Questions over Sam Bennett's availability worrisome for Team Canada

The rugged center missed Wednesday's tense quarterfinal victory being healthy scartched due to an illness.

Sidney Crosby also left Wednesday's game vs Czechia after taking an awkward hit. Fans held their collective breath when he slowly went down the tunnel to the locker room. His physical presence is absolutely unmatched on this skilled international roster.

But the latest updates from the medical staff suggest he is progressing exceptionally well behind closed doors. Cooper hinted to the media that a return is highly probable.

If Crosby isn't able to play in the semifinals vs Finland, Canada is going to need Bennett back in the lineup.

He brings a punishing, unrelenting style that translates perfectly to high-stakes elimination hockey. Opposing defensemen absolutely hate retrieving the puck deep in their own zone when he is on the ice.

The training staff plans to evaluate Crosby closely following the scheduled morning skate. If he takes regular line rushes, you can fully expect him to suit up.

Without him, Bennett will likely slot back into the bottom six, where he will have a big role for Canada.

They simply cannot afford to be held scoreless in the bottom six on a stage this massive. The upcoming opponent brings elite firepower to the table from top to bottom.

He currently boasts a 52 percent success rate at the faceoff dot this year. Winning those critical defensive zone draws instantly keeps the dangerous pressure off the goaltender.

And his transition game is severely underrated by most casual observers. He routinely creates controlled entries by aggressively bulling his way across the offensive blue line.

Sitting him out for another consecutive game represents a massive risk for the coaching staff. Canada wants to dress their absolute most intimidating lineup with a coveted gold medal berth strictly on the line.

We will know definitively when the puck drops on Friday afternoon.