AS I SEE IT COLUMN: Sidney Crosby: A true Canadian hero

When Hockey Canada announced that Sid Crosby would be joining Team Canada at the World Championships in Switzerland, it’s safe to say that hockey fans from coast to coast to coast rejoiced.

The last time we saw Crosby wearing the maple leaf on his chest, it was at the Milano Olympics, where Canada was robbed of a gold medal by the spectacular play of Connor Hellebuyck.

Crosby wasn’t just the captain of our Olympic team; he was the heart and the soul of Team Canada. After sustaining an injury late in the tournament, an anxious nation wondered if he would somehow be able to play in the gold medal game.

It would have been interesting to be a fly on the wall as Team Canada officials decided whether a 70% Crosby is better than no Crosby. There was speculation that he would be asked to suit up for the game just so he could sit on the bench to cheer on his teammates.

To Crosby’s eternal credit, he put the team before himself and told team officials to give his roster spot to someone else.

Crosby has been a superstar for many years but it’s safe to say that at the Milano Olympics he took his game to a whole new level. A direct result of that was his heroic stature being elevated to entirely new heights.

He did everything he could to try and win a gold medal for the country he loves; Canadian hockey fans could see and feel his passion.

There is so much to applaud Crosby for. He has been super consistent – he is only the player in NHL history to average a point a game for 20 consecutive seasons – but one of his many noteworthy and laudable traits is his complete and utter desire to stay out of the spotlight. You never hear anything about his personal life.

Unlike Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky, who forever tarnished their legacies in Canada by supporting an American president convicted of multiple felonies and who takes great pleasure insulting Canada and hurting our economy, you never hear anything about Crosby’s politics.

It would be unthinkable for him to do anything that he knew would alienate his fellow Canadians. That’s what hurts so much about Gretzky’s very public support of the criminal in the White House. Gretzky knew it would rub millions of Canadians the wrong way, but he did it anyway. Gretzky greedily put his feelings above his country’s. Crosby would never ever do that; he would never be that selfish. It is literally impossible to imagine Crosby wearing a stupid MAGA hat and never forcefully demanding the president dial back his deranged threats to Canada’s sovereignty.

Team Canada’s announcement was a pleasant surprise. Lots of players, especially those coming off of big injuries like Crosby, would take it easy and not play at the worlds.

Not Crosby. When you factor in the Olympics, world championships, World Cups, 4 Nations and world juniors, these worlds mark the 12th tournament he has represented his country.

Canadians learned even more about Crosby’s character when he refused to be named captain of Team Canada at the worlds. Before they knew Crosby would be heading to Switzerland, Team Canada named Macklin Celebrini as captain. Many in the hockey world rightfully assumed Crosby would immediately be given the captaincy once he announced his intention to play, but he insisted that Celebrini keep the “C.” That is beyond classy.

Unlike Gretzky and Orr, who have embarrassed and enraged Canadians for embracing the cruel, corrupt clown south of the border, Crosby has done the exact opposite. His passion for and commitment to our country has made Canadians feel a profound sense of national pride. Crosby’s love for Canada is contagious, palpable and beautiful to behold.

What a gift Crosby has been to hockey and what an amazing ambassador he has been – and continues to be – for Canada.