Is Sidney Crosby leaving the Pittsburgh Penguins?

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Finnegan Frost
September 6, 2024 (1:09 PM)

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On Elliotte Freidman's 32 Thoughts Podcast, he gave NHL enthusiasts a glimpse of Sidney Crosby's future with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Elliotte Friedman said on today's «32 Thoughts» podcast that Crosby is still weighing whether he wants to sign any of the multiple offers presented to him by Pittsburgh general manager Kyle Dubas.

One thing I wonder is if Crosby is simply sitting here saying 'I've got no problem with the offers, I've got no problem with the Penguins, but if we're not going to be making the playoffs, am I going to be able to handle that?' I think that's one of the things he'd kind of weighing. My prediction is he stays because I think he's a Penguin and he wants to be a Penguin, but I've tried to ask around about why it isn't done, and I think one of the reasons is it's the summer and he doesn't need to rush. He's still got time. And I think the other one is what if it's like that? Is [he] going to be able to deal with it, because he's still at the top of his game and he's competitive.

Freidman mentions that Crosby wants to be a "Penguin for life" but also wants to be part of a team that remains competitive for post season contention. The Penguins have seen a significant decrease in performance over the last few seasons, and failed to make the playoffs during the 2023-24 campaign.

Crosby has one season left on his deal at an $8.7MM cap hit, but he's owed just $3MM in salary this year. It's the same structure his extremely front-loaded contract has carried since the 2022-23 campaign.

There have been reports that Sidney Crosby's future in Pittsburgh could be in jeopardy if a deal doesn't get finalized soon. Although it would be extremely strange to see Crosby in a different jersey, the option remains plausible heading into next season. Fans seem a lot less optimistic about Crosby re-signing in Pittsburgh after todays segment of 32 Thoughts.

source: Pro Hockey Rumors
Friedman: Sidney Crosby Still Undecided On Extension