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Sullivan Reticent On Crosby Recovery; Says Captain In Good Spirits

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Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has been glimpsed here and there but not publicly heard from since he had sports hernia surgery Nov. 14. Coach Mike Sullivan offered a brief update.

Sort of.

“I’d rather not get into specifics of where he’s at, but what I can tell you is that he’s in a rehab process. He’s in a recovery process,” Sullivan said after practice Tuesday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Center.

“It’s a daily endeavor for him. We’ll just trust that process.”

Crosby is expected to be around until around the end of the calendar year. He had five goals, 17 points in 17 games when he left the lineup.

Surgery or an injury such as Crosby had can make it difficult to do a wide range of workouts because the core is involved in so much movement.

“Obviously, there are going to be some restrictions,” Sullivan said of Crosby’s rehab workouts, “but I think our guys have a pretty good grasp on what they can and cannot do.”

Crosby has not missed more than seven games in a season over the past six straight seasons, and he’s, well, a little more competitive than some.

Still, Sullivan said Crosby’s spirits are strong.

“Really good. Yeah, really good,” Sullivan said. “He’s been around the team.

“Obviously, it’s hard for any player, especially him in particular, that loves to be on the ice. But under the circumstances he’s in real good spirits.”

Sullivan also took the opportunity to give his players a verbal pat on the back for the way they have dealt with a slew of injuries that have kept several players – including big names such as Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Justin Schultz and Patric Hornqvist – out of the lineup.

“I give the players so much credit for this: I think they’ve done a really good job of rallying around the adversity and not looking for excuses and just having that next-man-up mindset,” Sullivan said.

“I think a lot of it is a conscious choice in how you look at the circumstance you’re in. I think our guys look at it as opportunity. It’s an opportunity for individuals to step up and play a more significant role. I think guys are doing their very best to try to handle that the right way.”