Ever since Sidney Crosby got here into the NHL, he and the Pittsburgh Penguins have gone hand in hand. The transition from Mario Lemieux to Sidney Crosby has been seamless.
Pittsburgh has been a gradual Stanley Cup contender since 2008 till the current. Nevertheless, since their most up-to-date Stanley Cup in 2017, the second back-to-back, the Penguins have received one playoff collection in 2018.
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Since then, the Penguins have misplaced within the first spherical of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 4 straight earlier than lacking the playoffs in 2023. A kind of losses got here by the hands of the Montreal Canadiens within the 2020 Play-In Stanley Cup Playoffs within the bubble.
The Penguins are an growing old group; nevertheless, Sidney Crosby continues to defy the chances. Crosby can signal an extension on July 1st with the Pittsburgh Penguins. And there’s no cause to imagine he won’t signal with the Penguins.
“Yeah,” Crosby advised Rob Rossi of The Athletic. “I’ve mentioned that without end. However proper now, I’m attempting to concentrate on stepping into the playoffs.”
Crosby is placing collectively a Hart Trophy-type season for the Penguins. He’s doing every thing he can to will his group into the playoffs that sit eight factors again of the ultimate wild-card spot within the Jap Convention.
This season, in 54 video games, he has recorded 56 factors (31 targets and 25 assists). That’s 4 factors higher than the injured Jake Guentzel, who’s a goal of commerce conversations, and 13 factors higher than Evgeni Malkin.
There was loads of chatter, principally from the media, about the way forward for Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh. Whereas it’s uncommon for a participant to remain his complete profession with one group, Crosby is in that class. Now, everybody thought Wayne Gretzky can be an Edmonton Oiler for all times. However Gretzky was traded near his prime.
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Crosby is on the again finish of his profession and nonetheless defying the chances. He’s nonetheless a high-end participant on this league. The Penguins are clearly struggling and proceed to play inconsistent hockey. It’s changing into problematic. Regardless if he has the assistance or not.
The problem is for Crosby and the Penguins; if the group continues to wrestle and he’s an impressive participant, will the aggressive edge take over for him to say he doesn’t need to undergo a rebuild and be on a awful group for 4 years?
Keep in mind, an enormous cause why Malkin and Kris Letang signed extensions was in order that the trio might be Penguins for all times. No matter what you assume you realize in regards to the state of affairs, Crosby cleared the air and mentioned he had nothing to do with these guys re-signing.
And that’s the state of affairs now with Guentzel and the Penguins. Crosby is aware of Kyle Dubas is the overall supervisor of the Pittsburgh Penguins. And whereas he’s not fascinated by an extension with the membership simply but, you greatest imagine these conversations are beginning.
“I feel they’ve mentioned this with him. I discover it very arduous to imagine simply coping with Dubis in Toronto as I did I’ve some concept of the best way he prepares issues, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet mentioned on NHL Community. “I might be stunned if he hasn’t talked to Crosby already. If he hasn’t stuffed him in on what he’s considering and the way he thinks he’s going to get there. And I might wager that you realize, for instance, they will prolong Crosby a yr earlier than his contract is up, which isn’t too distant. However you possibly can’t prolong them until July 1, the earlier yr, however you possibly can discuss to him.”
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Whereas something can occur, it’s unlikely Crosby will go away Pittsburgh, and so they know already what it’s going to take to maintain him, particularly since he’s eyeing the Olympics in 2026.
“I feel the Penguins know precisely what it might appear like if there’s an extension with Crosby,” Friedman continued. “And I imagine that if the Penguins had cause to imagine Crosby was sad, they’d most likely have a very good inkling of that already.”
Once more, the largest concern for Crosby helps his group win hockey video games. Nevertheless, until one thing actually modifications, Sidney Crosby can be a Pittsburgh Penguin for all times.
