An update on when Sidney Crosby could open contract extension talks with the Pittsburgh Penguins, plus some suggested destinations for free-agent wingers Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrik Laine.
Speculation over Sidney Crosby’s future with the Pittsburgh Penguins was a regular fixture in the off-season rumor mill during the summer of 2024.
At the time, Crosby was entering the final season of his 12-year contract. He’d indicated that he wanted to finish his career with the Penguins, raising expectations that he’d sign an extension on July 1, 2024.
However, questions were raised in the media as the off-season progressed without a deal.
Some pundits wondered if Crosby might play out that season with the rebuilding Penguins and sign with a playoff contender as an unrestricted free agent the following summer. Others felt that the long-time Penguins superstar might request a move before the March 2025 trade deadline, or that management might approach him about considering a trade.
All that chatter came to naught when Crosby signed a two-year extension before training camp on Sept. 16, 2024.
Fast-forward two years, and Crosby is now entering the final year of that contract. However, there isn't much speculation about his future this time because the Penguins qualified for the playoffs last season.
Earlier this week, Josh Yohe of The Athletic noted the silence thus far about Crosby’s future. While acknowledging that the Penguins captain could surface again in the rumor mill, he believes the future Hall of Famer will ink another contract extension for one or two years.
Yohe reported that Crosby’s agent, Pat Brisson, indicated that contract discussions could begin when the summer is over. As for dollars, Crosby has never been one to push for as much money as he can get, but Yohe believes the Penguins will pay him whatever he wants.
Given Crosby’s well-known superstition about the number 87, it’ll likely be another deal with an average annual value of $8.7 million.
Tarasenko And Laine Remain Top Free Agents
Turning to this summer’s UFA market, there isn’t much talent left in what was a shallow pool to begin with.
Vladimir Tarasenko and Patrik Laine are among the few notables without contracts. Both wingers recently surfaced in the rumor mill, linked to two teams that could need some short-term scoring depth.
Mike Rupp of NHL Network recently proposed Tarasenko as a remedy for the Philadelphia Flyers’ league-worst power play. Meanwhile, George Richards of Florida Hockey Now suggested Laine might be an affordable short-term replacement for the sidelined Brad Marchand on the Florida Panthers.
Tarasenko, 34, is coming off a bounce-back performance with the Minnesota Wild, netting 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points. He’s coming off a two-year deal worth an AAV of $4.75 million.
The 28-year-old Laine finished a four-year deal with an $8.7 million AAV. He battled injuries and inconsistency during that tenure, scoring 20 goals with the Montreal Canadiens in 2024-25, but was sidelined last season for all but five games.
Tarasenko and Laine could land contracts with new NHL clubs before training camps open next month. It remains to be seen if the Flyers and Panthers will be interested in either winger. Given Tarasenko’s age and Laine’s injury history, those clubs could look elsewhere for help.
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