3 reasons why Sidney Crosby should not have signed $17.4M Pittsburgh Penguins extension

By Nestor Quixtan

Modified Sep 16, 2024 22:24 GMT

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby agreed to a two-year, $17.4 million extension on Monday. The deal ended months of speculation regarding Crosby’s future in Steeltown.

While the deal sounds good on the surface, three reasons stand out as to why Crosby should not have signed an extension with the Pens.

3 reasons why Sidney Crosby should not have re-signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins

#1. The Penguins could face serious cap issues

According to PuckPedia, the Penguins have just under $1 million in available cap space. That situation makes it somewhat difficult for Pittsburgh to make upgrades, especially considering the team is getting older and trending in the wrong direction.

While Sidney Crosby’s extension is extremely team-friendly, remaining at his current cap hit of $8.7 million, the Pens may have to move some contracts, such as Erik Karlsson’s, to accommodate cap space for pending UFAs like Marcus Pettersson, Matt Grzelcyk and Shea Ryan.

#2. Crosby might have preferred playing with a contender

The Pens have missed the playoffs the last two seasons in a row. As it stands, the Penguins aren’t expected to contend this season, either.

That situation could raise questions about Crosby’s desire to remain in Pittsburgh despite the quick closing of the team’s competitive window.

As such, speculation may emerge regarding Crosby’s desire to chase one more Stanley Cup. If that’s the case, re-signing with the Pittsburgh Penguins could be seen as a mistake. Nevertheless, the new deal communicates that Crosby is committed to staying put even if the team is unlikely to make the playoffs.

#3. The Penguins are heading toward a rebuild

With the dwindling competitive window, the Pens look headed toward a rebuild. If that’s the case, Crosby might go the way of Patrick Kane in Chicago and decide to avoid going through a painful rebuild.

If it comes to that point, the Penguins may have no other choice but to move Crosby at some moment. Of course, it should be said that GM Kyle Dubas will do whatever it takes to keep the competitive window open as long as Crosby is on the team.

However, reiterating the Pens’ potential cap issues, the club may be unable to continue icing a competitive roster full of high-priced veterans. Therefore, the club may try to build a strong team around Crosby. In the end, however, the Pens will likely head into a full-blown rebuild once Crosby retires.