Sidney Crosby may be headed for another extension, and the number attached to it sounds just as familiar as the name.
The Penguins captain is entering the final season of his two-year, $17.5 million contract, and he’ll be 39 by the time it expires. Even so, he remains among the NHL’s top players, and he can sign an extension starting July 1.
That possibility put Crosby on The Athletic’s Shayna Goldman’s list of the top extension candidates ahead of free agency, which begins on Wednesday.
“Another player bound to stay in the same range is Crosby, who has carried an $8.7 million cap hit in every single season of his career since his entry-level contract. He’s always been worth more than that, and will likely still be worth more at 40 years old in 2027-28,” Goldman wrote in an article published on Monday.
“His market value for that season is $12.1 million. If he’s still playing at 41 in 2028-29, his projected value currently sits at $10.4 million. But no matter Crosby’s true value, $8.7 million is the sweet spot, and that likely isn’t changing anytime soon.”
Crosby has long been tied to that $8.7 million figure, and the expectation is that his next contract would stay there. The real issue is the term: how many more years he wants to commit as he approaches the end of his career.
Last season, Crosby put up 29 goals and 45 assists for 74 points in 68 games. He has also won three Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh.
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Now Russell is back in the mix at Pittsburghs Development Camp, using the summer to sharpen his game and push himself into a real conversation for a roster spot when the season opens. For a player who has already shown he can adapt quickly at the pro level, the next step is proving that his early momentum can carry into a bigger opportunity. [Read more 🡒]