Crosby: It's Unfortunate that the NHL Will Not Go to 2022 Olympics
The league announced today that with the regular-season schedule having been materially disrupted as a result of increasing COVID cases and a rising number of postponed games, it is no longer feasible for the players to head to China. Those games will be rescheduled during the period from Feb. 6-22 that was originally set to be the Olympic break.
For those members of the Penguins organization who were hoping to have the chance to represent their countries, this news is incredibly disappointing, especially since the NHL did not participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.
"It's difficult to kind of wrap your head around, given the fact that we thought we would have the opportunity this time," Sidney Crosby said. "I've been fortunate enough to be part of two. I definitely feel for the guys who have missed numerous opportunities. It's not something where it's the next year or you push it a couple months…. these are opportunities and experiences of a lifetime that you don't get very many of as an athlete, and you might only get one. And it just might happen to kind of fall into your window, and if that doesn't work out, that's unfortunate."
Crosby, 34, had been one of three players selected to Hockey Canada's initial roster for the Games along with Edmonton's Connor McDavid and Vegas' Alex Pietrangelo. This would have been the captain's third Olympic appearance after capturing gold medals in the 2010 and 2014 Games.
In his Olympic debut in Vancouver, Crosby produced arguably the most iconic moment of his legendary career when he scored the Golden Goal in overtime of the Gold Medal Game against Team USA. He then captained Canada to a second-consecutive gold medal in Sochi as their squad went undefeated in the tournament.
"It's something whether you're a hockey player or any athlete, having the opportunity to play in the Olympics is something unique and special," Crosby had said earlier in the season. "I think once you get there and see the product, best on best, best players in the world competing against one another and playing for their country, it's pretty special."
Mike Sullivan was also set to head to Beijing as the head coach of the United States Men's Olympic Hockey Team. He would have been joined by Penguins assistant coach Todd Reirden and video coach Andy Saucier, who were going to serve in those same capacities on Team USA's staff.
Minnesota native Jake Guentzel, 27, would have likely made that roster. Other Penguins players in the mix to represent their countries included Tristan Jarry (Canada), Teddy Blueger (Latvia) and of course, Evgeni Malkin (Russia).
"It's an unbelievable honor to represent your nation in the Olympics," said Sullivan, who had previously served as an assistant coach on Peter Laviolette's staff at the 2006 Olympics in Turin. "It's the honor of a lifetime, quite honestly. I know I don't feel differently than a lot of people that pull their nation's sweater over their heads.
"But what I do think is that to do our jobs to the best of our ability requires a certain discipline to make sure that we don't get overwhelmed by any circumstance, that we've got to focus on the things that we can control. And quite honestly, this is something that's completely out of all of our control."
