The season is rapidly approaching. The Penguins get three straight full practice days to open camp, then the schedule turns into four preseason games, two more practices, morning skates and off days before the September 30 opener. Sidney Crosby will likely dress in one or two of those games.
Like every other year, Crosby was the Penguins representative at the NHL’s preseason media circuit, and he is entering the final year of his deal without another extension signed. Sidney Crosby contract extension talks are already underway between Pat Brisson and Kyle Dubas, and Crosby says he wants to keep playing for โa number of years.โ
Yeah.. Penguins fans should feel pretty damn good about that.
Sidney Crosby Contract Extension Talks Are Already Underway
Crosby wants to seemingly continue playing well into his 40s. Unlike other players, Sid will likely continue to be an upper echelon player well into his 40s. There is plenty of time for the Penguins to build one last contender for Crosby. I think most people knew that Sid was planning on playing for a few more seasons, but it’s still relieving to hear what he’s currently planning. The bigger relief would be that his agent, Pat Brisson, is already speaking to Dubas and most expect a contract to be signed sometime between now and the start of the regular season. I cannot imagine the contract will be difficult to figure out, as we all sort of know that Crosby will take an 8.7 AAV like he has for most of the last two decades. The only reason this contract wasn’t done within the first conversation between Brisson and Dubas would be term, as Sid stated himself. Sid wants to play for a while longer, and the Penguins want that too, but Sid also doesn’t want to potentially leave the Penguins in a bad spot. So, Sid will need to determine the length of the deal and then Dubas will present him with said contract. I would expect Sid to sign another 2-year extension and then go year by year after that. Sid will not want to play if his body is failing him, or if he loses a step so taking shorter term, despite his plans to play longer, makes perfectly good sense.
Honestly, the best part about all of this is that Sid essentially shut down all the morons who fantasize about him playing in Montreal or Colorado. Sid has never had any intentions of playing in another city, and he never will. He doesn’t want the ship to sink, but if it does, he will go down with it. There was never a reason for Sid to leave because going to win a cup for another team would only have been to help others out, not to help himself out. Crosby isn’t a superstar without a cup, he has three. Crosby lusts for another championship, but the better story is him finding a way to win one more in the city he has called home for over half of his life.
Anyone who thought the ultimate creature of habit would leave Pittsburgh is missing brain cells. Crosby confirmed to Friedman that he has worn the same belt for the past 20 years. Any man who has maintained the same waste size for 20 years was never going to change teams, that type of change would mentally destroy him. Crosby loves hockey, he loves hockey in Pittsburgh, and he’s the most superstitious routine orientated person in the sport.
I am not sure how the Penguins will help Sid deliver one last trophy to the city of Pittsburgh, but if history is any evidence, then no one should doubt Sidney Crosby. Crosby’s presence will always keep the Penguins competitive thus making it difficult for the team to successfully draft his superstar successor. Yet, he’s talked about seeing more and more of a youth movement around him. I genuinely think that he believes if he’s patient that all of these young prospects will one day help him win one final cup. It might happen without Geno, and without Tanger, but I feel like his story has to end with one more cup. It will be one of the greatest achievements in sports when it happens. He will have gone over a decade between cup wins when he wins his fourth, after going almost a decade between his first and third cup. When this comes to fruition, and I completely believe it will, it will come as Connor McDavid will be nearing retirement without winning anything of consequence. There have been many great individual talents in the NHL, but Crosby desire to win is what puts him firmly inside hockey’s Mount Rushmore. One more Stanley Cup, and doing it in Pittsburgh, might just end the debate of whether he’s actually the goat or not.
With season 22 upcoming for Crosby, he is showing no signs of slowing down. He is also saying he doesn’t plan to slow down anytime soon. Do you believe Sid the Kid will bring one last cup to Pittsburgh?