GDT: Free Agency Day 1: You're from Boston? Come on down

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Yeah 3 years seems a bit odd for an extension. More likely than not, I think Geno probably retires after his current contract. I cant imagine him wanting to keep playing in his 40s. Its possible that Geno/Letang are gone and Sid is by himself for his last 1-2 years.

Isn't Letang's contract something zany like 6 years?

I feel like he's gonna try to attempt the whole thing.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Not really, 3 years makes the MOST sense since that will put him the same as Letang.


Always comes down to cost. Malkin at $3mil as 3C would be fine by me.

That's just going to push back the rebuild even further just to needlessly hold onto Crosby and Malkin in their late 30s/40s.

Karlsson is a piece they flat out have to sell for the rebuild. Re-signing Crosby and Malkin for the 2026-2027 makes me think it's much less likely Karlsson gets sold.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Yeah, ideal scenario is they both retire after 2026 and that's that. Three years feels like too much. Sid's one of the greatest of all time but I really don't wanna watch as the dude becomes Shaq on the Celtics or something.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

Guy is coming off a 94 point season with the worst team PP% of his entire career, and you think he needs to go to Colorado to chase numbers?

He said IF he wants to chase numbers.

Nobody wants Crosby to leave. I just think at this point it's not that unusual to wonder what the alternatives would look like. Like... I absolutely do no regret keeping the core together as they have not been the problem. But the actual problems have caught up to the point where I can't help but think that maybe it would have been better if Letang and Malkin went to serious teams with actual aspirations. Same goes for Crosby although with him obviously the legacy implications are even bigger.

 

[Gurglesons]

That's just going to push back the rebuild even further just to needlessly hold onto Crosby and Malkin in their late 30s/40s.

Karlsson is a piece they flat out have to sell for the rebuild. Re-signing Crosby and Malkin for the 2026-2027 makes me think it's much less likely Karlsson gets sold.

Don't be shocked when you see multiple moves like this...

 

[Andy P]

Crosby signing for 3 years @ 2.9 million... 2.9x3=8.7

 

[Randy Butternubs]

f*** if I care if they sign the old farts for some decent money to hit the cap floor when they should be tanking. Sign them and then put them on IR. Then fill the lineup with bozos.

Tank tank tank

 

[SEALBound]

That's just going to push back the rebuild even further just to needlessly hold onto Crosby and Malkin in their late 30s/40s.

Karlsson is a piece they flat out have to sell for the rebuild. Re-signing Crosby and Malkin for the 2026-2027 makes me think it's much less likely Karlsson gets sold.

Fair but if Sid re-ups for 3yrs to put him in line with Letang through the end of the 2027-28 season, does it matter THAT much if Malkin resigns for 2 more years cheap to end it with them? Karlsson has 3 years left and I 100% agree that he's a piece you trade before the end. I could honestly support trading him in any of the coming three seasons. While he's good I don't see him as a critical piece necessary to contend again.

Crosby signing for 3 years @ 2.9 million... 2.9x3=8.7

From your lips to Sid/Dubas/God's ears.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

It's gonna be sad enough to watch Malkin next year I'm betting.

I don't want to watch him out there toiling every night with the next generation of ZARs still getting blamed for every loss by the coach, GM, media and angry fans when he's like 41. Hell if it weren't for that 500 goal thing I'd prefer he retire right now.

 

[IcedCapp]

Guy is coming off a 94 point season with the worst team PP% of his entire career, and you think he needs to go to Colorado to chase numbers?

we had an historically bad PP (which point-getters usually rely on to get points), his linemates are going to be worse this year than last year, and he's going to be a year older.

I did not mean specifically COL (although I feel like that's maybe the only place he'd be willing to end his career outside of PIT), but any place with a truly good team will make point accumulation easier for him

 

[Invalid cuz QoC]

It's gonna be sad enough to watch Malkin next year I'm betting.

I don't want to watch him out there toiling every night with the next generation of ZARs still getting blamed for every loss by the coach, GM, media and angry fans when he's like 41. Hell if it weren't for that 500 goal thing I'd prefer he retire right now.

60-75 pts depending on the pp.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

we had an historically bad PP (which point-getters usually rely on to get points), his linemates are going to be worse this year than last year, and he's going to be a year older.

I did not mean specifically COL (although I feel like that's maybe the only place he'd be willing to end his career outside of PIT), but any place with a truly good team will make point accumulation easier for him

Yeah this is going out on a limb but I'm thinking that trading a 90ish point, 40ish goal player and replacing him with Kevin Hayes MIGHT have an impact even on Sid Crosby's numbers.

60-75 pts depending on the pp.

That seems wildly optimistic but here's to hoping. There's a good chance they don't even play Malkin on the top unit.

 

[Tom Hanks]

f*** if I care if they sign the old farts for some decent money to hit the cap floor when they should be tanking. Sign them and then put them on IR. Then fill the lineup with bozos.

Tank tank tank

 

[AuroraBorealis]

I agree with both of you, but I was trying to figure out why he allegedly wants 3 years specifically. Shorter gives him more flexibility and if he wants money the Penguins would surely give him whatever he asked for on term.

To retire at 40. He thinks that's a good number, and doesn't see himself going beyond it. Sid's talked about that with Friedman and Marek. He just wants to get through these last negotiations and never have to go through it again.
Sid's a simple guy that looks for simple solutions, like always.

 

[MrBurghundy]

God bless the idiot then. This team in three more years is gonna be a full on shitshow. I wonder if that's the delay--he knows this team is headed for a steep nosedive and probably wants no part in that, but at the same time, hockey's all the dude's ever known and hanging up the skates is probably gonna be akin to losing a loved one.

I could see Sid going into a management role somewhere after he hangs them up. Following in Yzerman's footsteps.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

Crosby signing for 3 years @ 2.9 million... 2.9x3=8.7

You joke... That could actually happen.

 

[SEALBound]

I could see Sid going into a management role somewhere after he hangs them up. Following in Yzerman's footsteps.

Something with Hockey Canada I would imagine. Making him more of a global ambassador is what I see. But hey, if he wants to be AGM to Dubas alongside Spezza, I'm 100% supportive.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

I could see Sid going into a management role somewhere after he hangs them up. Following in Yzerman's footsteps.

I've said similar things in previous discussions. I see him walking away from the game for a couple of years then feeling the draw back into the game. Lands somewhere as an assistant. Maybe under where ever Billy G ends up if he isn't still with the Wild. Or maybe wherever Hornqvist ends up as he is working his way up that ladder right now with the Panthers. And if he is even fractionally as good in a front office role as he has been on the ice over his life. I hope he ends up in the Pittsburgh front office sometime down the line.

 

[ThosePuckingPenguins]

I could see Sid going into a management role somewhere after he hangs them up. Following in Yzerman's footsteps.

I think there’s two options from Sid that we’ll see: follow in Yzerman’s footsteps and becomes a GM — maybe in Pittsburgh where he spent his entire career or he’s going to go back to Cole Harbour and we never hear from him again lol.

Neither would surprise me.

 

[IcedCapp]

I think there’s two options from Sid that we’ll see: follow in Yzerman’s footsteps and becomes a GM — maybe in Pittsburgh where he spent his entire career or he’s going to go back to Cole Harbour and we never hear from him again lol.

Neither would surprise me.

i would be surprised if he simply disappeared from the world entirely. I could see him taking some sort of hockey position that was way way out of the limelight, but to disappear entirely, that I would find surprising, just because of how much hockey is in his blood. It's so hard for guys like him to just cut it off entirely

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

If I come at it from my POV... it would be a relief to actually retire, be my true self and have a normal life away from all the lights and cameras 24/7 after living and breathing hockey for the first 40 years of my existence. But Crosby really seems to love it. You watch the guy help run hockey camps for kids etc. and he genuinely seems engaged and happy. So yeah... as tempted as I am to say he could very well disappear from the hockey world... I very much doubt it.

Crosby could be one of the few former legendary players who might even make a decent coach. Though I would not wish that fate upon him.

 

[IcedCapp]

If I come at it from my POV... it would be a relief to actually retire, be my true self and have a normal life away from all the lights and cameras 24/7 after living and breathing hockey for the first 40 years of my existence. But Crosby really seems to love it. You watch the guy help run hockey camps for kids etc. and he genuinely seems engaged and happy. So yeah... as tempted as I am to say he could very well disappear from the hockey world... I very much doubt it.

Crosby could be one of the few former legendary players who might even make a decent coach. Though I would not wish that fate upon him.

yah that's where i'm at.

Though, Crosby is a bit confusing to me. As competitive as he is, as much as he knows and appreciates history, the fact that he's willing to stay in a situation where he will never win again and may never add to his PO PPG is weird. He wants to follow in Mario's footsteps, he feels a loyalty to the team, i get all of that, and as someone mentioned yesterday, these hyper competitive types always feel like they can compete, but I feel like deep down the big-3 gotta know the Penguins' time as contenders is over, so it's weird that he would re-sign here and be OK with not cementing himself as a top-5 player of all-time.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

I think there’s two options from Sid that we’ll see: follow in Yzerman’s footsteps and becomes a GM — maybe in Pittsburgh where he spent his entire career or he’s going to go back to Cole Harbour and we never hear from him again lol.

Neither would surprise me.

I highly doubt he walks away completely. Its been to much of a life obsession for him. You do anything for 20+ years of your adult life (not counting childhood) and it would be hard to just flip that switch off and leave it off forever. Maybe for a couple of years after he retires we don't hear anything from him... But he will for certain pop back up somewhere. Assistant GM with someone he has ties to, some front office job with Pittsburgh, maybe Hockey Canada. I highly doubt he would go the TV route given his personality... But never say never.

Anyways... I highly HIGHLY doubt he just completely sails off into the sunset after he hangs up the skates and pads.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

If I come at it from my POV... it would be a relief to actually retire, be my true self and have a normal life away from all the lights and cameras 24/7 after living and breathing hockey for the first 40 years of my existence. But Crosby really seems to love it. You watch the guy help run hockey camps for kids etc. and he genuinely seems engaged and happy. So yeah... as tempted as I am to say he could very well disappear from the hockey world... I very much doubt it.

Crosby could be one of the few former legendary players who might even make a decent coach. Though I would not wish that fate upon him.

I can understand what you mean man. I am looking at just a handful of years before my first career is over. I know I will walk away for awhile. But I will end up dipping my toes back in from time to time. Everyone that knows me well says the same thing. So your perspective isn't off base from the reality of someone with only a handful of pages left of the book of a career.

 

[BlindWillyMcHurt]

yah that's where i'm at.

Though, Crosby is a bit confusing to me. As competitive as he is, as much as he knows and appreciates history, the fact that he's willing to stay in a situation where he will never win again and may never add to his PO PPG is weird. He wants to follow in Mario's footsteps, he feels a loyalty to the team, i get all of that, and as someone mentioned yesterday, these hyper competitive types always feel like they can compete, but I feel like deep down the big-3 gotta know the Penguins' time as contenders is over, so it's weird that he would re-sign here and be OK with not cementing himself as a top-5 player of all-time.

It's a little confusing to me, too.

There's a lot I could say. But I guess it all comes down to me being extremely baffled with the path that this team chose to take while Crosby is still around. And it's maybe even more baffling that Crosby would be THIS loyal while the team is wallowing around in dysfunction. Not that I'm not grateful. But at this point I find myself thinking more of what COULD have been for those three as opposed to what inevitably will. And that's kinda sad.

We should be talking about how awesome it is that the old guys are still making the playoffs and that hey maybe NEXT year they can even win another round with some of the right moves. Instead we're rationalizing Kevin Hayes being a good thing because he came with a second round pick. Gross. And this isn't a one year fluke, sadly. This franchise has been a playoff loser or straight up absent altogether for many years now and the team just seems... totally fine with it.