Crosby puts concern to rest in Las Vegas
Get on your horse and get after the loose puck as we flip it into the zone and go try and dig it out…
Q: What do the recent Sidney Crosby comments mean?
Well, it means the Penguins’ captain isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, much to the chagrin of some up north. Just yesterday before the news broke, Canada was starting to fan the flames. As we get closer to the season, the hopium was starting to turn from a drip into a full stream.
Sportsnet: “Among the elite players fast approaching free agency, perhaps none have more uncertainty than Sidney Crosby.”
TSN: “I need to address the elephant in the room: The hockey community is underestimating the possibility of Sidney Crosby being moved at the trade deadline.”
A hockey generation ago, it was the same with some talk and what if’s for Mario Lemieux leaving the Penguins to go to Montreal or New York as late as 2004. The little pesky piece of business that he literally owned the team in Pittsburgh couldn’t dissuade that or stop them from having a little fun to talk about the “possibilities”.
Luckily, Crosby’s comments in Las Vegas ought to put a lot of cold water on the steam being generated from up north.
“I’m pretty optimistic it’s going to get done. I don’t know what day specifically. It’s been really positive. Hasn’t been a real difficult process. I’m optimistic that something will get done.”
Turns out, Crosby really meant what he said in April that it wasn’t a huge rush or hurry to extend the instant he could have on July 1. The inaction was uncertainty or opening possibility of exploring other options, it was a very non-2024 way of handling business where everyone doesn’t need to be plugged in every second of the day and reading (or inventing) tea leaves along the way.
That’s refreshing to hear.
As the online saying goes, this is truly a man that is unbothered. He went and had himself a great summer, did his usual traveling and training and now is coming back around to take care of the business side of things.
Q: Yes, but..Could the contract extension surprise not just with its timing but also because it might be shorter than has been anticipated?
Possibly. This portion of Crosby’s comments stood out to give a window into his mindset. It’s not dis-similar from what comments he made last spring, but noteworthy to see this remains his position about his future.
“You don’t really know the trajectory of everything, how you’re going to feel mentally and physically. All you can do each is year evaluate it and go from there. When you get to this point, you understand it’s more of a reality with every year you play. You kind of check in with that, through the year, every year, evaluate it.”
That doesn’t sound like a player long for the current world as a player — or at the very least it’s someone very self-aware and in tune with what he is and isn’t still capable of doing. (Which, hey, it’s Sidney Crosby, it’s fitting).
Granted, Crosby followed up by saying he was, “just as excited about going to training camp as I was in my first year. The passion is all there.” He’s still going to give it his all (as if there were any doubts) but clearly he has come to terms with the fact there is more of his playing career in the rear-view mirror than is still to come out of the front windshield.
A one-year contract extension keeps Crosby with the Penguins through 2025-26. The Olympics are in February 2026, so based on the timing it has always made sense that Crosby would be playing NHL hockey in 2025-26, at the very least. After that, Crosby turns 39 years old that summer.
Is he really going to be in a rush right now to commit to playing hockey in his age-39 season in 2026-27 (which let’s not forget would be his 22nd NHL season)? That’s what a two-year extension is at this point. Let alone a three-year extension that already signs him up to play for his age-40 season and plan him into a 23rd NHL season. That’s pretty heavy and a lot to saddle up with a few years in advance.
A good piece of business about is a one-year contract is that would not qualify as a “35+” contract that remains on the books no matter what. (Only multi-year contracts with front-loaded amounts and bonuses after the first season trigger the 35+). Not that anyone would expect Crosby NOT to play in 2025-26, but he gives himself an off-ramp to sign a one-year extension or if he structures a two or three year deal in a mindful way. Given that again – it’s Sidney Crosby we’re talking about here – that would make a lot of sense that this extension is very purposefully constructed, especially if it is a multi-year deal.
Perhaps Crosby is ready to commit to playing his 21st and 22nd NHL seasons and signs on for two more years through 2026-27. Maybe he stays true to his word and re-ups for one more year to get through the Olympic season and see how he’s feeling in a year or two about how much longer his career will continue.
Either way, it will be in Pittsburgh and the upcoming season will not be Crosby’s last with the Penguins. It’s a fitting outcome, even if it slowly got to be announced as only Crosby could probably do in this day and age.