Penguins Blog: Was That So Hard? Crosby Insights, Understands Dubas

Last week, Pittsburgh Hockey Now wrote that a single word could quell any speculation about Sidney Crosby’s future with the Pittsburgh Penguins. One word would be all it took because no one, including this reporter, expected Crosby to leave. Still, the protracted situation lept past curious into concerning territory, at least when viewed from the outside.

Monday, Crosby said he was “pretty optimistic” and that the contract talks would not drag on through the season.

There. Done. My favorite response was from a reader, whose reply probably echoed many Penguins fans, even those who put their finger in their ears to avoid Crosby speculation.

I didn’t realize how much I was worried until I read that

— Brian Hammer (@BrianDaHammer) September 10, 2024

It’s OK to admit that the team’s and player’s radio silence was concerning. People don’t hide good news, and unless Crosby is going to pull a Mario and play for one-tenth of his value (thus angering the NHLPA), a simple note from either side, like Crosby dropped on Monday, would have silenced everything a month ago.

I haven’t seen too many boasting, “I told you so!” After all, it was the most likely conclusion—kind of like predicting Pittsburgh will be cloudy to partly cloudy tomorrow.

But all’s well that ends well. I am quite happy to put this to bed and cover Crosby for as long as either of us is here.

Crosby’s Outlook

Everything is in place. Crosby is on board.

It was also telling when Crosby was asked about his desire to win compared to the Penguins’ current state. If an athlete admitted things weren’t possible, it would be disastrous. There’d be no cause for motivation. Crosby brushed past questions about whether the Penguins would struggle to be more competitive this season.

He didn’t see the glass as half full. He saw it as full and a cause for optimism.

“We were pretty close the last couple of years–a point or two, two years in a row, which stings,” said Crosby. “The season feels so much different (if) you get that extra two points, and you get in the playoffs. You feel a way different about it than if you come up short.

“The way I look at it, if we can find some way to get over that hump and get into the playoffs — I think trying to use some of the momentum that we finished with last year would be great. We finished really strong. I think we all felt pretty good about hanging in there the way that we did.”

Crosby’s hope that last season carries over into this season was a small departure from coach Mike Sullivan’s annual comments that a new season is a clean slate and there is no carryover.

Every year, we ask. Every year, Sullivan says the same. However, the frantic sprint to catch up for a playoff spot could be a significant turning point for the franchise. The previous 12 months were abysmal, and the team rarely felt extended momentum or had that genuine optimistic confidence that comes from winning.

Players can tell themselves they played well enough to win. Coaches can say, “There was a lot to like,” but when losses pile up and bad efforts are not uncommon, it becomes an oppressive theme. The team was terrible down the stretch in 2022-23, gagging away a sure playoff spot. That crumbling confidence with leads and inability to put their best effort on the ice with consistency carried deep into the 2023-24 season.

Those maladies became the Penguins’ identity, far more than any buzzwords of speed or forechecking. The negativity dented their psyche and is the most logical explanation for the lost leads and no-show losses.

That loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in the penultimate game of 2022-23 remains one of the biggest turning points in recent NHL history. Many trajectories were changed that night, including the Blackhawks’ falling into the lottery spot that won Connor Bedard.

If there were a Delorean parked outside during that game, it wouldn’t have been surprising.

So, several weeks of feel-goods in a high-pressure environment was a vital turning point. It cannot help but carry over, or at the very least, it ended that running thread of negative momentum.

Penguins Future

With Crosby probably settled up, Penguins president of hockey operations/GM Kyle Dubas can soon turn his attention to other free agents and continue the construction for 2025 and beyond. It might not be what the team wants, but Dubas has been honest about the need to build for the future.

“He’s the general manager of the team, and he’s got to do what’s best for the club. That’s his job, and I understand that. I’ve been around for long enough to understand that there are always challenges that come with that, probably even more so with our team,” said Crosby. “That’s something that I’m well aware of. When he’s looking at what he has to do, he has to approach (the situation) a certain way. And as a player, I have to do the same. You know, that’s just hockey.”

First up, Marcus Pettersson. The 28-year-old defenseman has been steady and flappable for two seasons running. His contract is up after this season. Dubas also has a handful of other veterans who are playing for new contracts, including a few of his summer acquisitions, such as Anthony Beauvillier, Matt Grzelcyk, and Cody Glass.

None except Pettersson are in line for a new contract, at least until proving themselves this season.

Also, with Crosby in place (or soon to be), the countdown to the prospects’ arrival begins.