Latest On Sidney Crosby’s Potential Next Contract With Penguins

Kyle Dubas has a long to-do list this NHL offseason, and it sounds like that could include ensuring Sidney Crosby will continue to wear a Penguins jersey.

It’s hard to believe, but Crosby is entering the final season of a 12-year, $104.4 million contract extension he signed way back in 2012. The 36-year-old doesn’t show any real signs of slowing down, an indication he’s not going to hang up his skates anytime soon.

Regardless of where the Penguins stand in this mini-rebuild, Crosby should certainly be a Penguin for life and remains a crucial part of molding the next great core in Pittsburgh.

The Athletic’s Rob Rossi reported this week talks could soon “intensify,” saying the two sides could start trying to hammer away at a deal as early as this week’s NHL scouting combine. In fact, the two sides, per Rossi, are “proceeding as though Crosby’s next contract will get finalized this summer,” citing sources.

Dubas has no shortage of objectives this summer. The general manager must find a way to plug a handful of roster holes with relatively limited cap space; Pittsburgh is projected to have roughly $13 million to play with this summer. Crosby, of course, is already locked in with an $8.7 million cap hit for the 2024-25 season, but taking care of that long-term objective is still understandably important to all involved.

As for what a new deal for Crosby might look like, Rossi’s previous reporting might also shed some light on that. The Penguins, according to Rossi’s report in late April, want to secure a long-term agreement for Crosby to end his career in Pittsburgh. Crosby’s camp is a little more uncertain as it’s unclear how long No. 87 wants to play. A previous report from The Athletic projected something in the neighborhood of three years and $30 million.