Feb 18, 2026

Published in Olympics

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Sidney Crosby suffered a lower-body injury during Canada’s Olympic quarterfinal matchup with Czechia on Wednesday and was ruled out for the rest of the game.

He took at least two hits on one shift early in the second period. The first was a collision with Radko Gudas near the red line in which Crosby’s right leg appeared to bend awkwardly. But the Penguins captain stayed on the ice and was then sandwiched by Gudas and Martin Necas seconds later.

After the second hit, Crosby gingerly skated off the ice, clearly favoring his right leg. He went back to the locker room a few moments later and did not return in the period.

Ondrej Palat had leveled Crosby earlier in the frame and was not penalized for the hit away from the puck.

Canada ultimately survived the upset scare from Czechia, winning 4-3 in overtime to advance to the semifinals.

The Penguins were practicing when Crosby’s injury occurred. Players and coaches heard about it as they were leaving the ice.

“I have no information,” coach Dan Muse said. “Obviously thinking of him.”

He expressed no reservations about players going to the Olympics.

“Any time these guys get an opportunity to represent their countries, I’m just happy for them,” Muse said. “To play in a tournament like that, to be playing in that setting, those are something that I think everybody dreams of. And so the only thing for me is I’m excited for those guys getting that opportunity that they’ve earned, excited for them being over there. And so there’s no other thoughts in my mind other than that.”

Penguins forward Bryan Rust called Crosby the “heart and soul” of the organization but also refrained from any Olympic criticism.

“You can get injured in practice,” Rust said. “ ... Things can happen all sorts of places. With the way these practices are now, with how intense they are, guys across the league, somebody might get injured. I don’t think guys in this league are too worried about that. The opportunity to represent your country at the highest level, the world stage — guys are more than willing to accept that risk.”

Crosby was tied for second in the tournament after the preliminary round with six points in three games. He had not registered a point in the quarterfinal before leaving the game.

Crosby hasn’t missed a game this season for the Penguins. He’s produced 27 goals and 32 assists in 56 contests.

Pittsburgh’s next game is eight days away — Feb. 26 at home against the New Jersey Devils. The Penguins’ schedule intensifies after the Olympic break. They’ll play 17 games in March alone.