This is the crazy measure Canada took in attempt to get Sidney Crosby to play today

Team Canada left no stone unturned in its attempt to get Sidney Crosby onto the ice for Friday’s Olympic semifinal against Finland.

Earlier in the morning, just hours before puck drop, Crosby participated in a closed skate in Milan, an encouraging development after he underwent imaging late Wednesday night to assess the lower-body injury suffered in Canada’s dramatic quarterfinal win over Czechia. The sight of the captain testing his leg fueled hope that he might suit up with a trip to the gold-medal game on the line.

But hope wasn’t enough.

Just over an hour before puck drop, Crosby was officially ruled out, a crushing decision in what is undoubtedly one of the toughest moments of his career.

According to Elliotte Friedman, Team Canada and those around Crosby did “everything humanly possible” to try to get him into the lineup. That reportedly included designing and assembling a custom brace in an effort to stabilize the injury and give him a chance to play.

The effort underscores both the magnitude of the moment and Crosby’s desire to compete. In a do-or-die semifinal, the team explored every possible route before ultimately determining he simply couldn’t go.

Crosby remains hopeful he could return for the remainder of the tournament, whether Canada plays for bronze or gold, though his status remains uncertain.