Archive: 15 Years Ago, Star Sidney Crosby Was Focusing On First Olympics After 2006 Snub

Sidney Crosby is one of hockey's all-time greatest talents. But in this 2009 story, Crosby and his Penguins teammates discussed his exclusion from Canada's 2006 Olympic team.

In his Hockey Hall of Fame career, Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby has represented his NHL team and his homeland of Canada with grace and resolve. 

In this cover story from The Hockey News’ special-edition “Chasing Glory” magazine (June 29, 2009, cover date), this writer spoke to Crosby and other NHL figures about Crosby's experience being excluded from Canada’s 2006 Olympics squad.

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The always-affable Crosby told The Hockey News that being left off the 2006 Olympics team wasn’t ideal, but he shook it off and eventually became a key part of the 2010 gold medal team at the Vancouver Winter Games.

“It’s always something I think about when I’m reminded of it,” Crosby said. “But at the same time, I found it pretty easy just to put it on the back burner, worry about playing (in Pittsburgh) and being at my best here, and if that’s the case, everything kind of takes care of itself. That’s how I’ve been trying to look at it.”

Ultimately, Crosby became one of the greatest players in hockey history because of his drive to succeed and his natural all-around talents. Being left off the 2006 Olympic team didn’t sour him on the international hockey experience.

“No, I don’t think Sidney is bitter at all,” said Pens forward Max Talbot. “Of course he would love to represent his country and win a gold medal, but I’m not sure he’s angry with the past or motivated by it. He’s matured all-around in his game and that’s because he’s driven to do all the small things that put him at his best when he’s out there on the ice. That’s all that matters to him – and that’s why he’s had the success he’s already had in this league.”

June 29, 2009

By Adam Proteau

The last time Sidney Crosby was eligible to represent his homeland at the Winter Olympics – in 2006 at the Turin Games – the brain trust at Hockey Canada quietly decided to go in a competitive direction that didn’t include the then-18-year-old.

Although Crosby was reticent to discuss the likelihood of playing in his first Olympic Games, he did acknowledge the idea of wearing Canada’s colors in Vancouver has stuck in the deep recesses of his mind.

“It’s always something I think about when I’m reminded of it,” Crosby said, “but at the same time, I found it pretty easy just to put it on the back burner, worry about playing (in Pittsburgh) and being at my best here, and if that’s the case, everything kind of takes care of itself. That’s how I’ve been trying to look at it.”

That’s a very wise way to look at it. And it’s impossible to argue with his results.

Because – and call it a hunch if you want to – something tells us that, this time around, Team Canada isn’t going to dismiss the Penguins superstar quite so easily.

Or at all.

“If Sidney Crosby is not named to that team,” said one NHL management figure familiar with the Olympic process, “this will be (Team Canada architect) Steve Yzerman’s one and only time in charge of that team. But I think Steve has every intention of holding on to that job, if you know what I mean.

“If you don’t, I can be a lot clearer: Sid is as much of a lock as anybody who’ll be on the Canadian team.”

Certainly, any elite NHLer’s chances at wearing his country’s colors in the Olympics would be improved by the Stanley Cup championship, Art Ross and Hart Trophies, Lester B. Pearson Award and NHL first-team all-star honors Crosby now has on his professional resume.

His accumulated international hockey experience may not be Shane Doan-like in terms of games played– thus far, he’s only appeared in the 2004 and 2005 World Junior Championships as well as the 2006 World Championship – but he quickly carved out a legacy for himself there as well, winning a gold medal and a silver in his two WJC showings.

And in spite of early-season struggles that limited the Cole Harbour, N.S., native to “only” a point-per-game average through the first segment of 2009-10, the progression of Crosby as an NHLer entails so much more than any amount of league hardware or media laurels ever could.

Those fortunate enough to see the Pens captain every day, behind the scenes and away from the spotlight, are the ones with the best view on his continuing development.

“The thing that’s most evident when you’re around him, even for a short period of time, is his burning desire to get better – and not just at scoring goals, or things that are going to show up on a scoresheet or win awards for him,” said Penguins coach Dan Bylsma. “For four years, he’s been to all of our penalty kill meetings because he wants to get better at it…He didn’t do it for the first three years, but he came to every meeting because he wanted to get better and show he could do it and add to his game.”

Crosby’s focus on improvement didn’t end there.

“He’s also worked at faceoffs for years as well, he hasn’t always been good, but you can see now how it’s paid off in his game,” Bylsma said. “That determination is really what he shows you and his teammates each and every day he’s around the rink.”

Added Crosby’s Penguins teammate Kris Letang: “He’s focused so much more on his defensive game. When you come into the league as an offensive player, all the attention is on you because you can score goals and bring offense, but there’s a different aspect of the game we’ve seen from him as he’s learned about the league.

“He’s been blocking shots, playing down low (in the defensive end) and leadership-wise, he’s also gained a lot of experience. He has come a long way.”

When the topic turns to whether Crosby felt slighted by not playing for Canada in 2006, opinions are mixed.

“Maybe he was a little bit,” Letang said. “But I think most people would say he’s one of the best players in the NHL right now, if not the best in the league and he’s always ready for a challenge. To be a leader on the Olympic team is going to be one of those challenges and I don’t see him not being up for it.”

Penguins playoff hero Max Talbot disagrees with Letang.

“No, I don’t think Sidney is bitter at all,” Talbot said. “Of course he would love to represent his country and win a gold medal, but I’m not sure he’s angry with the past or motivated by it. He’s matured all-around in his game and that’s because he’s driven to do all the small things that put him at his best when he’s out there on the ice.

“That’s all that matters to him – and that’s why he’s had the success he’s already had in this league.”

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