Sidney Crosby is in the final season of his 12-year, $104.4M contract with the Penguins.
Rumors suggested he would sign an extension soon after July 1, but nothing has been finalized yet. Elliotte Friedman mentioned on the “32 Thoughts” podcast that Crosby is still considering multiple offers from Pittsburgh’s general manager, Kyle Dubas. The main issue isn’t money; it’s whether Crosby wants to spend his last top-tier years on a rebuilding team.
Friedman speculated, “One thing I wonder is if Crosby is simply sitting here saying, ‘I’ve got no problem with the offers or the Penguins, but if we’re not making the playoffs, can I handle that?’ That’s something he’s weighing.”
Extension Uncertainty
Friedman predicted Crosby would stay because he loves being a Penguin. He also noted it’s summer and there’s no rush to decide. But what if Pittsburgh doesn’t make the playoffs? Can Crosby cope with that since he’s still very competitive?
Fans might think this delay means big changes are coming.
As this extension saga drags into its third month, people are discussing what happens if training camp starts without a deal. Travis Yost from TSN suggested Crosby could be traded at the deadline for a huge return and then re-sign with Pittsburgh as a free agent next summer. Josh Yohe from The Athletic wrote about how not extending before camp affects things off-ice too.
Crosby has one year left on his contract with an $8.7M cap hit but only $3M salary this year due to its front-loaded structure since 2022-23. If Friedman is right about Crosby’s lack of urgency, it’s likely he won’t sign past 2025 before camp starts in two weeks. Pittsburgh needs him at his best to close last season’s three-point gap that kept them out of the playoffs for a second straight year. At 37 years old, he scored 42 goals and had 94 points in all games last season, finishing ninth in Hart Trophy voting—his highest since 2021.
What do you think will happen?
