Crosby to play for Canada at men's worlds; MacKinnon has 'decent chance' to join
Published
Sidney Crosby is set to join Team Canada for the upcoming Men's World Hockey Championship, marking the first time he'll play in the annual international tournament since 2015.
Hockey Canada made the announcement on Sunday evening.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports that Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon, a longtime friend of Crosby, has a "decent chance" of playing for Canada, as well.
Crosby and MacKinnon, who are both from Nova Scotia, were teammates for Canada's dramatic win over the Untied States at the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off in February. They also captured the gold medal together at the 2015 world championship in the Czech Republic.
Crosby scored four goals and seven assists in nine games at the 2015 tournament while MacKinnon had four goals and five assists in 10 games.
The 37-year-old Crosby scored 33 goals and 58 assists over 80 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2024-25, his 20th season with the franchise and third straight without a postseason appearance.
MacKinnon, 29, is a day removed from his Avalanche being eliminated by the Dallas Stars in seven games in the opening round of the playoffs. The 12-year veteran and 2013 first overall pick scored 32 goals with 84 assists over 79 games this season, the third straight year he recorded 110 or more points.
At last year's tournament in Czechia, Canada finished off the podium for the first time since 2018 after dropping the bronze medal game to Sweden. The host Czechs captured gold. The Canadians last won gold in 2023 and own 28 first-place finishes to lead all nations.
This year's men's worlds is set to run from May 9-25 in Stockholm, Sweden and Herning, Denmark.