Sidney Crosby is once again heading into an NHL season while entering the final year of his contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The situation already happened as recently as 2024, but the circumstances surrounding Crosby’s future now appear far different than they did two summers ago when he signed a two-year, $17.4 million contract.
The franchise captain will play his 22nd NHL season after helping Pittsburgh return to the playoffs in 2025-26, easing many of the questions that previously surrounded his long-term future with the organization.
According to The Athletic’s Josh Yohe, Crosby’s future will remain tied to the Penguins, and his next contract could follow a familiar timeline after a recent conversation with Crosby’s longtime agent, Pat Brisson.
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Yohe reported that Brisson and Crosby have not talked about his next contract, mostly because of the nature of the offseason. However, Brisson acknowledged the two will discuss it before the start of the preseason.
“When I recently spoke with Crosby’s agent, Pat Brisson, he said he hadn’t discussed the contract with Crosby yet, indicating he was letting his most famous client enjoy his summer before getting back to business,” Yohe reported. “Brisson said there’s an understanding that they’ll discuss the contract before summer is over. The Penguins’ first preseason game is Sept. 21.”
That timeline mirrors Crosby’s previous extension, which was finalized on Sept. 16, 2024, shortly before training camp opened.
In Yohe’s eyes, the “smart money” is on Crosby signing another contract sometime between now and the middle of September, adding that a new agreement “seems inevitable,” and that it will be for “likely one or two” years.
Crosby, meanwhile, already made his intentions clear earlier this year while representing Canada at the 2026 IIHF World Championship in May.
“Not at all,” Crosby responded when asked if the 2026-27 season could be his final NHL campaign, coinciding with the end of his current contract. “If it makes sense to sign for a couple of years, then we’ll do that.”
Pittsburgh finished last year with a 41-25-16 record and crashed out of the playoffs in the first round, losing 4-2 to the Philadelphia Flyers. Crosby wrapped up the season with 74 points in 68 regular-season games, having five points in the postseason.
