Penguins React to Sidney Crosby's IIHF World Championship Move

Sidney Crosby’s 20th NHL season ended without a playoff berth for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

For the third straight spring, the franchise’s longtime captain watched the postseason from afar. But this time, Crosby found another path back to keep playing high-stakes hockey.

On Sunday night, Hockey Canada announced that Crosby will join the national team at the 2025 IIHF World Championship in Sweden and Denmark.

The Penguins promptly acknowledged the move with a post on X.

“The captain is headed to #MensWorlds! This will mark Crosby’s third time representing Team Canada at the World Championship and first since he captained the team to the gold medal in 2015.”

Crosby’s decision followed his strong performance at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, where he notched five points in four games and helped lead Canada to a gold medal, beating the USA in the final.

Crosby has been open about the importance of staying active during the offseason, telling so to The Athletic.

“Maybe I’ll get tired at some point,” Crosby said. “But when I go for a while without skating, I notice it. I don’t feel as good after long breaks, which is different from when I was younger.”

Now 37, Crosby continues to defy age, coming off a season in which he put up 91 points (33 goals and 58 assists) in 80 games, leading all Penguins in scoring and assists.

Crosby also became the first player in NHL history to post 20 point-per-game seasons, surpassing Wayne Gretzky’s previous mark.

Team Canada and Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sydney Crosby (87) before the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game against the United States.Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Crosby last played at the Worlds in 2015 and previously won gold at the Olympics (2010, 2014), the 2005 World Juniors, and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

The Penguins’ captain is expected to also wear the “C” for Canada again, reuniting with Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas, who is managing the national team alongside head coach Dean Evason.

Canada’s roster includes Macklin Celebrini, Ryan O’Reilly, and Bo Horvat, among others, with the tournament beginning May 10, featuring a Group A opener pitting Canada and Slovenia against each other in Stockholm.

Penguins React to Sidney Crosby’s IIHF World Championship Move

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