Sidney Crosby is only tied to the Penguins for one more season, but that number figures to grow soon.
Speaking at an NHL media event in Las Vegas on Monday, Crosby was asked about the reality that July and August went without him signing a new contract, something that was widely expected.
Is there a chance he could play out the 2024-25 season without a new contract?
“No, no,” Crosby said. “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.”
Crosby was asked about how much longer he wants to play in the NHL. He will be entering his 20th season in October, all played with the Penguins.
“It’s hard,” he said. “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 said, Crosby doesn’t sound like a player who will be finished any time soon.
“I feel really good,” he said. “I’m just as excited about going to training camp as I was in my first year. The passion is all there. As long as that’s there, if you’re willing to put the work in, (you’ll be fine).”
A reporter mentioned that this could be Crosby’s final NHL media tour appearance, something the league conducts in Las Vegas before every season.
“Hopefully there will be a few more,” Crosby said.
Crosby chimed in on the plight of the Penguins, who have missed each of the past two postseasons by a couple of points.
The captain still believes this team can win now.
“There’s going to be expectations every year, predictions,” he said. “We were pretty close the last couple of years. A point or two, which stings. Like every year, there’s been some player movement, things like that. We’ve been right there. For me personally, if we can find some way to get over that hump and make the playoffs, get some momentum going into the playoffs, that would be great. We finished strong last year. We all felt good about hanging in there the way we did.”
Crosby is well aware that general manager/president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas is prioritizing adding young players and draft picks. In other words, a rebuild — even a mini one — appears to be underway in Pittsburgh.
For a 37-year-old player who is still one of the game’s brightest stars, this doesn’t seem ideal.
“He’s the general manager of the team,” Crosby said. “He’s got to do what’s best for the club. I understand that. I’ve been around long enough to understand that there are challenges that come with that, probably more so with our team. It’s something I’m well aware of. He’s got to approach it a certain way. As a player, I have to do the same. That’s hockey.”
It was suggested to Crosby that some teams — notably the Rangers and Kings — have rebuilt on the fly and have emerged as strong teams once again in very short order.
“There’s a lot of teams that have found a way to do it,” Crosby said. “Some teams are committed to going young, rebuilding. Other teams, they use a different word. They use ‘retool.’ Whatever word you want to use. Some teams have gone through that transition more quickly than others. There are so many factors. But it’s definitely possible. Ultimately as a player, you want to win. That’s why you play the game. Regardless of your team’s situation, you go out there every night expecting to win hockey games. That’s been our culture. That’s something we pride ourselves on.”
Crosby closed his interview by addressing Alex Ovechkin, who is 42 goals away from breaking Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record of 894. Along with answering the question, he again foreshadowed how long he’d like to play.
“It’s really cool,” he said. “To be able to play in the same division, to have the history we’ve had over the years. To come in at the same time, with pretty high expectations, to see him this close to what was thought to be an untouchable record, it’s incredible what he’s going. I feel grateful to (have witnessed) that. I hope we’ve gotten the best out of each other. I hope we both have some strong years left.”
(Photo: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
