The captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins could set himself apart this season and fight for multiple personal awards.
Heading into the 2023-24 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins are sure to once again be led by their captain, Sidney Crosby.
Coming off of a season where the Penguins missed the postseason for the first time since his rookie year, Crosby will surely be hungry to get right back in the Stanley Cup conversation.
No matter the situation, Crosby’s top priority is finding ways for his team to win, and a lot of pressure will be put on his back this upcoming season.
Can Crosby again lead the Penguins to the playoffs? According to a few predictions, he may challenge for some extra hardware along the way.
The Hockey News recently put out a list of players who could challenge Connor McDavid for the Art Ross as the NHL’s top point scorer.
On the list were the obvious choices like Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon, and Auston Matthews, but then there was 36-year-old Crosby.
Is it really possible that Crosby can push McDavid-like numbers at this point in his career?
McDavid is coming off of a season that saw him post 153 points and is still in the prime of his career.
Crosby racked up 93 last year, and that was an impressive feat considering the circumstances of the Penguins.
Sure, McDavid might not touch 150 this season, but he likely won’t fall past 120; which coincidentally is Crosby’s career high for points in a season.
Crosby will be hungry and adding Erik Karlsson should boost everyone’s numbers, but it’s still a long shot.
Let’s say something happens and Crosby is tight in the race for the Art Ross; even if he doesn’t win it, that should put him in the discussion for the Hart Trophy as league MVP.
If Crosby is producing at an extreme rate and is pushing the Penguins to the top of the Metropolitan Division, the MVP voters will be looking no further.
The 2023-24 season will be huge for the Penguins and Crosby will be at the forefront of the bounce back.
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