There shouldn't be any fear over Sidney Crosby's next deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Auston Matthews made noise recently when he inked a four-year contract extension with the Toronto Maple Leafs that will earn him a league high $13.25 million average annual value.

Many fans of the Pittsburgh Penguins saw that contract and wondered, what kind of money will Sidney Crosby earn with his next contract?

It’s fair to be curious, but it’s also nothing to worry about as the Penguins prepare for the 2023-24 season.

Rather than thinking about extensions and money, both the Penguins and Crosby are deadest on finding their way back to the postseason.

Crosby has two years left on his deal and it’s likely the discussions of an extension won’t begin for quite a while.

When that time does come, however, is there a reason for fans to fret over the dollar amount for their captain?

There really isn’t; Crosby has sat at an $8.7 million cap hit since 2013 and his performance has far exceeded that price.

Even at the age of 36, Crosby could easily be earning north of $10 million annually, but the Penguins are lucky to have him on one of the best deals in the league.

Sure, when he signed the deal $8.7 million took up 14% of the salary cap, but with each passing year it has only looked better.

What is next for Crosby, though? Will he throw his hat in the ring of some of the highest paid players in the NHL?

Likely not; Crosby will be 37-years-old when his next (and possible final) contract is signed, and not too many players at that age can demand a truck load of money.

Putting a real number to Crosby’s next contract is impossible to guess, but somewhere in the neighborhood of his current $8.7 million, or even lower is probably a good place to start.

The only guarantee about Crosby's next deal, however, is that it will certainly be with the Penguins.

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