Huge news for the Penguins has just been broken, as Sidney Crosby's new two-year extension will keep him as the face of the franchise for at least a couple more years.
With an $8.7M AAV cap hit, which is a nod to his famous number 87, it's a huge sigh of relief for Pittsburgh fans and the team itself, clearing any uncertainty out of the way as training camp approaches.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman broke down the structure of Sidney Crosby's new contract.
It appeared for quite some time that talks sounded uncertain for an extension, but now it's official, the Pens can focus on the season ahead without distractions. The leadership and skills of Crosby would remain a cornerstone of their success.
Sidney Crosby was the first overall draft pick of the Penguins back in 2005, and he has played in 1,272 games for the Pittsburgh franchise, having scored 592 goals and 1,004 assists.
Born in Cole Harbour, N.S., he is a 10-time All-Star, two-time Hart Memorial Trophy, two-time Art Ross Trophy, two-time Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy, and two-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner. What an impressive resume!
The Penguins have been out of the playoffs for two consecutive seasons, despite a late-season surge toward the Eastern Conference's wild-card position. During Crosby's tenure, this team has only missed the postseason four times.
The Penguins' off-season has been relatively quiet to date, dealing Reilly Smith to the New York Rangers, adding Kevin Hayes from the St. Louis Blues, and signing Anthony Beauvillier, Blake Lizotte, and Matt Grzelcyk as free agents.
All eyes will be on Sidney Crosby this upcoming season to see if he can lead the team back to the playoffs.
Source: NHL.comSidney Crosby Stats
POLL | ||
16 SEPTEMBRE | 188 ANSWERS Sidney Crosby signs a new extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins Is this a good signing for the Penguins? | ||
Yes | 171 | 91 % |
No | 17 | 9 % |
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