Pittsburgh Penguins’ captain Sidney Crosby says health issue forced him out of Team Canada-NHL News
Pittsburgh Penguins’ captain, Sidney Crosby, has come under fire from Canadian countrymen over his choice of skipping the Team Canada in the forthcoming World Hockey Championship.
The championship is going to be held from May 04, to 20, 2012 and the player has declined the invitation of becoming a part of the Canadian national hockey squad.
Crosby has played down the criticism of his decision by citing the lengthy absence from the game due to lingering concussion problem.
He said:
"Anyone who is questioning that right now obviously doesn't know me or aren't thinking right. I mean, I don't have anything to say about that."
Sidney may be right in his explanation given that the injury has taken a heavier toll on his health and fitness, and the task of maintaining fitness is increasingly becoming difficult for him.
The captain has missed 102 games altogether in the last two seasons due to concussion. He returned twice during that period, but the symptoms related to the head injury kept coming back and haunting him.
He only managed to play fewer games this season and now with Penguins being out of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoff quarterfinals, it is all over for him as far as the 2011-2012 NHL season is concerned.
According to the captain, the health issue was the main reason behind his decision of making himself unavailable for the Team Canada.
Crosby said:
"Typically, I'd be there in a second, but this isn't a normal situation and this isn't me trying to hide away from the world championships. I love playing for Team Canada."
Sidney has remained on and off the squad during the past two seasons. He returned to play a few games in November 2011 before being ousted by return of the concussion-like symptoms.
He could manage to play only eight games after missing out on most part of the season a year earlier.
Now, he admittedly is focusing on his health and fitness more than any other activity and this remains to be his explained cause of staying away from the world championship.
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