HIGHLIGHTS
- Sidney Crosby left Thursday’s game against Ottawa and didn’t return
- Crosby appeared to favor his left leg after collision with Nick Cousins
- See video of the injury below, plus post-game updates on Crosby’s status
Sidney Crosby left Thursday night’s game against Ottawa and didn’t return.
The Pittsburgh captain exited quietly after playing just 6:39 of ice time. Crosby went down the tunnel late in the first period and couldn’t finish the game.
When a competitor like Crosby takes himself out during a tight playoff race, he knows something’s wrong.
The Penguins announced Crosby wouldn’t return but didn’t specify why. The 38-year-old appeared to favor his left leg after getting tangled up with Ottawa forward Nick Cousins along the boards late in the first period.
Video of the Crosby Injury
Check out the hit from Cousins that’s believed to have caused Crosby’s injury:
This hit from Nick Cousins along the boards is the suspected cause of Sid's departure https://t.co/xDUIbKPK3x pic.twitter.com/i1gQrVZXpK
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) March 27, 2026
Here’s the official announcement from the Penguins:
Watch Crosby leave the ice at the end of the first period:
Crosby returned to the bench for the start of the second period but took only one shift before heading back to the locker room for good. He finished with one shot on goal and a plus-1 rating.
Post-Game Crosby Updates
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Josh Yohe reported after the game that Crosby was seen in a suit walking around the locker room and didn’t appear to be in extreme discomfort:
Penguins communications director Jason Muse confirmed the injury is lower-body but provided no other details. No timeline for Crosby’s return has been announced.
Crosby Just Returned From Olympic Injury
This is a new injury separate from the knee issue that cost Crosby significant time earlier this year. The 38-year-old center missed 11 games after suffering a Grade 2 MCL sprain while representing Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Crosby took a hit from Czechia defenseman Radko Gudas during the quarterfinals that knocked him out for the remainder of the tournament. He missed Canada’s gold medal loss to the United States and sat out nearly three weeks of NHL action.
Thursday marked Crosby’s fifth game back since returning to the lineup on March 18. He’d been productive in his return, posting a goal and four assists across those four-plus games.
The timing is brutal. Pittsburgh kept Crosby out longer than usual after the Olympic injury specifically to avoid re-aggravation. Now here we are.
The saving grace is this appears to involve Crosby’s left leg, not the same knee he injured at the Olympics.
Penguins’ Playoff Push
Crosby leads Pittsburgh with 64 points in 60 games this season. His 28 goals are also the most of any Penguins skater.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion is one of the oldest active NHL players and remains Pittsburgh’s most important piece. Losing him for any extended period would be a massive blow to the Penguins’ playoff hopes.
Pittsburgh is fighting for playoff positioning in a tight Eastern Conference race. The Penguins entered Thursday third in the Metropolitan Division, one point ahead of the New York Islanders.
The Islanders won Thursday night and leapfrogged Pittsburgh for third place. The Penguins have slipped to the second wild-card spot with their cushion evaporating.
Pittsburgh won Thursday’s game 4-3 in a shootout despite losing Crosby. Ben Kindel scored the shootout winner while Rickard Rakell had two goals in regulation.
The Penguins are already dealing with injuries to other key forwards. Evgeni Malkin missed his second straight game with an upper-body injury. Blake Lizotte is likely done for the regular season but should be available for the playoffs.
Pittsburgh’s next game is Saturday against the Dallas Stars at PPG Paints Arena. More should be known about Crosby’s status before then.
