Sidney Crosby cast doubts over Macklin Celebrini’s captaincy with his last-minute addition to Hockey Canada’s roster for the 2026 IIHF World Championship. However, it’s now been confirmed that the Maple Leaf will go forward with their original decision.
“Macklin Celebrini will remain as captain for Canada at the IIHF World Hockey Championship, with Sidney Crosby wearing an ‘A’. That was decided after a player-led discussion,” Chris Johnston reported on his X account. “The players wanted Celebrini to keep the ‘C’.“
Although Crosby will always be considered Captain Canada, he will not lace up the skates forever. Moreover, this might be the sacrifice Canada needs to exorcise the ghosts of its past. The last time Crosby played for his national team without a ‘C’ on his sweater, good things happened. In fact, those were the golden days.
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Olympics in Vancouver were the last major tournament in which Crosby played for his country in a non-captain role. Everybody knows how that story ended—especially Crosby, who scored the golden goal in overtime to lift Canada past Team USA and secure the national men’s team’s eighth gold medal in Winter Olympics history.
Macklin Celebrini at 2026 Olympics.
More than a decade and a half later—16 years, to be precise—Crosby will serve as an alternate captain while another player wears the ‘C’. Perhaps that is exactly what the Great White North needs to snap its championship drought—if it can even be called one. Canada’s last major title came at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. Or the 4 Nations Face-Off, depending on who you ask.
Passing of the torch in Canada
Everybody knew the day would arrive sooner or later. Perhaps Canadians did not expect it to happen in such a confusing—or possibly dramatic—fashion, butthere may never be a perfect way to make it happen. One way or another, there has been a passing of the torch regardless.
Either way, for the first time since 2010, there will be a new captain on a Hockey Canada squad featuring Crosby, and it will be none other than Macklin Celebrini. Connor McDavid did captain the team in this year’s gold medal game against Team USA, but even he admitted he was simply keeping the ‘C’ warm for Crosby, who was sidelined with a lower-body injury. Thus, it is the 19-year-old from North Vancouver who has been handed the torch—not McDavid or Nathan MacKinnon.
Celebrini earned it
Coming off a 115-point season in just his sophomore NHL campaign and after establishing himself as one of the best players at the Olympics, Celebrini has proven he belongs at this level. Now, he will be tasked with leading a roster filled with veterans despite being the second-youngest player on the team. In fact, if not for Porter Martone’s late decision to join the squad, Celebrini would have been the youngest player on the roster.
The veterans will have to listen to the kid. It should not be too hard, especially considering they have been listening to “Sid the Kid” for the past decade and a half. Now, there is a new high-pitched voice in charge—one that already has 178 career points in just 152 NHL games.
Sidney Crosby at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Something to keep an eye on
“We’ll figure it out. No, [it doesn’t matter to me]. Obviously, it’s an honor anytime you get to wear the ‘C’, but we’ve got so many great leaders. It’ll be a quick discussion,” Crosby had said prior to the report in dialogue with TSN. “[Celebrini] has had an unbelievable year. He looks amazing out there. I can see why he got selected.”
As for Celebrini, his message signaled he didn’t wish to give up the ‘C’ so easily. “Everybody knows [Crosby] is Captain Canada. He’s been the captain for so many years and the face of Canada and hockey in general. Just got to talk about it,“ he commented.
Quoting Johnston’s report, “the players wanted Celebrini to keep the ‘C’.” However, that begs the question, what did Crosby say behind closed doors? Will this turn out to be a source of conflict inside the locker room? It seems unlikely considering Crosby has always been selfless and very supportive of Celebrini in the national team. All that matters for Crosby and company is walking away of Switzerland as the 2026 IIHF World Championship winners.
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