Sidney Crosby conspiracy theory behind Team Canada | Sports News

Chicago Blackhawks insider Charlie Roumeliotis make clear the rationale why Connor Bedard didn’t symbolize Canada finally 12 months’s IIHF World Hockey Championship as rumors swirl that the 20-year-old’s resolution value him an Olympic spot.

The “rigged” accusations are removed from the one conspiracy theory that’s begun making the rounds on social media following this 12 months’s Winter Games. In an X post that’s garnered 1.3 million views as of writing, person @HockeyyInsiderr alleged that Canada captain Sidney Crosby suggested assistant GMs Jim Nill and Brad Treliving to not embrace Bedard on the Olympic roster.

“Breaking story : Sidney Crosby lobbied strongly according to sources close to Jim Nill and Brad Treliving toward @HockeyCanada NOT selecting Connor Bedard,” Hockeyy Insiderr wrote.

“Bedard declining team Canada invitation for the 2025 IIHF WC apparently didn’t sit well at all with Crosby, who played at the tournament and developed a friendship with Celebrini. A 19-year-old declining the invite while 37-year-old Crosby went ended up costing Bedard a spot in the Olympics according to sources.”

Taking to the remark part, droves of hockey followers swiftly poured cold water on the reviews earlier than dashing to defend Crosby’s character. “This literally did not happen and has been debunked. Anyone who knows anything about Sidney Crosby would tell you that would be wildly out of character for him,” one X person wrote, with one other including: “Lmao Crosby declined world championship invites for yearssssssss he’d never have any problems with any player declining.”

A 3rd chimed in, “Sid isn’t that kind of person. He probably has more power than people think and he doesn’t use it because that’s not who he is. He can make demands and people would listen to him but he lets decision makers do their job and he does his on the ice.”

Back in January, Roumeliotis revealed that Bedard opted to skip the IIHF WC as a result of he didn’t really feel “anywhere close to the best version of himself.” After adopting a rigorous offseason exercise plan, the No. 1 general choose within the 2023 NHL Draft thrust himself into the Olympics dialogue by shining during the 2025-26 marketing campaign — during which he recorded 23 targets and 30 assists over 44 video games.

“Connor Bedard’s decision to skip the 2025 IIHF World Championship wasn’t for a lack of desire to represent Team Canada,” Roumeliotis wrote. “Deep down, it was in all probability agonizing for him to overlook the chance, particularly the prospect to play along with his childhood idol Sidney Crosby and close good friend Macklin Celebrini.

“He declined as a result of he didn’t really feel he was wherever close to the best model of himself. That realization pushed him to radically change his offseason routine so he might turn into the participant he expects of himself transferring ahead, not only for the Blackhawks however for Team Canada long-term too. And it labored. The offseason work he put in fairly actually performed him onto the radar for Team Canada’s 2026 Olympic roster, when he doubtless wasn’t even a consideration firstly of the season.”

In the tip, nevertheless, Canada head coach Jon Cooper opted to go together with more skilled gamers he already had familiarity with fairly than Bedard.