The gold medal game at the 2026 Olympics delivered a classic, with Team USA taking an overtime win over Canada, 2-1, to secure the gold medal. Sidney Crosby was a game-time decision, but ultimately did not play in the contest.

After the game, Crosby spoke on the difficulty of not playing against the United States, per a video posted by crosbyterian on X, formerly Twitter.

“I feel that it's a lot easier playing than watching. But I think everybody should be proud of the way the team performed. I thought that, obviously, we did everything but score. In every facet, we were so good today. I thought we deserved better, and unfortunately, we didn't come away with the win,” Crosby said after the contest.

This was the third time Crosby has played for Team Canada at the Olympics. He was part of the 2010 and 2014 teams that won gold. In his Olympic career, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain has played in 17 games, scoring seven goals and adding nine assists. At 38, playing in the 2030 Olympics is unlikely for Crosby, meaning he likely has played his last game for Canada.

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This led to the question, would he find a way to dress regardless? Crosby admitted it crossed his mind, according to Michael Dominski of The Athletic.

“It might have crossed my mind a little bit, but ultimately, it was about what's best for our group and what gives us the best chance to win. That becomes pretty clear at that point. If I'm not able to go, then I'm not going to compromise our team or put myself ahead of that,” Crosby said after the game to the media about the idea of play.

While the Canadian captain did not take the ice, he was proud of how his teammates played. Now, his focus will return to the NHL season.

The Penguins are 29-15-12 on the season, which is good for second in the Metropolitan Division. They return to the ice on Thursday night, hosting the New Jersey Devils, and hopefully with Crosby back in the lineup soon.