Evgeni Malkin comments on Sidney Crosby's future in Pittsburgh

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Josh Tupper
July 28, 2024 (2:06 PM)

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Evgeni Malkin Confident Sidney Crosby Will Re-sign with Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby's long-time teammate Evgeni Malkin has shared his thoughts on whether the Penguins captain will re-sign or leave Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh Penguins have been defined by the trio of captain Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang for 18 seasons, winning the Stanley Cup three times over that span (2009, 2016, and 2017). Throughout their nearly two-decade tenure together, there have been rumors of separation, most recently in 2022 when Letang and Malkin were heading for free agency. Ultimately, both chose to re-sign, each with a cap hit of $6.1 million. Now, with Crosby entering the final year of his contract, he can officially renew with Pittsburgh as of July 1st.

Sources indicate that General Manager Kyle Dubas and Crosby's camp have been quietly negotiating a contract extension. In a recent interview with RG.org, Crosby's long-time teammate Evgeni Malkin expressed confidence that Crosby will re-sign with the Penguins.

"Pittsburgh is Crosby. Crosby is Pittsburgh. No one in Pittsburgh would understand if he changed teams. Although anything can happen, sometimes things happen that have a one percent chance of happening. But before signing my current contract, we talked. And he told me that the Penguins are us: me, him and (Kris) Letang. I signed my contract. He will probably make the same decision."

The soon-to-be 37-year-old Crosby continues to defy age with his play, coming off back-to-back 90-point seasons, scoring 42 goals and 52 assists last campaign.

With Crosby likely re-signing in Pittsburgh, questions arise about what a new contract would look like and whether he wants to play past the age of 40. Crosby has consistently counted for $8.7 million against the cap on his last two contracts, a nod to his birthdate of August 7, 1987. Will he settle on $8.7 million again, or will he seek more, considering all he has done for the franchise? Perhaps $9 million or $10 million would satisfy both parties. Regardless of the final figure, the number 87 will undoubtedly play a role in the negotiations.

As the Penguins look to secure Crosby's future with the team, fans and analysts alike will be keenly watching how these contract discussions unfold.

Source: Blade of Steel
Evgeni Malkin Has His Say On If Sidney Crosby will stay or leave Pittsburgh