As the 4 Nations Face-Off approaches, fans’ gazes transcend beyond the NHL. With the All-Stars game being swapped for the new “Landmark International Tournament” in 2025, it’s obvious that all the competing nations and the fans are bracing for an exciting showdown. But amidst the anticipation, speculation about seeing Sidney Crosby in his national stripes abounds among Canadian hockey enthusiasts.

The Next One’s health has become a major point of concern among the NHL community in the lead up to the tournament. The 37-year-old center suffered an upper-body injury last Tuesday when playing against the New Jersey Devils. This misfortune forced Crosby to watch the action between the Penguins and the New York Rangers from the sidelines yesterday as well. But while his participation in the 4 Nations Face-Off remains a subject of debate, the Canadian roster is undergoing other changes simultaneously.

Sidney Crosby’s potential absence is not Canada’s only concern

Spittin’ Chiclets took to X on February 8 to reveal some startling news ahead of the international hockey tournament. “Drew Doughty officially replaces Alex Pietrangelo on Team Canada’s 4 Nations roster.“This update dropped like a bomb on the community as Pietrangelo’s ailment came at a truly inopportune moment. After all, he’s a defensive mainstay whose contributions cannot be easily replicated. In light of Sidney Crosby’s injury concerns, it was not the update that Team Canada or their fans were hoping for.

Alex Pietrangelo, a 2-time Stanley Cup winner and former Olympic champion, has established himself as a formidable player without a shred of doubt. But Drew Doughty‘s resume is nothing to scoff at either. Known for springing teammates with crisp passes and for his incredible shutdown presence against top forwards in the NHL, Doughty’s inclusion in the roster makes a lot of sense. Especially when the team is still struggling to learn if one of their top forwards will make it to the locker room for the 4 Nations Face-Off this Wednesday.

However, not everything is grim. Before the Rangers game, Crosby was seen skating on the ice, although ultimately he didn’t play. A post by Spittin’ Chicklets showed snippets of what looked like a determined Sidney Crosby trying his best to get back into his groove before the international break. Without him among their ranks, the Penguins suffered two back-to-back losses on the road and are now 7th in their division. He is undoubtedly an integral part of what makes the Penguins tick. But while Sidney grinds to get back into shape, Canadian fans and experts believe there’s still time for good news to come through.

Will Crosby’s shoes need to be filled after all?

Sidney Crosby is still the captain for Team Canada, with Connor McDavid and Cale Makar being handed the alternate captaincies.  But there’s no lack of optimism to see Sid the Kid in action against Sweden later this week. “Team Canada is cautiously optimistic, I would say, that the captain will be in the lineup six days from now when the puck drops on the four nations between Team Canada and Sweden in Montreal,” said hockey pundit Frank Seravalli, appearing on NHL Coast-to-Coast recently.

There’s a reason why the community is so set on hoping that Crosby makes it. He has been the face of Canadian hockey for nearly two decades and has won pretty much all there is to win with Team Canada. “The bottom line: When he puts that jersey on, you can sense the calmness come over the entire country of Canada. It’s almost like he’s our security blanket,” said assistant coach, Rick Tocchet. His presence and his contributions are often what sets Canada apart. To say he’s a pillar of the team would be an understatement and his absence would be monumental.

But hope springs eternal. Crosby’s national teammate Nathan MacKinnon also assured fans that Captain Canada has been “doing fine,” despite no definitive update so far regarding his availability status. “I don’t want to put words in his mouth, but he’s a very, very tough individual. Hopefully everything is alright,” said the Avalanche player about the possibility of Crosby joining the national team for the upcoming tournament. What do you think about the Penguins captain’s chances of showing up for the game against the Swedes? Tell us!