The Captain is Committed

Just a couple of days before reporting to his 20^th training camp with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him in black and gold through the 2026-27 season.

“Just glad that that's done, and really happy to know that I'll be here for a few more years,” the captain said. “With my last contract, I don't think I thought about the possibility of still playing beyond then at the time. So, just really happy that it's worked out this way.”

Crosby has one season remaining on that 12-year deal, signed in 2012 for an average annual value of $8.7 million. With Crosby being the greatest player of his generation and one of the greatest players in the history of the game, he could’ve asked – and received – a lot more money this time around. Instead, Crosby stuck with that same number, making a huge personal sacrifice for the good of the Penguins.

"I just think winning is the most important thing to me, and I think understanding the dynamic and how it works and trying to give the team the best possible chance to be successful,” Crosby said. “Ultimately, you got to go out there and do your best and do your job. So, I think I'm more focused on that than the number, I guess. But yeah, that's just something where that's my approach, and that's kind of always how I've seen it.”

Fans have been clamoring for Crosby to re-sign since he first became eligible to do so back on July 1. He understands why people wanted it to happen away, and told me that was something to be expected. But from Crosby’s end, he just didn’t feel like it was something he had decide right then and there – especially as he needed to try and wrap his head around how long he could possibly play for. Crosby said he had good conversations with management while working to determine the contract’s term.

“Number of years, it's hard,” Crosby said. “And just making sure that it's something that made sense for both myself and the team. So yeah, just trying to figure out in my mind kind of what that looked like. It was a pretty smooth process, so I'm glad it's done and I can focus on playing, and I'm really grateful that I can keep playing here for a number of years."

He’s set to enter his 20^th season after being drafted first overall in 2005, and as Penguins President of Hockey Operations and GM Kyle Dubas said, “there are no words to properly describe what Sidney Crosby means to the game of hockey, the city of Pittsburgh and the Penguins organization.” It was equally tough for the captain to articulate how he feels about this town and this team.

"It's probably difficult to put that amount of time into a soundbyte,” Crosby said with a smile. “But obviously, the support, the people, the fans, the organization – just everything over the years. It's been really special, and we've had some incredible experiences and memories. So, just want to continue that, basically. I think that having the opportunity to play with (Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang) this long, which is pretty rare, being part of an organization like this for as long as I have has been really special. So, just happy to be able to continue it."

When asked if there had been a temptation to look elsewhere, Crosby said his dialogue with Dubas reassured him that there’s still a commitment and hunger to win from ownership and the organization.

“I think that's something for the time that I've been there, that's been the case. I think that's really important,” Crosby said. “I feel like as players, for all the different guys that have played here over the course of the time that I've been here, it's something that you build as a culture. I think it’s something that's ingrained. And missing the playoffs for a couple of years, not being in it is difficult. You want to try to find every way possible to get back in there and make sure that we compete for the Stanley Cup. So, I think that was reassuring to hear, and that helped.”

As Dubas put it, Crosby’s commitment reiterates the urgency of building a team around him that can return the Penguins to contention while providing players with his leadership. Crosby has faith it will happen sooner rather than later.

"I think it's just trust and belief and knowing the organization, knowing the group of guys we have… just being in so many different situations over the course of my career, there's always been expectation here, and I love that,” Crosby said. “I love that the expectation's to win. I think it gets the best out of everybody, it pushes us to be better. I think it's an important element. So, I think all those things combined just make me think that way."

Crosby has never tried to look too far ahead, but he knows that’s more difficult. Everyone wants to know how he feels, what he thinks, and how long he’s going to play now that he’s 37 years old and will be 39 when this contract ends following the 2026-27 season.

But as he said, “it makes it a little bit easier when you don't really have the answer. That's the truth. I don't think anybody knows. And like I said, looking back at that last contract, I just wasn't thinking that far ahead. I probably just thought at that point, it might be something I'd be contemplating. But going through the process, mentally, I feel good. I still love the game and want to compete. I'm not going to project too far ahead. But, I'm going to try to play as long as I can."