Sidney Crosby appeared on the CBC postgame broadcast after Canada lost to the U.S. in the Olympic gold medal game, and he said that the decision to sit out was his.

"I was pretty close," he said. "I mean, ultimately, I wasn't able to go out there and do what I needed to do in order to help the team, so at that point, you've got to make a decision that's best for the group. Not an easy one. But, you know, that's hockey."

Crosby said that he thought Canada "deserved better" than silver.

"The way we played all tournament, even the games leading up, I thought we were really good," he said. "We were tested in some of those games. It's not easy to get to this point, and we just found ways. I thought one of our best games was probably today. And unfortunately, it doesn't work out for us. But I'm just really proud of the group and the way we competed."

Canada general manager Doug Armstrong said that “at the end of the day, (Crosby) felt it was best for the team that he should give that opportunity to someone else. A very gut-wrenching decision for him. It shows the character he has of stepping aside because he didn't think he could be at his best.”