Rangers nemesis Sidney Crosby ‘optimistic’ new Penguins deal will get done soon

Bad news for the New York Rangers: Sidney Crosby is planning to stay with the Pittsburgh Penguins a while longer — and has his eye on a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after two seasons on the outside looking in.

Crosby, the leading active scorer in the NHL — and 10th all-time — with 1,596 points, said Monday at the NHL/NHLPA media tour in Las Vegas that he’s confident he’ll sign a contract extension with the Penguins before Pittsburgh opens its season against the Rangers at PPG Paints Arena on Oct. 9. The 37-year-old is entering the final season of a 12-year, $104.4 million contract. His cap hit is $8.7 million , though his actual salary this season is $3 million. He’s been eligible to sign an extension since July 1 and can be an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.

“I’m pretty optimistic it’s going to get done,” the three-time Stanley Cup champion said of a new deal with the only NHL team he’s ever played for. “I don’t know what day specifically, but it’s been really positive. It hasn’t been a difficult process at all.”

That’s not great news for the Rangers, who’ve been one of Crosby’s biggest victims since he entered the NHL in October 2005. He has 40 goals and 108 points against the Rangers in 85 regular-season games. The 40 goals are his fourth-highest total against any team; his 108 points are third. Crosby had two goals and two assists in Pittsburgh’s three games against the Rangers last season, when he finished tied for 12th in the NHL with 94 points (42 goals, 52 assists).

Now, not unexpectedly, it appears the Rangers will have to contend with Crosby in divisional matchups at least four times per season for several more years.

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Sidney Crosby likely to remain with Rangers division rival when new contract completed

Signing Crosby to an extension would be another indication that despite dealing high-scoring, free-agent-to-be Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline in March, the Penguins under second-year general manager Kyle Dubas and coach Mike Sullivan are still all-in on trying to win with a core group on the far side of 30. It’s a strategy that could lead to long-term misery — but could make them a thorn in the side for the Rangers, who will try to repeat as Metropolitan Division champs and make a long postseason run.

The Penguins added defenseman Erik Karlsson, the 2022-23 Norris Trophy winner as the top NHL defenseman, in a trade with the San Jose Sharks last summer. They also inked contracts with two other late-30s veterans, center Evgeni Malkin (four years, $6.1 million average annual value) and defenseman Kris Letang (six years, $6.1 million AAV) in the summer of 2022. Malkin is 38, one year older than Crosby. Letang is 35 and Karlsson, whose $10 million AAV contract runs through 2026-27,is the “kid” in that group at 34.

Former Rangers center Kevin Hayes is among the additions made by Dubas to a roster that came up three points short of the playoffs last season. Hayes is 32 and has two years remaining on his $3.571 AAV deal.

The Penguins could have 11 players over the age of 30 on their roster this season. When they sign Crosby, it’s hard to envision the Penguins changing direction and not adding veterans in win-now mode.

Crosby is showing no signs of slowing down as he approaches his 20th NHL season, although the Penguins haven’t made the playoffs in each of the past two seasons after a 16-season streak of postseason appearances that included three Stanley Cup titles. Their most recent playoff appearance came in 2022, when the Rangers defeated them on a Game 7 overtime goal by Artemi Panarin. Crosby had 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in six games during that series; he missed Game 6 with a concussion after leaving Game 5 following a big hit by Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba.

Crosby, a two-time Hart Trophy winner as League MVP, said he’s confident a roster remodel on the fly is possible.

“Some teams have been able to go through that transition a little quicker or a little bit differently than others,” he said. “It’s definitely possible … as a player, though, you always want to win. That’s why you play the game.”

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