Can Sidney Crosby carry the Pittsburgh Penguins into the postseason and put himself back into the MVP discussion?
For the vast majority of the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup, the 2022-23 season has been inconsistent and plunging the team into a precarious spot in the standings.
The Penguins currently hold a 27-17-9 record and are in the first wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.
It’ll be a battle for the rest of the season with surrounding teams to maintain a playoff position, and the players realize that.
While many on the Penguins roster haven’t had their best seasons, one leader has continued to stand out from the crowd and is doing everything he can to help the team win.
Being the best player on the Penguins and putting it all on the line shift after shift is nothing new for Sidney Crosby, but he is on a new pace that could propel the team to the postseason singlehandedly.
Again, that wouldn’t be anything new for Crosby, but he is in need of an improved supporting cast.
Evgeni Malkin is having an outstanding year, and despite having a down season, Jake Guentzel is still producing at a point-per-game.
Crosby rises above everyone with 65 points (24G-41A) without missing a game yet this season; 17 of those points have come in the last 11 contests.
Only Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk (23 points) has more points than Crosby since the middle of January.
While only three of Crosby’s 17 points are goals, he’s proving once again that you can never count out the Penguins.
The team has been up and down all season, but Crosby has the fire and drive to will this team into their 17th consecutive postseason.
Had the Penguins not suffered multiple seven-game losing streaks and Crosby hit a minor four-game skid of his own, he might still be in the conversation as the NHL’ MVP.
Likely not to win as Connor McDavid doesn’t have an off switch, but for a while it looked like Crosby could be in the running for a nomination.
If Crosby can maintain this kind of pace and lead a struggling Penguins team into the postseason, there is no reason why he shouldn’t be up for a Hart Trophy nomination.
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