- Macklin Celebrini will keep the “C” for Canada at the IIHF World Championship
- Sidney Crosby gets an “A” alongside John Tavares and Ryan O’Reilly
- Read below for the player-led decision and what it means heading into Friday’s opener
Macklin Celebrini is keeping the captaincy.
TSN’s Chris Johnston reported Thursday that the 19-year-old Sharks star will remain Canada’s captain at the IIHF World Championship, with Sidney Crosby wearing an “A” alongside John Tavares and Ryan O’Reilly. Celebrini got the “C” on May 10. Two days later, Crosby was added to the roster as an emergency call-up after Mathew Barzal stepped down with a pre-existing injury.
The players sorted it out themselves. Crosby was asked about the captaincy after joining the team in Switzerland:
“Yeah, we’ll figure it out,” Crosby said. “That’s not something that we’ll need to spend much time on. I’m really happy to be here. He’s had an unbelievable year. He looks amazing out here. I can see why he got selected. He’s got so many great leadership qualities.”
Johnston broke the original captaincy news Sunday:
At 19, Celebrini becomes the youngest captain in Canadian senior men’s hockey history. The Sharks center just wrapped a sophomore season with 115 points on 45 goals and 70 assists in 82 games, breaking Joe Thornton’s franchise record and finishing fourth in NHL scoring. Only Wayne Gretzky and Crosby put up more points as a 19-year-old.
He earned the room before he ever earned the letter. Canada named him to the worlds roster on May 8, two days before Hockey Canada made the leadership group official.
What made this awkward was Crosby’s track record. He’s worn the “C” for Canada in his last six international appearances, including February’s Milano Cortina Olympics where Canada took silver. You have to go back to the 2010 Vancouver Games to find the last time he played for Canada without a letter.
His season got cut short when the Penguins were bounced in the first round, freeing him up for the late call. Crosby accepted the invite Tuesday, and fans spent the next 48 hours demanding Celebrini hand the “C” over. The two players had other ideas.
Crosby and Celebrini skated on the same line at last year’s worlds, where Canada got stunned 2-1 by Denmark in the quarterfinals. Canada opens against Sweden on Friday in Zurich. The tournament runs through May 31, with Canada hunting its first worlds gold since 2023.
