Bad news for the New York Rangers: Sidney Crosby is sticking around for a while after signing a two-year extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday.
The new contract runs through the 2026-27 season, with an average annual value of $8.7 million. Crosby, now 37 and born on August 7, 1987 (fittingly 8/7/87), is entering the final year of his 12-year, $104.4 million deal, which also has an $8.7 million cap hit, although his actual salary for this season is $3 million. Crosby became eligible for an extension on July 1 and could have become a free agent next summer.
“Sidney Crosby’s impact on hockey, Pittsburgh, and the Penguins organization is beyond words,” said Penguins GM Kyle Dubas. “He’s the best player of his generation and among the greatest ever. His decision today proves why he’s one of hockey’s greatest leaders and winners. Sid is making a significant personal sacrifice to help the Penguins win now and in the future, just as he has throughout his career.”
The Penguins’ captain leads all active NHL players in points and is 10th in league history with 1,596 (592 goals, 1,004 assists) as he enters his 20th season, starting with the opener against the Rangers on October 9 at PPG Paints Arena. Crosby was also named one of the NHL’s 100 Greatest Players in 2017.
Since his NHL debut in 2005, the Rangers have been one of Crosby’s primary targets. In 85 regular-season games against them, he’s recorded 40 goals and 108 points, ranking them among his most frequent victims. Last season, he posted two goals and two assists against the Rangers and finished 12th in the league with 94 points (42 goals, 52 assists). Crosby and Wayne Gretzky are the only players in NHL history to average at least a point per game in each of their 19 seasons.
It now seems the Rangers will have to face Crosby in divisional matchups for at least another three seasons.