Could Sidney Crosby be sued by his own organization, the Pittsburgh Penguins?

Sidney Crosby sued by his own organization, the Pittsburgh Penguins?

The National Hockey League has made a shocking and disappointing announcement earlier this week as the confirmed they will not participate in the 2018 Olympics Games in PyeongChang. After months of this issue hanging over the heads of fans, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman confirmed the news.

What would happen if players like Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby decided they will be playing regardless of what the NHL decides?

Montreal Sports specialist attorney, Patrice Brunet, told to Radio-Canada if Sidney Crosby decided to participate in the 2018 Olympic games in South Korea he could be sued by his own organization the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Could the situation applied to Alex Ovechkin who clearly mentioned his intention to go no matter what? This is what another sports attorney, Trevor Whiffen’s believes if he still decides to go to the Olympics. After he heard Ovechkin mentioned: “Somebody going to tell me I don’t go. I don’t care, I just go." Whiffen’s had one advice for the players who think like him: 

“The players can’t just do what they want,” said Toronto sports lawyer Trevor Whiffen to CBC news.

“Do so at your own peril. You are going to be putting yourself in breach of the contract you have signed with your team, which has been collectively bargained,” he said. “You are putting yourself at the risk of being suspended, terminated, liable for damages to your club for the games that you miss.

So to answer the question: Could Sidney Crosby be sued by his own team, the Pittsburgh Penguins? The answer is a clear YES.