Eideard

November 18, 2009

In August, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain paraded the Stanley Cup through the streets of Halifax, just a few kilometres away from his home town of Cole Harbour, N.S.

Yesterday – November 18th – Sidney Crosby returned again to Halifax, this time to jog a 300-metre leg of the Olympic Torch Relay through the city’s downtown core.

For Crosby, it was a chance to take advantage of what he afterward called a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to share the Olympic spirit with his fellow Nova Scotians.

“I just got really lucky that we weren’t playing on this night and that we were heading somewhat in the direction of Halifax,” he said, in reference to Pittsburgh’s game in Ottawa tonight. “It’s something I felt fortunate to be able to do, and I didn’t want to pass the opportunity up…”

As an 18-year-old rookie in 2006, Crosby was considered too young by Canada officials to join the veteran-laden squad in Turin. Though he was in the midst of what would be a 102-point campaign, Crosby sat on the sidelines watching an offensively challenged Canadian team sputter to a seventh-place finish.

But Canada’s figurative torch has now been passed. In Vancouver, Crosby will be expected to provide both scoring and leadership in his first Olympic tournament. On top of that, he will be performing in front of Canadian fans demanding nothing less than a gold medal…

“It’s easy not to think that far out, to be honest,” he said. “This is something where you’re in the moment, and you’re just proud to experience it.

“We all realize as Canadians that there will be expectations, but I just really tried to enjoy this moment.”

Today, Sidney Crosby scored the winning goal – in overtime – to give Canada the Gold Medal in Olympic Hockey.

Not too shabby for a kid considered too young to be on the team, last time round, eh?