Sidney Crosby, whose current contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins expires after the 2024-25 season, is contemplating extending his tenure with the team. Crosby expressed his intention to discuss a potential contract extension with Penguins GM Kyle Dubas during the upcoming offseason.

Reflecting on his future, Crosby, aged 36, hasn’t disclosed the duration of his remaining NHL career. Despite his age, he showcased remarkable performance during the 2023-24 season, amassing 94 points in 82 games, placing him among the elite few in NHL history to maintain a point-per-game average for 19 seasons, a feat matched only by Wayne Gretzky.

However, despite Crosby’s stellar performance, the Penguins failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive season, narrowly missing out to the Washington Capitals for the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 Wild Card spot.

Expressing disappointment over the team’s playoff absence, Crosby acknowledged the fine margins that separate success from failure in hockey, lamenting the missed opportunities of recent seasons.

Throughout his illustrious 19-year career with the Penguins, Crosby has been instrumental in the team’s success, contributing to three Stanley Cup victories in 2009, 2016, and 2017. His remarkable career statistics, totaling 1,596 points in 1,272 games, rank him second in Penguins history, trailing only Mario Lemieux.

 

 

Carey Price: Coyotes Relocation Won’t Facilitate Kent Hughes’ Trade Plans

While Carey Price has expressed a preference for staying with the Canadiens, recognizing that his contract limits Montreal’s financial flexibility, he’s not entirely opposed to a trade if it benefits the team. His attachment to the Canadiens is clear, being the only team he’s played for, but he understands the financial constraints his contract imposes.

Despite speculation about a potential move, Price’s ties to Western Canada, where his family resides, suggest that a change in location wouldn’t significantly alter his day-to-day life. However, his contract structure complicates any immediate trade prospects. Unlike Shea Weber, who saw multiple moves in recent years, Price’s contract involves significant payments, making a trade challenging before July 1, 2025.

Given these financial intricacies, a trade this summer seems unlikely without some impressive maneuvering from Kent Hughes, the Canadiens’ general manager. Renaud Lavoie’s recent column on BPM Sports raised questions about whether Hughes could pull off such a trade, though answers remain elusive.

The relocation of the Coyotes to Salt Lake City, under new ownership aiming to increase payroll, complicates matters further. The Coyotes, known for taking on burdensome contracts to meet salary floor requirements, will likely no longer serve as a dumping ground for such deals.

Despite uncertainties surrounding their futures, Price and Weber can continue their friendship in Western Canada, possibly finishing their contracts on the injured list rather than on the ice.