Two-time gold medallist Sidney Crosby was one of three players named Monday to Canada’s initial roster for the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing.
The Pittsburgh Penguins captain, fellow centre Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and defenceman Alex Pietrangelo of the Vegas Golden Knights were named by Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong.
Canada opens the Feb. 9-20 men’s ice hockey competition against Germany on Feb. 10.
Crosby, 34, won gold medals in 2010 and 2014.
NHL players did not participate in 2018, when Russia defeated Germany for the gold medal in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
WATCH | Rob Pizzo breaks down his current version of Team Canada:
The NHL season is now in part a tryout for various Olympic teams. Rob Pizzo breaks down his current version of Team Canada. 4:10
An alternate captain in his Olympic debut in 2010 in Vancouver, Canada, Crosby scored the game-winning overtime goal in the final against the United States.
In 2014, he captained his team to a second straight victory with an undefeated run in Sochi, Russia.
Pietrangelo, 31, won gold at Sochi in 2014, while the 24-year-old McDavid will be making his Winter Games debut.
USA Hockey, Hockey Canada and 10 other national federations must submit the “long list” of players of about 50 under consideration by Oct. 15. The final 23-man rosters are to be revealed in January.
WATCH | Bring It In panel breaks down NHL’s Olympic return:
The Bring It In panel discusses the NHL sending players to the Beijing Winter Olympics and its implications given China’s history of human rights violations. 7:03