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Penguins A to Z: This remains Sidney Crosby’s team

Seth Rorabaugh
| Thursday, May 4, 2023 7:01 a.m.
Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review
In 82 games this past season, Penguins forward Sidney Crosby had 93 points (33 goals, 60 assists).

With the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2022-23 season coming to an end without any postseason action, the Tribune-Review will offer Penguins A to Z, a player-by-player look at all 49 individuals signed to an NHL contract — including those whose deals do not begin until next season — with the organization, from mid-level prospect Corey Andonovski to top-six winger Jason Zucker.

This series will publish every weekday leading into the NHL Draft on June 28-29.

(Note: All contract information courtesy of Cap Friendly.)

Sidney Crosby

Position: Center

Shoots: Left

Age: 35

Height: 5-foot-11

Weight: 200 pounds

2022-23 NHL statistics: 82 games, 93 points (33 goals, 60 assists)

Contract: In the 10th year of a 12-year contract with a salary cap hit of $8.7 million. Pending unrestricted free agent in the 2025 offseason.

(Note: Crosby’s contract has a no-movement clause.)

Acquired: First-round draft pick (No. 1 overall), July 30, 2005

Last season: Like any captain with a sense of responsibility, Sidney Crosby went down with the ship.

In the late stages of a stunning 5-2 home loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on April 11 that all but ended his team’s playoff hopes, Crosby seemingly refused to accept the defeat.

As Blackhawks forward Tyler Johnson scored an empty net goal that secured victory, Crosby shoved Johnson in frustration and had to be restrained in some fashion by three officials.

It wasn’t a graceful moment for Crosby by any means. Johnson did nothing wrong. Only Crosby did. But it illustrated how invested Crosby still is in his team’s welfare.

No one finds the lack of success the 2022-23 edition of the Penguins enjoyed more unappetizing than him.

The Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time since he was a rookie in 2005-06 and while everyone who suited up can fairly claim some responsibility for that failure, it’s hard to pin much of that on Crosby.

He didn’t miss a game for the second time in his career and scored at a pace well above a point per game. His nine game-winning goals paced the team and were tied for fifth-most in the NHL. And while plenty of 20-somethings surged past him in the scoring race, he did finish 16th in the NHL in points despite not having the luxury of a fully functional power play.

There weren’t too many ebbs and flows to his season. Aside from a pair of four-game streaks without points, he was a consistent presence on the scoresheet. Perhaps his best moment of the season came during a 5-3 road win against the Blackhawks on Nov. 20 when he netted a goal and three assists.

On the night longtime teammate Evgeni Malkin was appearing in his 1,000th career game, the Blackhawks tied the game fairly late in regulation at 15:49 of the third period.

Crosby was determined to get a victory on the occasion of Malkin’s milestone and scored the winning goal 57 seconds later with a determined effort.

As far as his personal accolades go, Crosby reached the 1,500-point barrier on April 8 by registering two goals and an assist in a 5-1 road win against the Detroit Red Wings.

The future: There’s not really much reason to speculate about Crosby’s future. He has two more years remaining on his current contract and all parties involved seem genuinely interested in keeping him in a Penguins jersey well beyond that.

Fenway Sports Group management wants Crosby to remain the face of the franchise for as long as possible and Crosby — notoriously allergic to change — has given every indication he would like to remain with the franchise provided he is able-bodied.

He may no longer be in the tippy-top echelon of award-winning NHL players as he once was, but Crosby is still the standard bearer for the NHL in so many ways.

And the Penguins remain his team.

Follow the Penguins all season long.


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