Crosby ‘Pretty Optimistic’ Penguins Contract Will Get Done

In the first indication since the two sides promised to keep all talks private, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby tipped his hand Monday during a national media tour for NHL star players in Las Vegas, and all signs point to a new contract.

And it could come before training camp or at least well before the end of the season.

“No, no, I’m pretty optimistic it’s going to get done,” Crosby said. “I don’t know what day specifically, but it’s been really positive and hasn’t been a difficult process.”

So, we can dispose of fears it could drag on or not get done at all.

The Penguins have missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, but Crosby brushed past the disappointments and instead headed toward the annual expectations that a Crosby-led team could be a contender.

“There’s expectations every year. We were pretty close the last couple of years–a point or two years in a row–which stings. The season feels so much different if you get those extra two points and get into the playoffs than if you come up short,” said Crosby. “Every year, there’s been some movement, but we’ve been right there in the last couple of years.”

The Penguins engaged in a dramatic race to the finish line, charging from nine points behind the second wild card in late March to having a chance to seize it by mid-April. Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic started the final 15 games, 14 of which were before the Penguins were eliminated.

The team was 8-1-2 in those crucial 14 games but ultimately missed the playoffs, finishing behind the Washington Capitals.

“For me personally, the way I look at it, if we can find some way to get over that hump and get into the playoffs–trying to use some of that momentum that we finished with last year would be great,” Crosby said. “We finished really strong. We all felt really good about hanging in there the way we did. We’re hoping we can be a little more consistent in a few areas.”

One of those areas would be the power play, which finished with an awful 15.2% conversation rate. The other would be holding leads. The Penguins were notoriously bad with leads last season, including losing a 4-0 lead to the Colorado Avalanche in the game before their furious rally began.

The Penguins also blew a two-goal third-period lead to the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 30, eventually losing in a shootout, 4-3.

In total, the Penguins lost nine third-period leads last season.

However, all of that will pale in comparison to many Penguins fans breathing a sigh of relief that the Sidney Crosby contract is on its way. The news should quell growing wonders about Crosby’s future.

On Friday, Sportsnet reporter Elliotte Friedman reported the Penguins had made multiple offers to Crosby but the ball remained in the player’s court.