When the Pittsburgh Penguins decided to part ways with forward Jake Guentzel last Friday, it was not only emblematic of a retooling period for the storied organization but could be a sign of things to come. Still the oldest team in the National Hockey League by over a year on average, the current iteration of this Penguins team is certainly going quietly into the night.
With the main core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson on the wrong side of 30, Pittsburgh is quickly encroaching upon a future where Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell, and Marcus Pettersson lead the team. Not to be taken as a knock on either of those three players, but it will certainly not be good enough for the Penguins to be a competitive team in the Eastern Conference unless some major changes take place.
As difficult as it is to imagine Crosby wearing the sweater of any other team, it is becoming a disappointing end to one of the greatest careers in the history of the game. Last season, Pittsburgh failed to make the playoffs for the first time in Crosby’s career since his rookie season, and are headed for the same outcome again this year.
Having one year remaining on his 12-year, $104.4MM contract after this season, Crosby will have the option to leave the only team he has ever known in an attempt to finish his career on a high note. However, being one of the most humble athletes in the game today, there is little to no insight into which way Crosby is leaning.
In this week’s edition of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman shows a lot of empathy with Crosby’s current frustration with the Penguins organization but believes the organization should do everything in its power to retain their franchise player. Friedman believes that if Pittsburgh were to offer Crosby a three-year, $30MM contract; that should be enough to get Crosby to remain with the Penguins.
However, to push back, Friedman’s ideas appear to be an oversimplification of the factors that have driven Crosby in his career. Even when he signed his mega-contract with Pittsburgh back in 2012, paying Crosby an AAV of $8.7MM was a bargain contract for the Penguins.
Owning three Stanley Cup championship rings, two Conn Smythe Trophy victories, and three Olympic Gold Medals, it is more than clear what has driven Crosby throughout his career. Being one of the most competitive athletes in sports history, Crosby is first and foremost concerned about winning, which is something Pittsburgh is not built to do over the next few years.
Of the top-10 highest point scorers in NHL history; Steve Yzerman, Mario Lemieux, and Joe Sakic are the only three to have stayed with the same team throughout their careers, with the others not having the privilege of spending their entire career in one spot. Given that it is not irregular to see a generational player make a move like this, it would be inappropriate to think it would impact Crosby’s legacy in any way.
Nevertheless, if Pittsburgh pulls off some crafty moves this upcoming offseason, there is a legitimate chance they could turn things around. However, it is becoming increasingly likely that this organization is headed for a lengthy rebuild, which is something Crosby may not want to be a part of to finish off his incredible career.
Welcome to Philly Sid!
Hahahahaha Sid may not finish in Pittsburgh but he’s definitely not going to Philly.
This is a GREAT idea! We can boo the crap out of him for a week, then put him on WAIVERS!
Pittsburgh is several players away from being a contender. Their defense isn’t strong. That needs an overhaul. They need to become younger up front & have to replace Guentzel’s production. Also, whether or not Jarry is the answer in net moving forward is still up in the air.
Kingerski is adamant that Crosby is committed to the team and leading the team through the next rebuild, and he’s in the locker room all the time. That’s a reliable enough source for me.
Avalanche will trade for him this summer.
Agreed. I think the lure of playing with MacKinnon is the biggest selling point to him than any other in the league.
@brucenewton — I heard that the other day on a podcast. If it happens, it might be the talk of the offseason.
Sure, it’s gotta be awesome playing for 1 team & 1 team only your whole career. Especially when your the main reason behind all of that teams success. The team, the staff, management, etc become family. So I can see why he might wanna stay on the Titanic…. sorry, Pens. But he’s already given that city all he can. I’m not even a fan of his but I’d love to see him thank Pittsburgh, pack up his gear & go play for a team that has a shot.
Good to see the Dubas hire is paying off, Huge ego, Small hockey brain. Nice season pretty boy!!!!
As a Sharks fan, I’m super happy we found a team dumb enough to acquire Karlsson’s absolutely insane contract.
As someone looking objectively at hockey, the Karlsson trade from Pittsburgh’s angle is one of the absolute worst I’ve seen in recent memory. You have a team that’s already pressed against the cap, that’s already aging, that’s already missing the playoffs… And you add an overpayment contract for a 30+ defenceman who is nortiously inconsistent and frequently injured. Utterly baffling, but it established GMMG as a shrewd businessman in my eyes.
GENERAL MANAGER MIKE GILLIS?
It was a good concept but a TERRIBLE job at pro scouting.
We had a team that was (still is) a good power play away from being a solid team, so trading for the first D man to score 100 points in decades seemed like a good way to fix it.
Except he’s awful on the power play. Like, terrible. And I recently heard numbers that bear out what I’ve seen….only once in his career has Karlsson been on a top 15 power play. Once.
He can’t one time or score from distance so other teams can give him more room and key on other guys, but the main problem is he never (and I mean never) passes the puck where his teammates can one time it. Geno hasn’t gotten a decent pass for a one timer from him even once this year. Always too far in front of him. Same with Letang in the left circle.
That Sullivan isn’t seeing this is concerning, TBH.
65 has been good at 5 on 5. Just admit it hasn’t worked, put Letang back on PP1 and figure out what is needed to fix this power play next year.
Karlsson (retain $3M) to Ottawa for Chabot, Pens get younger, Sens get their #1RD, Chychrun rumors cease to exist
It was a great trade for the Penguins. The Sharks and Canadiens took the Penguins three worst contracts off their books and actually saved the Penguins Cap Space (and made them younger). Plus, Karlsson has performed like a top 10 defenseman in the league this season and has been extremely durable. He’s not the reason they’re mediocre.
Even apart from Karlsson’s contract, he just doesn’t make any team better. His defensive lapses overshadow his offensive abilities.
@Gbear — It seems like every Pens game I listen to has The Old Two-Niner uttering the dreaded “What is Karlsson doing out there?”. He’s even infected Letang with it.@
@Mac – And the Old 29’er had enough issues already with Letang’s turnovers!
Yeah, this just isn’t true. If Karlsson weren’t on the Penguins and Petry was, the team would have several less wins. Karlsson is still an elite player. He also drug a mediocre Senators team to the ECF earlier in his career, so he can carry a team.
@Buctober 2 – We’re not saying Petry would be an improvement. Far from it. Karlsson’s play has cost the Pens wins. It has nothing to do with Petry.
@Buctober 2 – It’s not an either/or situation. And that Senators team had alot more talent on it than just Karlsson.
No it hasn’t. If anything he’s added wins. The eye test, the advanced metrics, etc. all show he’s still a top 10 defensemen in the entire league. A lot of metrics still have him top 6 or 7.
Yes it is because without that trade and getting all of the bad contracts off the books, the Penguins wouldn’t have had cap space to add a better defensemen than Petry.
Getting Karlsson is good enough since he’s such a good player, but the fact that the trade also cleared cap space and unloaded terrible contracts made it better.
The Senators team was solid, but unspectacular. Karlsson was the leader of that team and the biggest star (and he dominated in the postseason).
Cope.
Penguins PP is the 4th worst in the league at 14.9%. That’s the one area where Karlsson should help improve a team and he didn’t.
The system stinks and has for years. They also never bothered to have a net front presence, but Bunting is finally doing that. Karlsson has been fine on the Power Play, but the coaching staff needs totally revamped in the offseason.
If you’re trying to pretend Karlsson has been anything other than very good this season you’re ignoring all metrics, counting stats, etc. (basically not living in reality).
I never thought he would leave . Till I saw interview after guentzel trade. Still think unlikely , Could see him in colorado or montreal jersey. doubt anywhere else. Has cup unlike Bourque.
Kane after Panarin, then Kane after DeBrincat, it took 2 trades to get him to go
As a sports fan I’d rather see him stay. There is something special about superstar athletes staying with one franchise. & Btw to leave for what? To chase a ring? He’s been there & done that! Legend!
Crosby to the Oilers after his contract to officially pass the torch to McDavid. Takes a lower contract to be a leader and get himself a chance at a ring or 2.
We missed the playoffs by one game last year. If our power play were decent instead of awful, we’d be 3rd in the Metro. People are acting like it’s the Edzo years.
I’ve never seen a team find ways to lose as consistently as this one but they are in most games and their underlying numbers are actually not bad…at least, they weren’t until a week ago.
FWIW, there are some athletes that don’t think demanding to be traded to a team of winners that already wins and then winning with the team that was already winning makes them a winner. They will build a winner or fail.
Actually, wait…it’s pretty much Sid and Mike Trout at this point, but…
I will agree with the above, though, that interview after Jake’s trade was the first time it ever seemed possible.
Don’t see it, though, and believe FSG will do what it takes to keep him AND put the best team around him possible. He’s also chasing 2000 points and deserves the best chance we can give him for that.
I know everyone can’t wait to jettison everyone and rebuild (and ask or expect Sid to play on a lottery team) because our first big tank job netted the best player in NHL history and our second big tank job netted the second best player in NHL history so OBVIOUSLY we can 100% totally take for granted that our next rebuild will go just as smoothly.
Except we could end up a middling pack of tire spinners like OTT or BUF too, so maybe just maybe don’t chase the second best player ever who is still playing at an elite level out of town.
PS- Was there even one nugget of info in Friedman’s Crosby piece or was it just pure idle speculation clickbait?
Friedman’s idle speculation is probably based off conversations with half a dozen insiders including Sid’s mom.
While I think Mario and Sid are all time greats and both arguably top 5, referring to them as the first and second best players in NHL history is a stretch.
I saw what I saw and said what I said.
I didn’t say the most accomplished or had the best overall careers. I simply said who were the best players. Which they are.
FWIW, the Athletic had Mario, Sid and Jagr as top 5 all time. We are the most spoiled fan base outside maybe the Lakers and Yankees.
The athletic is an opinion based rag tag. Mario is definitely a top 5. And the top 5 is debatable and adjustable by personal opinion. Sid is not.
Sid’s a better player than Gretzky. Mario was much better.
Put either in that era against those abysmally bad early 80’s goalies (late 80’s goaltending was also bad but not nearly as bad) and on that vastly superior to their competition with no salary cap team while staying healthy and they have 3,000 points.
That’s why in 20 years Gretzky averaged 74 games a season and in 19 years Crosby has averaged 63. And Gretz has 300+ more points. A players best ability is availabilty. Crosby and Lemuiex didn’t have that ability for large portions of their careers. Your team tinted glasses are showing your blindness. If Lemuiex was as good as Gretzky his number would have been retired by the league as well. And Crosby was great, but not NEARLY as special as Gretzky or a few others. Crosby may finish top 5, but as of now, he isn’t even top 10. Take off your Pens blinders and consider guys like Gretzky, Lemuiex, Orr, Howe, Bossy, Richard before claiming your team has the best or had the best ever. Plenty of greats in the games history. Crosby is for sure one of the greatest. But has some climbing to do before considered an all time elite.
A) Do you understand the difference between a better player and a better career? Because the way you speak it seems you believe they are the same.
No one disputes that Gretzky is the most accomplished player, but he was not the best, not close to it.
B) The Athletic pooled almost 100 writers and they came up with a top 5 that included Mario, Sid and Jagr. I guess that was their tinted glasses, as well?
LOL. And who did that Athletic piece rank as #1? And it was 9 writers from the athletic, not 100. And it was a list from 67 and beyond so it didn’t count Howe, Hull, Richard, ect. So keep moving the goalposts in your favor. It was the top 100 since 67.
Oh and Gretzky took a perfect score from those whom voted too with all 9 voting him the best of all time.
link to archive.ph
The athletic article you are so proud of by the way. They straight up say its based off the votes of 9 writers, and based on the post expansion era, and it is over a year old. Poll those guys today and results are probably different. Include guys from before 67 and the list changes some more.
Mario could do every single thing Gretzky could do and a dozen things Gretzky could never dream of.
It’s not even close.
The people who saw his career (literally limited to people who lived in Western PA and had cable) know the truth.
How or why would anyone who didn’t witness it go against the numbers and the popular narrative? They won’t.
Doesn’t change the truth.
You tell yourself whatever you need to to help you sleep better at night. Gretzky had a higher ppg average IN THE SAME ERA as Mario. And McDavid has a better one than Crosby in this era. But I’m sure you have an excuse to claim Crosby is better today than McDavid or MacKinnon. It’s called homerism.
And I grew up in the 80s and 90s with Hockey Night In Canada and saw plenty of Mario and Wayne. Different style players, both great. Gretzky was better.
Let me know when McDavid wins jack ****. He’s Dan Marino on ice as of now.
If you aren’t intellectually honest enough to admit that 99 stacked up 200 point years in the early 80’s on the most stacked team relative to their competition ever while facing the worst goaltending the league has ever seen (mid to late 80’s better but still awful, started to rebound in the 90’s) so be it.
I saw both. It’s not close to close.
Gretzky was a better player and a better owner than lemuiex could ever wish to be.
Mario has 5 rings. 5 is more than 4.
5 more than McDavid. also.
Chad Ruhwedel has two more than McDavid, actually.
And Kevin Lowe has 6 so clearly he is better than Mario too.
Except at playing hockey, as Mario was the best ever. By far.
There’s an aspect I think folks understate, and that is how much Crosby could be involved in the future of the team if he stays. Look at how Lemieux hornswoggled his way into ownership by buddying up to shady billionaires (and later extorting the city by faking moving the team.) Crosby could have a cush front-office job for life with the Pens, could probably own the GM spot if he wanted it in the future, might be able to coerce an ownership stake from FSG.
Not saying none of that could happen if he just leaves & comes back, but it’s pretty clear FSG is going to need a front-man for these upcoming lean years, and keeping Sid around provides that, especially in a town where the locals are famous for living in the past. It feels like Sid has leverage if he sticks around, and as much as he wants to “compete” I can also see him wanting to have a real say in how things go after he is done playing. He seems like a hockey lifer, and staying in Pitt gives him that chance to cement his presence there.
He could still have an “after life ” with the Pens, trade him to Boston to be their #1C. He and Lindholm for a few years down the middle might bring in a couple of cups!
Super Mario saved the team from moving. He took the money the team owed him and moved it to ownership shares then recruited some money guys to save the team until the city built a casino across the street from new the arena and fed the team a pretty share of the profits. If it wasn’t for Mario taking pennies on the dollar to become an owner instead they would have been gone in 04 or so.
Wreckage is correct. Mario is the reason the Pens are still in Pittsburgh.
Crosby will sign an extension on July 1st, and it will be team friendly. The people that actually cover the Penguins have said repeatedly that behind closed doors Crosby has reiterated that he’s signing an extension and retiring a Penguin. This is much to do about nothing. Just made up clickbait by the national media.
Crysby to Montreal, to help his hometown team get back to the playoffs, if trade perhaps Crysby for Dach and another piece
Crosby is from Nova Scotia, not Montreal. Not everyone from the Islands grew up a Habs fan nor considers it their home town team. It’s a 2 hour flight away. The same distance to Boston.
Sid did grow up a Habs fan, though.
But their rebuild is junk, so probably not relevant.
“it was not only emblematic of a retooling period for the storied organization ?
Great word! I’m always look for a reason to put emblematic into a sentence too!
Sucks if he has to move on. But I wonder the trade package the Penguins can receive for Crosby? Freeing up some cap space to sign or trade for someone else to keep the Penguins competitive.
It’s well known that Crosby has always wanted to play for Barry Trotz. (My attempt at being an influencer). :D
He deserves to go out on a winning team trade him
Rakell and Rust are also on the wrong side of 30, considering they’re both over 30. They are certainly not the future.