Sidney Crosby on 2018 Olympic participation: 'I would have no complaints'

Sidney Crosby's inability to fill the stat sheet unquestionably factored in the Pittsburgh Penguins' disappointing second-round playoff exit, but the reason behind his struggles remains unclear.   

Whether it was injury, personal peril, or just bad luck (as our analytics friends would suggest), fatigue likely played a factor in being limited to just a single goal in 13 postseason contests.

Crosby's 99 games last year nearly doubled his duties from each of the previous three seasons, but he wouldn't trade another opportunity to play that extra handful of pressure-cooker games at the Olympics.  

"To represent your country, and have those opportunities, I don’t think that ever gets old, no matter what the situation is,” Crosby told reporters at a Hockey Canada press conference Monday. 

"As a player, I think you’re always looking at those opportunities, and you want to be a part of that, so we’ll see what happens.

 "I would have no complaints."

NHL owners were openly against player participation in Sochi, and if Gary Bettman's stance is any indication four years ahead of the tournament, they are steadfast in preventing the Olympics from disrupting the 2018 season.