At 36 years old, Sidney Crosby is no longer in his prime, but count on him to try to offer the Penguins a fourth Stanley Cup since his arrival in Pittsburgh in 2005.
Free agent without compensation in the summer of 2025, number 87 will be able to negotiate a new agreement with the “Pens” from July 1. In this regard, Sidney Crosby would once again be ready to give up on his salary.
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“Next summer, Crosby will want a long-term commitment from the Penguins,” wrote Rob Rossi of The Athletic. And if it is likely that he will accept [un salaire] less than his market value to help the Penguins’ salary situation, he will also want the Penguins to avoid thoughts of a rebuild.
Journalist Dave Molinari also raised the subject in early September, notably the remuneration of the Hart Trophy winner in 2007 and 2014.
“It’s almost certain that it will be based on a permutation of “87,” he shared on the site pittsburghhockeynow.com. Whether it’s a third contract with an $8.7 million salary cap, a deal that pays him $87 per hour or one that’s worth $0.87 per second.
It will be complicated for Dubas
As a reminder, the star center player signed a 12-year, $104.4 million deal on July 1, 2012. General manager Kyle Dubas will therefore have his work cut out for him. According to the specialist site CapFriendly, the Penguins will have $18.2 million in space under the salary cap in the summer of 2024.
However, several big contracts will expire at this time, including that of forward Jake Guentzel. He could ask for a significant salary increase, he who earns $6 million per season thanks to his current pact.
The former GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs will therefore have to show a lot of imagination to continue building competitive teams in the future.
Last year, Crosby had 93 points in 82 games. In his career, the Cole Harbor native collected 1,502 points in 1,190 games. This year he will begin his 19th season in the National Hockey League.