Sidney Crosby heads into an uncertain season in Pittsburgh

CRANBERRY, Pa. — As Evgeni Malkin sits in an empty locker room at the Penguins practice facility, being interviewed for a story about longtime teammate Sidney Crosby, the 39-year-old Russian center makes a point of emphasizing.

“Do you see the security here?” » Malkin said, gesturing to the Penguins details, standing discreetly in the doorway. “It’s not my safety. It’s Sidney Crosby’s safety.”

Malkin’s resume certainly deserves the celebrity treatment: Calder Trophy, Hart Trophy, two scoring titles and, of course, three Stanley Cups in nine years that brought the Penguins back to glory.

But no one on the Penguins – or perhaps in the entire hockey world – can match Crosby’s star power. The captain’s reputation, not to mention his list of accomplishments on the ice, is impeccable. “We’ve never heard a bad thing about Sidney Crosby,” said Kris Letang, the other member of Pittsburgh’s Big Three. “He’s perfect. He’s the perfect ambassador for the game.”

That’s why, heading into Crosby’s 21st NHL season, there’s been so much talk about what his future might hold — and whether one of hockey’s most transcendent talents is wasting his final chapter by clinging to what he once had in Pittsburgh.

Not only is Crosby’s production absurd (1,687 points in 1,352 career games and counting), but few players in hockey history have remained so consistent and so competitive as they enter the twilight of their careers. While playing his strong two-way game, Crosby scored 91 points (33 goals, 58 assists) in 80 games last season, leading the Penguins by 21 points. In an NHLPA poll released in April, Crosby was voted by his peers as the game’s “most complete player” – for a sixth straight season.

Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid – aged 28, a decade younger than Crosby – is in his prime. But he still defers to Crosby. McDavid advocated for Crosby to captain Team Canada during the 4 Nations showdown last February, calling it “obvious.”

“He doesn’t seem to have changed at all,” McDavid said last fall. “He’s been great year after year. It’s so impressive to see someone I grew up admiring still doing it today.”

Crosby was once again able to play meaningful games on the international stage, which is expected to include the long-awaited return of NHL players to the Olympics in February, where he will likely once again captain Team Canada.

The Penguins’ prognosis, however, is not as promising. Pittsburgh’s 16-year Stanley Cup Playoff streak ended in 2023, and the Penguins haven’t been back since. General manager Kyle Dubas embarked on a rebuild, replenishing a prospect pool that was essentially barren, with so many draft picks and young players traded away in order to chase championships. Pittsburgh’s opening night roster will feature five rookies, led by first-time head coach Dan Muse, who is just five years older than Crosby. They are preparing for the future.

“We’re in a transition period, and our goal is, and we expect, to get to the point where we’re not just contenders, but we’re competing consistently,” Muse said. “It’s not just about getting back to the playoffs; it’s about being a true contender and then staying there. And I think that’s been extremely clear to me from day one. And that message has been consistent before, until now.”

No one knows how long this plan will take, including the Penguins. This is dictated by a range of factors, including development.

Meanwhile, Crosby’s performance at the 4 Nations Tournament (he tied McDavid for the team lead with five points in four games as Canada won the tournament) showed how exciting it is to still see him on hockey’s most competitive stages.

Some people around Crosby, 38, have tried to argue that it’s a disservice to hockey to stay put for a rebuild with no end in sight. This includes Crosby’s longtime agent, Pat Brisson, who publicly stated that Crosby should play playoff hockey.

For his part, Crosby maintains tunnel vision. To most people, that might seem like lip service, but that’s not the case for Crosby, whose determination is fueled by details and an obsession with routine. He said his mindset is the same every season – an approach that prepares him to play in June. He maintains he hasn’t seriously considered a trade yet.

“I know that if all of my energy isn’t directed toward where it should be, then I’m not giving myself the best chance to succeed,” Crosby said. “If it ever got to that point, I would discuss it, but I don’t feel like I’m there.”

Crosby’s two-year extension he signed for the summer of 2024 begins this season. That’s extremely team-friendly: an average annual value of $8.7 million, perhaps half of what he could receive on the open market. This is also an extremely tradeable contract – and all the cards belong to Crosby, who has a complete no-movement clause. League sources believe the Penguins would never ask Crosby to waive it, out of respect for him. A trade should be led by Crosby. He would choose the time and destination. The Penguins would need to get compensation they felt was fair. And it would all probably happen quietly.

Or it might not happen at all. Crosby’s future is entirely in his hands. He wants to win again as bad as anyone – but in Pittsburgh. At this point in his career, he has shown incredible loyalty to Pittsburgh, as well as to his teammates. This is especially true with Malkin and Letang; they form the longest-tenured trio of teammates in the history of major North American sports

“He’s a very special person to me, because he’s probably my best friend here in Pittsburgh,” Malkin said. “The first guy I met when I went to Pittsburgh, I’m going to dinner with Mario [Lemieux] and Sid. And then we’re still together. I mean, he texts me all summer, you know? He texts me during the season, we try to support each other. It’s not always perfect, you know? Sometimes we need to understand each other. Some guys have problems with games, with family, you know? Like — and he asks me, like — all the time, ‘If you need anything, come to my house.'”

Malkin is entering the final year of his contract and trade speculation is sure to intensify around his name as well. As the Penguins opened camp, Malkin said he hoped this wouldn’t be his last season in Pittsburgh, but admitted it would depend on how he and the team played. Malkin scored 16 goals and 50 points in 68 games last season. Letang is signed until 2028.

Another name to watch this season will be Bryan Rust, Crosby’s winger on the top line. Rust is signed for the next three seasons. The 33-year-old is happy in Pittsburgh and wants to stay there. However, it does not benefit from commercial protection. If the Penguins get a good enough offer – a package that could speed up the rebuild – Rust could be traded, just like Jake Guentzel was two years ago.

It’s not just the friendships on the ice that connect Crosby to Pittsburgh: it’s also his relationships with the community.

“We do a visit to the children’s hospital once a year with the whole team. There are tons of cameras,” Letang said. “But he also goes to see patients at another hospital and that’s completely off the radar. And, you know, I was a witness because he asked me to come with him for a year and see what he did.”

Youth hockey in Pittsburgh has exploded since Crosby’s arrival. The Little Penguins Learn to Play program that Crosby launched in 2008 has introduced thousands of children to the sport. Crosby and the city have had a long-term relationship that has truly benefited them both.

“I still remember my first day there, arriving at the airport, coming down the escalators, and it was packed,” Crosby said. “To have that kind of welcome, and then, from the moment I got to the rink to living with Mario, so many amazing first impressions, but then great memories ever since. I’ve been here a long time, and I couldn’t be more grateful that it worked out like that and that I got drafted there.”

Those close to Crosby say wearing just one jersey is something he strongly considers. When Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar announced his retirement after this season, he noted that playing his entire career in one city was a source of great pride for him.

However, there is a counterpoint: Tom Brady. His reputation in New England remains that of an all-time franchise legend. But after 20 years he signed with the Buccaneers and was also able to finish his career there with another championship.

So it comes back to the question: what is motivating Crosby at this point?

“When you play, if you still have passion, I think you find different things that motivate you,” Crosby said. “This year is obviously an Olympic year, so you know, that’s a big motivation. But in general, I think the motivation is just to do my best. You know, whatever it is, you know, whatever the age and the expectations, all that. I always try to do my best, and that’s enough for me.”

Malkin went even further.

“I think he mentally wants to show every year that he can play 100 percent,” Malkin said. “And the mentality, maybe one more cup, you know? We want to win together again. Because the last cup was 10 years ago.”

In fact, it’s only been eight years since the Penguins last won. But for an all-time great moment, it can seem like forever.