Sidney Crosby had an incredible last year, and even at 36, he’s proving time and time again that he’s still one of the best players in the world.
The Pittsburgh Penguins failed to reach the playoffs for the second year straight, but they came close, and Crosby was to thank.
Crosby scored a whopping 94 points in 82 games during the regular season, but the Penguins still fell three points behind the post-season cutline in April. Crosby played in the playoffs for 16 straight seasons from 2007 to 2022, but he and the Penguins have missed out on the last two. The Pens had high hopes for a strong comeback season last year, with Erik Karlsson as one of the most notable signings during the season.
Sidney Crosby turned 37 years old earlier this summer and is soon entering the final year of his 12-year contract that he signed a US$104.4-million deal in 2012. He’s been eligible to sign a new contract since July 1, but so far, we haven’t received much information about how the process between the Penguins and their captain is going. But speaking at Monday’s NHL/NHLPA player media tour, he quieted down everyone worried about his future in Pittsburgh.
”I think I’m pretty optimistic it’s going to get done,” Crosby said to The Score’s John Matisz. ”I don’t know what day specifically, but it’s been really positive. It hasn’t been a difficult process at all.”
So it seems like Sid the Kid is sticking around for a while longer. And he’s feeling good for the upcoming season. He will enter it four points shy of 1,600, and he’s already been named one of Canada’s players in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament set to play out in February.
”You don’t really know the trajectory of everything and how you’re going to feel mentally, physically,” Crosby said about his future. ”All you can do is really just each year evaluate it and go from there … I feel really good. I’m (as) excited about going to training camp as I was my first year.
”The passion and that sort of thing is all there.”
