Crosby says Penguins have something to prove

CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Sidney Crosby skated with an unfamiliar feeling Wednesday.

The Pittsburgh Penguins center joined 13 teammates for an informal practice. That was normal; Crosby usually participates in workouts before training camp.
The difference: the 31-year-old captain skated alongside a significant number of teammates without the designation of reigning Stanley Cup champion for the first time in more than two years.
"I think just, knowing that you lost the year before, you want to prove something," Crosby said.
After winning the Stanley Cup each of the previous two seasons, Pittsburgh was eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Second Round on May 7. Following the loss, Crosby traveled through Europe and met tennis players Maria Sharapova and John Isner at the All England Club in London.

The long offseason allowed Crosby to rest but didn't steer his focus away from winning a fourth championship.
"I think you still have that urgency, but I think mentally and physically, you're just a little more rested," Crosby said. "That's something you have to deal with when you've won, kind of starting behind the eight ball a little bit just as far as your body and things like that. I would say that was probably the biggest difference.
"Whether you've won or lost, you still have something to prove when you come into the next year. There are always things that motivate different guys. But for us, it's easy to find that motivation."
Crosby's teammates also took advantage of the extra rest.
Forward Carl Hagelin said he feels energized after spending most of the offseason in Sweden following the birth of his daughter, Blanche. Forward Patric Hornqvist would have rather played a bit longer but saw the upside of having some extra time to recuperate.
"It helps to get ready, you get an extra month and a half," Hornqvist said. "We all wished we would [have] played to June, but it is what it is. I think everybody in here feels the same that I do. We're ready to have a good season and be well rested. Ready to go back at it."
Crosby had 89 points (29 goals, 60 assists) while playing 82 games for the first time in 13 NHL seasons. He had 21 points (nine goals, 12 assists) in 12 playoff games.
The production from Crosby and center Jake Guentzel, who had 21 points (10 goals, 11 assists) in his second NHL postseason, ultimately wasn't enough. However, the loss didn't cause the Penguins to overhaul the roster.

Crosby said he was glad they didn't because he remains confident in this group's chances of winning another championship. Instead, Pittsburgh brought back 41-year-old forward Matt Cullen, who was with the Penguins from 2015--17, to add veteran leadership and signed defenseman Jack Johnson to bolster the defenseman group.
"We had a lot of turnover last year, so to see a lot of similar faces is nice," Crosby said. "It's hard to do these days. It's hard to keep teams together. The more you can do that, the better it is."
With that similar look, the Penguins want to achieve what the Capitals did last season.
Crosby said Washington deserved to win the Stanley Cup after eliminating Pittsburgh. He hopes the Penguins can be just as deserving this season.
"I think you still think the same way," Crosby said. "That's the team that beat you and that's where you want to be, is in that position."