Sidney Crosby Leaves Penguins Practice: 4 Nations Tournament Update

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was on the ice Wednesday but did not participate in the team’s full practice session, opting instead for individual work on a separate rink. Josh Yohe of The Athletic wrote, “Tip drills. Passing the puck a lot. Not shooting it.” He added, “Crosby finally takes a couple of shots while practicing on his own. Not shooting the puck hard at all. Looks like he’s feeling himself out a bit. Something bugging him, obviously.”

Sidney Crosby left Penguins practice after a few minutes and is now skating on his own. Tip drills. Passing the puck a lot. Not shooting it. pic.twitter.com/EuKbp9PZFc

— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) February 6, 2025

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Crosby, who suffered an upper-body injury in an awkward collision during Tuesday’s game against the New Jersey Devils, was able to return to that game. However, his absence from full practice the following day has raised questions about his status.

The veteran center arrived at practice about 10 minutes before the scheduled start, going through his usual pre-practice routine before leaving for a different sheet of ice. While skating separately from his teammates, it was clear he wasn’t 100 percent.

Crosby’s Status for 4 Nations Face-Off Unclear

There has been concern since the incident that Crosby might not be able to play in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament and if he’s got any sort of serious injury, whether the Penguins would pull from the best-on-best games. Because the Penguins aren’t really in a playoff spot, does that change things for Pittsburgh? Analysts weren’t sure.

While there has been no official word on the severity of his injury, the Penguins have stated that Crosby is “being evaluated.” Given his history of playing through injuries, the team may be taking a cautious approach, especially with the highly anticipated 4 Nations Face-Off tournament set to begin on February 12. Crosby is expected to represent Team Canada in the event, and if he’s not there, that tournament would be taking a serious hit.

Several players have already been ruled out of the action due to injuries. Team Finland has been hit particularly hard.

Fans will be keeping a close eye on Crosby’s status over the next few days. His ability to return to Tuesday’s game suggested the injury may not be serious. That he’s skating and doing drills is also a good sign. That said, he did not take part in a full practice, so it’s a situation worth watching.

The Penguins will likely provide further updates on Crosby’s condition in the coming days.

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