Insiders offer updates on Penguins contract talks with Sidney Crosby
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby
It appears no meaningful news is not necessarily bad news when it comes to Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby signing a contract extension with what's been his only NHL home as soon as he's eligible to do so this coming Monday.
"There is no concern on either side about Crosby’s looming new contract," Rob Rossi of The Athletic shared on Thursday. "It will get done, league and team sources said. It’s more a matter of when."
Crosby has one season remaining on his current deal, features for a club that has now missed the playoffs in back-to-back years and was the subject of some trade chatter this past season considering many believe Pittsburgh's championship window with the 36-year-old, center Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang on the roster has closed.
Rossi notes that talks between agent Pat Brisson and Penguins president of hockey operations/general manager Kyle Dubas will soon "intensify."
"With Dubas needing to deftly maneuver over the next couple of weeks to improve the team, both the Penguins and Crosby are content to wait longer than in the past to formalize a new deal," Rossi explained. "Crosby, who has spent much of his offseason in Europe, wants to give Dubas time to improve the team. Crosby has publicly committed to finishing his career with the Penguins, so neither the team nor he feels the need to rush his next contract."
Also on Thursday, The Athletic's Josh Yohe assured fans that Dubas "isn’t going to play hardball with" Crosby this summer.
"Crosby might take more than the $8.7M that has been his preferred salary during most of his career," Yohe wrote. "That’s his right if he requests it. He’s always outplayed his contract. But I also think the Penguins realize Crosby isn’t going to make outrageous demands. There is no detectable stress from either side of this situation, so far as I can tell."
Legitimate arguments could be made for Dubas and team ownership trying to blow things up as soon as possible to begin Pittsburgh's inevitable roster rebuild, but Crosby seemingly wants to close this era of Pittsburgh hockey out on his own terms by featuring for the club beyond the 2024-25 campaign. While things can change, it sounds like the three-time Stanley Cup champion will ultimately get his wish.
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