The Pittsburgh Penguins announced they re-signed captain Sidney Crosby to a two-year contract extension with an average annual value of $8.7 million.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Crosby, 37, is entering the final season of his 12-year, $104.4 million contract with the same AAV. TSN’s Chris Johnston reports the Penguins captain will end up playing 19 seasons of his NHL career earning that $8.7 million annual cap hit.
Crosby will earn a $9 million signing bonus in 2025-26 and a $6.53 million bonus for 2026-27.
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).
There was speculation earlier this summer that Crosby’s next contract would be a three-year deal worth around $10 million. As with his previous contracts since coming off his entry-level deal in 2008, he’s left a lot of money on the table to give the Penguins the cap flexibility to build up other areas of their roster.
The Penguins aren’t overpaying an old veteran star well past his prime. Despite his age, Crosby remains among the NHL’s elite players. He tallied 42 goals and 52 assists for 94 points in 82 games last season on a Penguins squad considerably less talented than those he captained to three Stanley Cups, finishing 12th overall among the league’s leading scorers.
General manager Kyle Dubas expressed the gratitude of the Penguins’ front office. “Sid is making a tremendous personal sacrifice in an effort to help the Penguins win, both now and in the future, as he has done for his entire career.”
Crosby’s made plenty of other money through endorsements and other opportunities. Nevertheless, it’s rare for a generational player to consistently accept less than market value on his contracts.
It’s not all tied to his superstitious feelings about No. 87. He’s taken the term “team player” to a different level.