NHL Rumors: Top insider provides crucial Sidney Crosby contract extension update

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is entering the final year of his current contract. Crosby signed a massive 12-year contract back in 2012 when deals that long were still possible. The contract, valued at $104 million, is gradually coming to an end.

Now, the Penguins and Sidney Crosby must figure out what to do moving forward. Both sides would like to remain together, but working out an extension is not as easy as it seems.

In that regard, NHL insider David Pagnotta has reported movement between the Penguins and Crosby. According to Pagnotta, there have been contract extension talks, potentially locking up the 33-year-old till the end of his career.

“The Penguins have had contract extension talks with Sidney Crosby and Marcus Pettersson. The captain is the priority, some talk of a 3-year deal discussed. We’ll see where it gets to, but trending in that way as expected,” Pagnotta posted on X.

It’s virtually unimaginable that Crosby would leave Pittsburgh. As such, the Penguins will do everything they can to keep Crosby on the team. The big question, however, remains how long the Penguins extend Sidney Crosby.

Also, the financial considerations that go into that contract make it tough to price Crosby. After all, is Crosby still worth $8 million per season? Crosby is coming off a 42-goal, 94-point season. Considering the going rate for most players who can produce those numbers, $8 million per season would be seen as a bargain.

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Predicting Sidney Crosby’s next contract

Assuming that Sidney Crosby doesn’t plan to retire anytime soon, the Penguins could explore a multi-year deal. However, anything beyond a three-year contract would take Crosby past age 40.

In that regard, The Athletic recently reported a potential three-year deal worth around $10 million annually. This deal could work for both sides, especially since it could be seen as a team-friendly deal. It’s important to point out that the Penguins do have cap considerations, as other players, such as Anthony Beauvillier and Pierre-Olivier Joseph, will need new contracts.

Based on those considerations, The Athletic reported insider Elliotte Friedman’s comments, predicting that Crosby’s new contract could be three years at roughly $10.5 AAV.

Ultimately, it is unclear what both sides will do at this point. But one looks certain: Crosby and the Penguins plan to stay together until the end of Crosby’s career. But as Steven Stamkos has shown, things can quickly change. So, don’t rule out Crosby moving on to another team if the Penguins feel they can’t afford Crosby’s new deal.