🏒 Sidney Crosby Injury Update: How Status Impacts Canada vs. Finland Odds & Picks
Sidney Crosby went down with an injury during Canada's previous game at the Olympics, putting his status in doubt against Finland in the men's hockey semifinal on Friday.
I'm breaking down the latest news surrounding Crosby's injury, whether he will play on Friday, and how his potential absence could impact the men's Olympic hockey odds and predictions.
🚑 What happened to Sidney Crosby?
Sidney Crosby left Canada's quarterfinal win over Czechia early in the second period.
Crosby appeared to be injured on a hit from Czechia's Radko Gudas in which he went down awkwardly on one of his legs. He was then hit again by Gudas and Martin Necas during the same shift. Crosby limped off the ice from there and didn't return to the bench for the rest of the game after being evaluated by Canada's medical staff.
Canada has listed the ailment as a "lower-body injury."
🇨🇦 Will Crosby play vs. Finland?
Crosby's status versus Finland in the semifinal is still up in the air, as Team Canada head coach Jon Cooper said Thursday that the captain is "by no means ruled out of the tournament," but they're taking it "day-by-day," according to CBC's Chris Jones.
"We're not going to put anybody in harm's way," Cooper added. "But if he can play, he's definitely going to."
Canada only has one day off - Thursday - between their quarterfinal game against Czechia and their forthcoming semifinal matchup against Finland.
At 38 years old, it's likely more difficult for Crosby to bounce back quickly from any strain he suffered in such a short amount of time. But 2026 will be his final Olympic Games, and I'm sure the all-time great will do everything in his power to be available on Friday.
🤔 Impact of Crosby's potential absence
As stacked as Canada's lineup is, the void left by Crosby would be immense in terms of his skill and legendary leadership ability. That will undoubtedly impact multiple markets at the best sports betting sites, including the puck line and anytime goal scorer odds.
Who will wear the C?
Crosby has captained Canada at several international tournament since he first earned the "C" in 2014, including three Olympics.
Cooper wouldn't say who Canada's captain would be against Finland if Crosby can't play. But he did acknowledge the growth in leadership he's seen throughout the lineup, including from top scorer Connor McDavid.
"I've watched it grow," Cooper said. "You get to that 4 Nations tournament, and I think everybody was looking to Sid in that tournament. I think guys like (Drew) Doughty and (Brad) Marchand, the guys that have been there for a number of years, were the more vocal guys that stepped up, but I'm seeing much more out of the group now, especially Connor."
I think it's likely that McDavid is Canada's captain in Crosby's absence.
How Crosby's injury affects betting markets
Canada barely survived against Czechia in the quarters, needing a late equalizer and overtime to beat a team it was favored by as much as 3.5 goals against.
It's difficult to separate that overall performance from the impact felt by Crosby's injury when looking at the Canada vs. Finland betting lines, but the Canadians certainly seemed rattled after losing their captain in their previous game. As a result, Canada is now a -1.5 favorite (down from an opening number of -2.5) against Finland, while their moneyline has shortened from -550 to -450 at BetMGM.
Here is how the moneyline has shifted at BetMGM after the opening odds were released:
| Team | Opening ML | Current ML | Bets % | Tickets % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | -550 | -450 | 41% | 49% |
| Finland | +400 | +340 | 59% | 51% |
Here is how the puck line (spread) has shifted at BetMGM after the opening odds were released:
| Team | Opening spread | Current spread | Bets % | Handle % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | -2.5 (+105) | -1.5 (-155) | 56% | 62% |
| Finland | +2.5 (-130) | +1.5 (+115) | 44% | 38% |
💵 Will Finland cover the spread?
Our Gary Pearson offered his pick and best bet for the semifinal in his Canada vs. Finland prediction, which factors in Crosby's uncertain availability.
Missing Crosby would certainly shake up Canada's forward lines, as he was centering line No. 2. Here are my top goal scorer picks to target on Canada, impacted by which players I think will receive more ice time if Crosby can't play.
Anytime goal scorer odds provided by FanDuel.
- Nick Suzuki (+400)
- Mark Stone (+350)
- Brad Marchand (+460)
📺 How to watch Canada vs. Finland
- Date: Friday, Feb. 20
- Puck drop: 10:40 a.m. ET
- Location: Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena (Milan, Italy)
- TV: CBC, CBC Gem, Peacock
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