SEARCH
                 


Pittsburgh Penguins insider hints at Sidney Crosby leaving the team


PUBLICATION
Aaron
June 7, 2024  (4:34 PM)
SHARE THIS STORY




Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins giving an interview
Photo credit: X

Pittsburgh Penguins insider Rob Rossi has hinted at a future where Sidney Crosby leaves the team, due to his upcoming contract expiry.

The 2005 first overall pick has been a mainstay on the Penguins for nearly 20 years, winning three Stanley Cups and several individual awards. He has firmly cemented himself into NHL history as one of the greatest players of all time, and he is one of the greatest Penguins to ever lace up his skates.
Unfortunately, his team is coming to a standstill, with himself and longtime teammates Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang all aging and slowing down, and it is entirely possible that Sidney Crosby does not sign an extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1st:
«Crosby is not necessarily seeking his final NHL contract. However, he also hasn't set a firm date for when he plans to retire, so a shorter-term deal than he's signed in the past is appealing, a source said.»

Crosby will likely now only sign for a year or two, meaning that if the Penguins are not a playoff team at the expiry of that deal, he will be free to sign with a contender - potentially the Montreal Canadiens or Colorado Avalanche to whom he has been linked in the past.
With Evgeni Malkin expected to retire within the next two years, the Penguins will have the money to keep Crosby - the only question is whether they will have the team to keep him.
«As previously reported, Crosby may command a higher cap hit than the $8.7 million from each of his past 16 seasons. But his new contract will not go into effect until 2025-26, and the Penguins project to have considerably more cap space to work with for that season and beyond — in part because the cap is expected to exceed $90 million by then, and also due to Malkin's anticipated retirement after his current contract expires.»

pub