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Crosby on not playing for Canada: “Typically, I’d be there in a second”

Pittsburgh Penguins v Philadelphia Flyers - Game Six

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 22: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins skates toward his bench late in the third period with his team losing 5-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center on April 22, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Flyers won the game 5-1 to eliminate the Penguins from the playoffs. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)

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Representing your country must be a great honor, but it’s kind of tough to beat up on any player who decides to rest instead of playing in the World Hockey Championships.

That’s especially true for Sidney Crosby, who a) dealt with a brutal year and a half because of concussion issues and b) scored one of the most memorable goals in the history of Canada’s involvement in international competition. Still, there are some who question his decision, so Crosby addressed those reactions in this Canadian Press story.

“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,” Crosby said. “I love playing for Team Canada. Anyone who is questioning that right now obviously doesn’t know me or aren’t thinking right.”

Let’s face it: if any national team can shake off the loss of Crosby, it’s Canada. The generic joke is that the country could often suit up three or more elite international teams, so excessive hand-wringing about Sid the Kid’s absence seems a little silly.