Pittsburgh Penguins doctors have recommended Sidney Crosby not skate for four or five days, which would mean he would miss the NHL All-Star weekend for the second consecutive year.
Penguins general manager Ray Shero says the final decision hasn't been made, adding the Pens will do what is right for the player and what is right for the organization, and that puts Crosby's participation this weekend in Montreal in jeopardy.
Crosby and Shero met after Tuesday's 2-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes to discuss Crosby's injury, and Shero says he will speak to Crosby and team doctors again before stepping in with his recommendation before the end of the week.
Crosby was named by the fans as an Eastern Conference starter in Sunday's game and is also one of the featured competitors in the highly touted breakaway challenge in the NHL's skills competition on Saturday at the Bell Centre.
Because it's in Montreal, because he was voted in by the fans and because he was forced to miss last year's All-Star events in Atlanta AS THE RESULT of a high ankle sprain, Crosby's heart is telling him he needs to be there.
But, he's hurt and the Pittsburgh Penguins have the MRI results to prove it, so he's being reminded to do what is right for his body and to be mindful of the physical stresses that will come post-All-Star game during the Penguins' push to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
If the Penguins decide to pull Crosby, he will join NHL stars Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk from the Detroit Red Wings, along with Washington's Nicklas Backstrom, Boston's Milan Lucic, Los Angeles Kings goaltender Erik Ersberg and goalie Steve Mason from the Columbus Blue Jackets who have opted out or been forced out of the All-Star weekend.
