TORONTO _ The Penguins play their first exhibition game Tuesday night in Detroit, but Sidney Crosby won't be there.
Won't be listening to it on the radio, either.
He has a pretty good excuse, though: While the Penguins are facing the Red Wings, Crosby will be leading Canada into Game 1 of the World Cup of Hockey championship series against Team Europe, set for 8 p.m. at the Air Canada Centre.
"It's different, not being there at camp, but that's the situation," Crosby said Tuesday.
Crosby's commitment to the Penguins is unquestioned _ he was wearing pants with a Penguins logo when he spoke with reporters _ but his attention will be elsewhere until the World Cup is over.
"With how big these games are, it's a little easier to focus on playing here, knowing what's at stake," he said.
Crosby enters Game 1 as the leading scorer in the World Cup, with three goals and four assists.
It's great, but no one should accuse Canada coach Mike Babcock of over-hyping the World Cup final.
He put the event in perspective _ and not necessarily a flattering one _ Tuesday.
"The World Cup's great, but it's not the Olympics," he said. "Let's not get confused."
He also suggested that if there are future World Cups, they should be contested in two cities that are "close together," with all games being played at night. All of the games in this one have been in Toronto, with some played in the afternoon.
What's more, Babcock said, things like locker rooms should be assigned on the basis of world rankings, with better teams getting the better facilities.
He also seemed skeptical that a Team North America, made up of players 23 and younger, could replicate the excitement generated by the one in this tournament.
"This young guys team, or whatever it was, was spectacular," he said. "The next time, is there going to be a (Connor) McDavid and a(n Auston) Matthews, and those guys?"
