- Crosby says Pat Brisson and Kyle Dubas are talking, with no deadline attached
- The 39-year-old is entering the last year of his $8.7 million deal
- Read below for his full comments from the NHL Player Media Tour
Sidney Crosby wants to keep playing for a number of years. He just can’t tell you what that number is.
The Penguins captain spoke Tuesday at the NHL Player Media Tour in Las Vegas, where the contract question came up again. He has been eligible to sign an extension since July 1, and he is in no rush to do it.
Matt Larkin of Daily Faceoff asked him where things stand.
“It’s just a little bit more difficult, I think, at my age, as far as trying to project where you’re going to be. It’s different. You don’t know where you’re going to be at, kind of year to year, how you feel, and things like that. I’d like to continue playing for a number of years. I just don’t know what that number is. And I guess your mind and body tell you that eventually. And right now, I feel pretty good, though.”
Agent Pat Brisson and general manager Kyle Dubas are handling the actual negotiation. Crosby has not dug in on term, and he was asked whether he leans toward one year or something longer.
“That’s something Pat’s going to talk to Kyle about. But that’s not something that I’m set on either way, to be honest with you.”
Pressed on whether he wanted the thing wrapped up quickly, he kept it short: “No, I wouldn’t say I’m going to rush.”
Mark Lazerus of The Athletic was in the same Vegas ballroom and came away with the same read:
There is recent precedent for a late arrival. Crosby’s current two-year extension got done on Sept. 16, 2024, days before training camp opened, and he pointed back to that when the timeline question came up.
“Yeah, I don’t know. They’re going to talk. Two summers ago, ended up getting done. So we’ll see. I don’t think there’s a timeline on it. They’re just gonna talk.”
The production is still there. Crosby put up 74 points in 68 games last season despite missing time with injury, and Pittsburgh finished second in the Metropolitan Division. That season also made him the first player in league history to average a point per game in 21 straight years.
His $8.7 million cap hit, unchanged since 2013-14, comes off the books after this season. The Penguins have roughly $10.9 million in space for 2026-27 and almost nothing committed beyond it, so term is the only real question here.
Teammate Evgeni Malkin has already said he wants one more year, which would keep the two of them together for a 20th season.
Crosby leads every meaningful list in Pittsburgh: 1,420 games, 1,107 assists and 1,761 points, plus 654 goals that trail only Mario Lemieux. Whenever the next deal gets signed, it is getting signed by the Penguins.
