PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Back with the Pens despite having to miss at least the next month, Sidney Crosby said he feels good outside of the injury and doesn’t hold anything against Radko Gudas for the hit that caused the injury.
“I don’t have a problem with the play,” Crosby said Wednesday after the Penguins practice in Cranberry. “He was trying to be physical and step up and play hard as any defenseman would, it just went the wrong way on my end of it.”
Crosby went on to say that it’s hockey and stuff happens and Gudas shouldn’t feel the need to reach out to him, and he hasn’t.
The focus now is to try to rehab, declining with a smile, to say what exactly the injury is or when he might return. He will do what he can to help this team that will be without its captain and leading scorer through most of the stretch run of the regular season.
“I’m confident,” Crosby said. “I think we’ve shown all year, we’ve had injuries and guys have stepped up. To get to where we are at, at this point, is because of our team play. I don’t think it’s been any one person.”
“I think it’s because collectively as a group we’ve found a way to win and different guys have stepped up. As long as we continue that, and understand that, I think we give ourselves a good chance.”
“It’s going to be an important stretch here, the next little bit, a lot of teams are trying to get points and in similar positions, really confident as far as that is concerned.”
Playing in Olympics
Crosby’s injury doesn’t change his stance on NHL players in the Olympics. He said at that time he wasn’t thinking of not playing in the gold medal game to keep him healthy for the Pens, it was about trying to return for Team Canada.
Crosby was hopeful up until the day of the USA-Canada gold medal game of trying to play, but he just wasn’t about to. What he did say is he wouldn’t force playing, for instance, only participating on the power play.
“You can either play or you can’t,” Crosby said.
The 38-year-old said he hasn’t thought far enough ahead to it potentially being his last Olympic games, but again, it’s an opportunity he cherishes.
“It’s the Olympics,” Crosby said. “It’s an amazing experience as an athlete, not just a hockey player. It’s incredible. The product on the ice. The way that fans see the game. How competitive it is and how it brings everyone together. It’s pretty amazing.”
“Injuries are part of the game. They come with that, especially at that level with the speed and the intensity and physicality of the games. I think it’s great guys have the opportunity to go and showcase and have that opportunity.”
Now he wants to participate in something else he hasn’t done in a while.
“It’s why we play, obviously the Olympics is a great opportunity and experience, but you shift your focus to play in the playoffs,” Crosby said. “It’s so special and so fun to be in those big games and play for that. That’s where my mind is at.”