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Sidney Crosby's recent struggles have surprised the NHL community. Crosby has gone 11 consecutive games without scoring a goal. He's currently averaging exactly one point per game (66 points in 66 games).
Crosby's last goal came in a high-scoring affair against Philadelphia on Feb. 25, when he notched three assists as well, bringing his season total to 60 points through 55 games, with 32 goals and 28 assists. At the time, he had an impressive plus-minus rating of +18.
However, in the following 11 games, Crosby's production has dipped significantly. He only has six assists with no goals and has seen his plus-minus rating plummet to -14.
Some NHL fans took to Reddit to share their thoughts on Crosby's recent struggles.
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One fan commented:
"Clearly Sidney Crosby has been a fraud that was a product of Jake Guentzel this entire time."
Another fan remarked,
"That’s also exactly when I traded for him in fantasy, sorry Pens fans."
Others expressed sympathy for Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins organization as a whole.
"Gotta be strange, almost 20 years as a playoff team, often a cup contender, and arguably the best player in the league for almost a decade. Now you’re looking at your second year in a row outside of the playoffs. It’s gonna be hard, regardless of what he has accomplished."
Another fan lamented the team's current situation, saying,
"We're either playing to get our coaching staff fired, or everyone got old at the exact same time, either way it's painful to watch."
Sidney Crosby and the Penguins still have a shot at playoffs
Sidney Crosby's usual dominance in the Pittsburgh Penguins' lineup has waned during a critical stretch this season.
Despite a 3-6-1 record over the last 10 games, the team is still in contention for a postseason spot, trailing the second wild card slot by five points. Crosby has not scored a goal and has only five assists in that span.
However, Crosby acknowledged the urgency of the situation and said he hoped to regain his form for the upcoming games against the New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings.
Crosby said (via hockeynews.com):
“You get excited for those opportunities, especially this time of year, The points are so important. Every game becomes more and more important. The desperation and urgency kind of elevates.”
Crosby stressed the need for collective effort and cohesion to secure a playoff berth.
"As a player and team, you have to elevate," he added.
While Sidney Crosby's stellar performances early in the season had positioned him in MVP discussions, his current focus lies on propelling the Penguins into the playoffs.
