PITTSBURGH — This may be the first time, and perhaps the last, in Sidney Crosby's hockey career that he has been told that he wasn't good enough.

Crosby, the Pittsburgh Penguins' 18-year-old rookie star, was left off Team Canada for the Torino Olympics — a decision that disappointed but didn't totally surprise him.

"I'm not going to be thinking about it a whole lot if I don't go," Crosby said before learning Wednesday that he wasn't picked.

Crosby, attending a players-only Christmas party Wednesday night, wasn't immediately available for comment, but his agent, Pat Brisson, said Crosby easily would have fit onto one of Canada's top two lines.

"He's such a competitor, but at the same time he understands Canada has a big talent pool of great players," Brisson said. "He'll continue to work and hopefully he'll be named for the next Olympics and for the next big tournament."

Asked how upset Crosby was, Brisson said, "He wouldn't be normal if he wasn't disappointed. He's a proud competitor."

Crosby had one strong backer: Penguins owner-player Mario Lemieux, who recently pulled his own name out of contention but strongly recommended Crosby to Team Canada executive director Wayne Gretzky.

"He's going to be on Canada's team for the next 15, 20 years," Lemieux said.

Lemieux, currently sidelined by an irregular heartbeat, captained Canada's gold medal-winning 2002 team.

Crosby's lack of international experience beyond the junior level apparently figured in the decision, with Carolina's Eric Staal and Ottawa's Jason Spezza chosen ahead of him for the three-man unit that will supplement the main Canadian roster in case of injury.

"There's a good chance that Sidney could be the leader of the team in 2010," Kevin Lowe, Team Canada's assistant executive director, told the Canadian Press when asked about Crosby's omission. "But at this time we felt that we wanted to go with proven veteran players that have won at the World Cup level, and the world championship level and the Olympics."

Brisson wouldn't say that Team Canada would regret the decision, but he said Crosby is good enough to make a difference in any tournament.

"He's 18 and he's already doing what no 18-year-old in the last 20 years has done," Brisson said. "He's averaging a point game with all the pressure. The talent pool is so deep, and it's not an easy selection but, in my opinion, Sidney thrives under pressure and could play anywhere in the world and make a difference."

Despite playing on an underachieving Penguins team that has lost 10 of its last 11 games, Crosby has 14 goals and 19 assists in 33 games. He was made alternate captain last week by new coach Michel Therrien, an almost unheard-of responsibility for so young a player.

"It's a controversial decision either way but, in my opinion, Sidney could play with the best," Brisson said.