Despite a lengthy NHL regular season, the Winter Olympics, and a first-round series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Sidney Crosby still couldn’t pass up another opportunity to represent his country.

It was officially revealed on Tuesday that Crosby had been added to Team Canada’s 2026 IIHF Men’s World Hockey Championship roster.

In turn, New York Islanders star forward Mathew Barzal was removed as a precaution due to a minor pre-existing knee injury.

Crosby should have plenty of time to join the team in time for their tournament opener against Sweden on Friday, May 15.

The 38-year-old has had another extremely productive year of hockey, racking up 74 points (29 goals, 45 assists) in just 68 regular-season games for the Pittsburgh Penguins before adding five points (one goal, four assists) in their six-game first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia Flyers. He also tallied six points (two goals, four assists) in three and a half games for Canada at the Olympics before leaving with a knee injury suffered on a hit from Radko Gudas.

TSN hockey insider Chris Johnston has since shared on X (formerly Twitter) that it remains unknown whether Macklin Celebrini will keep the captaincy or if Crosby will take over upon his arrival.

“It’s not yet clear if Sidney Crosby’s decision to join Canada at the worlds will alter plans for Macklin Celebrini to wear the “C,” but needless to say, there’s lots of excitement about his addition to the roster,”

Celebrini is likely going to want to hand the “C” over to captain Canada, though Crosby may also want to pass the torch to the 19-year-old superstar, who many have already compared to him thanks to a brilliant start to his NHL career.

Either way, it will be special to see the two players—separated by nearly 20 years in age—team up in the red and white again over the next few weeks.

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