Sidney Crosby singles out Penguins' 'costly mistakes' that cost them spot in playoffs

Year number 20 is in the books for Sidney Crosby. Unfortunately, it is the third consecutive year that he and the Pittsburgh Penguins will not compete in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

After falling just one point short in previous years, it wasn’t even that close in 2024-25. The Penguins (80 points) finished 11 points behind the final wild-card spot in a relatively weak Eastern Conference race.

While expectations weren’t too high entering the season, Crosby is too competitive to be content with another lost year.

The Penguins’ captain spoke to the media Friday during locker room cleanout day and broke down what he felt cost the team a playoff spot. Shelly Anderson of Pittsburgh Hockey Now shared his comments on X (formerly Twitter).

"Felt pretty good about our game, but made either costly mistakes at bad times or some nights we didn’t find a way to finish when we had a lot of shots, a lot of chances. It was different things," Crosby said.

"It’s difficult when you’re cleaning out your locker stall and you’re just thinking how fun it is to play in the playoffs and how important that is and how much work everyone puts in to trying to make that happen. It’s not a fun feeling when other guys are playing and you’re going home."

Sidney Crosby’s two-year, $17.4 million contract extension with the Penguins, signed prior to the 2024-25 campaign, kicks in next season. He will continue earning his trademark $8.7 million average annual salary under the new deal.

Sidney Crosby finishes among the top 10 in NHL point scoring in 2024-25

Despite his Penguins missing the playoffs, Sidney Crosby had another tremendous season.

The 37-year-old recorded 91 points (33 goals, 58 assists) in 80 games, reaching the 90-point mark for the third consecutive year. His performance earned him a 10th-place finish in league scoring in 2024-25.

While Pittsburgh still has top-end talent, general manager Kyle Dubas must improve the roster around his stars. The Penguins need upgrades in depth, defense and goaltending — changes Dubas can pursue this offseason with a stockpile of draft picks and available cap space.