Sidney Crosby has his priorities in order.
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby decided not to show up at the 2024 NHL All-Star Draft in Toronto despite being selected as Pittsburgh’s representative for the weekend.
Instead of attending the draft on Thursday night, Crosby was spotted at an outdoor rink in Big Sky, Montana, taking in a casual skate.
Sidney Crosby skipped the NHL All-Star Draft to practice at the ODR in Big Sky Montana 😍🐐
(🎥: chmarksiv/IG) pic.twitter.com/18kwIni8EX
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) February 2, 2024
Videos surfaced on Friday morning showing the 36-year-old Crosby stickhandling and shooting pucks on the frozen lake under sunny skies. Crosby appeared relaxed and at ease, smiling and chatting with the few other skaters sharing the makeshift rink.
The video was uploaded by Chuckie Marks, who also got the opportunity to take a photo with the legend.
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Crosby explained on Sportsnet that he went to Montana to get away/relax. While driving, he noticed a beautiful outdoor rink that appeared pretty empty. Crosby, who says he always carries his gear around with him, took full advantage of the opportunity to get in some extra practice.
“You hear all the noise from the skates and just how everything echoes out there in the mountains. It’s a pretty nice setting, so it was fun to get out,” Crosby told Ron MacLean.
When asked about having his gear with him, Crosby replied with a playful smile, “You never know, right?”
While a tad surprising, Crosby skipping the All-Star Draft is not entirely out of character. The 3-time Stanley Cup champion has built his career on hard work and dedication, not flashy appearances.
While Crosby has missed several All-Star weekends over his lengthy career, he will reportedly be showing up for Friday’s skills competition and Saturday’s 3-on-3 game.
Some hockey fans expressed disappointment that Crosby elected not to partake in the All-Star Draft. However, most seem supportive of the captain’s decision, with the Instagram video garnering over 200,000 likes by Saturday morning.
With that type of scenery, we can’t blame Sid for bailing on the all-star draft. Crosby continues to show why he’s one of the best to ever do it.