Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has been diagnosed with a concussion, the team announced Monday.
Crosby sustained the injury in practice Friday, coach Mike Sullivan said, though he did not reveal the details of how it happened. Crosby practiced twice with the Penguins last week after leading Canada to a championship in the World Cup of Hockey last month.
Crosby was scheduled to play in Saturday's preseason finale against Columbus, but informed team doctors he wasn't feeling well when he arrived at PPG Paints Arena that morning. He missed Monday's practice to undergo concussion testing, which came back positive.
Sullivan said there is no timeline for Crosby's return. The Penguins open the season Thursday against Washington.
"We take all of the concussions that our players get afflicted with seriously," Sullivan said. "Our medical staff follows strict guidelines, and there's a certain protocol and that's how our team operates. We always have our players' best interests (in mind) and health is the priority. Regardless of who the player is, that's how we feel and we've always felt that way, so this one will be no different."
Crosby has a history of concussion issues dating back to 2011, missing the better part of the 2011 and 2012 seasons as he dealt with a series of head-related injuries.
Sullivan declined to speculate as to whether Crosby's history of concussions would impact his return from this specific injury. While there's no timeline for Crosby's return, Sullivan also said it's possible this issue could be relatively minor and resolved quickly.
"It is what it is," Sullivan said. "Injuries are part of our game, and so part of the challenge is for us to help Sid get healthy as quickly as possible. That's what we're going to do. We don't look at it any other way. For me, frustration at this point is a useless emotion."
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