Crosby: Penguins' decision to visit White House 'isn't us taking a stance'

Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby spoke after the team's preseason game Wednesday night about the team's decision to go to the White House to honor the 2017 Stanley Cup championship run.

“Everyone is entitled to their opinion," he said. "I think we've said before, this isn't us taking a stance. It's totally with the spirit of keeping politics out of it, and it's unfortunate that people want to try to twist it to become that, but it's really not, and I think that's really the truth of it all."

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Crosby has taken some heat back home in Canada from critics who say the country's biggest sports star should take a stronger stance against comments made by President Donald Trump criticizing professional athletes, visiting the White House sends the wrong message.

Crosby said he and the team can't do anything about people's perceptions of the White House visit.

"If people want to twist that and form it and shape it to boost their own ideas, then there's nothing I can really do about that, but it's unfortunate," he said. "I mean, I respect other peoples' opinions, and hopefully they can do the same without bringing me into it.”

Cox Media Group