Earlier than Sidney Crosby’s first house opener at Pittsburgh’s now-extinct Mellon Area in October 2005, Mario Lemieux walked previous a media scrum encircling Crosby and into the gamers’ lounge, pouring a cup of black espresso.
Smirking, he opined about quickly being “forgotten.” Then, in an unusually earnest second, Lemieux predicted Crosby would “personal all my information at some point,” nodded his head and walked out.
Lemieux may need undersold it. Crosby can have a possibility to interrupt Lemieux’s Penguins information, but in addition NHL information by Wayne Gretzky (most consecutive seasons averaging not less than some extent per recreation) and Steve Yzerman (most consecutive seasons as a workforce captain).
“(Lemieux) actually mentioned that?” Crosby mentioned on Monday afternoon, after talking with Pittsburgh media following his annual supply of season tickets to an unsuspecting household in Mars, Pa. “Like, actually?
“Uh, there’s nonetheless a protracted approach to go.”
Not too lengthy. Crosby wants 99 objectives, 30 assists, and 128 factors to knock Lemieux from the Penguins’ perch in these regular-season classes. He way back set the franchise marks for postseason assists (130) and factors (201), and desires solely six postseason objectives to do one higher than Lemieux’s 76.
Nonetheless, after Crosby signed a brand new, two-year contract with an $8.7 million common annual worth with the Penguins on Monday, he’ll get not less than three extra cracks at a cut price fee to notch extra accomplishments.
GO DEEPER
Crosby’s new Penguins contract is his sweetest help but
Whether or not he drags the Penguins alongside for the experience — and again right into a place of prominence — or turns into the one cause to care a few proud-turned-fledgling franchise may decide if Crosby does what Lemiex did in Pittsburgh: keep till the tip of his profession.
Crosby has mentioned he needs to play just for the Penguins. He additionally needs to chase one other Stanley Cup championship.
The Penguins haven’t certified for the final two playoffs and can once more enter a season with one of many NHL’s oldest rosters. Since Kyle Dubas traded for star defenseman Erik Karlsson final August, the Penguins’ front-office boss’s most intriguing acquisitions have been a handful of prospects.
As soon as a ceremony of passage for Crosby’s Penguins, a postseason look is hardly assured earlier than his new contract expires. Intriguingly, that contract is structured so he can leverage an exit earlier than its closing season if Dubas doesn’t shortly return the Penguins to contender standing.
Crosby’s contract is designated 35-plus, a notable standing per the collective bargaining settlement between the NHL and its Gamers Affiliation. The contract consists of two signing bonuses — a alternative, primarily, by Crosby and agent Pat Brisson to get the majority of the particular cash paid earlier than Crosby performs the ultimate season of the brand new deal.
Crosby will earn $780,000 and $1.09 million in wage respectively in Years 1 and a pair of of the brand new contract. However he can have been paid $16.31 million in actual cash earlier than taking part in a recreation in Yr 2.
Who cares how Penguins proprietor Fenway Sports activities Group pays Crosby as long as it pays him, proper?
Each different GM within the league will care.
With 93.7 % of Crosby’s wage paid earlier than Yr 2 of the brand new contract, he would come low-cost — once more, when it comes to precise cash — in any potential commerce through the 2026 offseason. By paying the supermajority of Crosby’s actual cash earlier than that second contract season, the Penguins may justifiably demand a extra favorable return in any potential commerce, particularly if, as could be doubtless, they took on a sizeable chunk of Crosby’s cap hit.
It will be only a one-season hit if Dubas retained even 50 % ($4.35 million) to maximise the return in a commerce that will finish — albeit in all probability solely quickly — one of many NHL’s nice love tales.
Crosby didn’t signal this new contract to not see it by means of. He’s mentioned repeatedly, publicly and privately, that he needs to play just for the Penguins.
He additionally mentioned he needs to win. He reiterated that time a couple of hours after the Penguins introduced his new contract on Monday.
“I had some conversations with Kyle all through the method,” Crosby mentioned of the negotiations. “I believe that was reassuring — simply primarily based on what we mentioned so far as there’s nonetheless starvation from the group and possession to win and a dedication there.
“I believe that’s actually vital. I really feel like as gamers, for all of the completely different guys which have performed right here over the course of the time that I’ve been right here, it’s one thing that you just construct as a tradition… one thing’s that’s ingrained. And lacking the playoffs for a few years, not being in it, is tough.
“You wish to attempt to discover each method doable to get again in there and guarantee that we compete for the Stanley Cup. So, I believe that was reassuring to listen to and that helped. However no, I believe it was extra simply listening to that reassurance.”
After subsequent season, Crosby will likely be approaching his thirty ninth birthday, and Dubas can have had three full years to set a course. His franchise icon ought to be capable to take a look at the roster and assess whether or not it’s a Cup contender. By then, Crosby’s view of the scenario in Pittsburgh may rely as a lot on his opinion of the roster because it may on whether or not he needs to proceed with out Evgeni Malkin (more likely to retire) and probably Kris Letang, whose closing two contractual seasons should not as trade-prohibitive.
Crosby reiterated Monday how particular it’s been to play 18 seasons with Malkin and Letang as teammates. The Penguins’ Huge Three isn’t going previous 20 seasons, if solely due to Malkin’s contract.
If, after subsequent season, one or each of his expensive associates have moved on and the Penguins aren’t nearer to successful their first playoff sequence since 2018, who would begrudge Crosby for wanting what may very well be his closing NHL season to be a shot on the Cup some other place?
The onus is on Dubas to make Crosby’s determination straightforward by then. By retaining his cap hit as is, Crosby offered Dubas treasured tens of millions to improve the Penguins subsequent offseason and the one after it. If the Penguins are on the upswing after 2025-26, who higher than Crosby to indicate their subsequent probably nice workforce learn how to win?
That might be a picture-perfect swan music for Crosby — with the Penguins within the playoffs, one final run earlier than No. 87 is completed.
Then, he can take nevertheless a lot time away he needs, begin a household and return to the franchise in no matter off-ice capability he chooses. He doesn’t have to turn out to be an proprietor, as Lemieux did, however he may.
Crosby’s coronary heart is with the Penguins. He made that clear on Monday.
“It’s in all probability tough to place that … right into a sound chunk,” he mentioned, talking from the again porch of a suburban Pittsburgh house the place he playfully traded high-fives with kids carrying varied variations of his No. 87 Penguins jersey. “Assist (from) the individuals, the followers, the group, simply all the pieces through the years — it’s been actually particular, and we’ve had some unbelievable experiences and reminiscences.
“I simply wish to proceed that.”
(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; Images: Jeanine Leech and Brandon Sloter / Icon Sportswire / Getty Photographs)
