Sidney Crosby & Penguins Working On Contract Extension
"The smart money would be on Crosby signing a new deal sometime between now and the middle of September," Yohe wrote. "That's how it went before, that's the timeline Crosby is comfortable with, and a new contract seems inevitable."
A Pattern Crosby Has Followed Before
Crosby signed his current two-year, $17.4 million extension in September 2024, working right up against a similar deadline before locking things in. Yohe's reporting suggests the captain is comfortable operating on that same late-summer schedule again.
Sidney Crosby is reportedly likely to sign an extension with the Penguins before the season starts, per @JoshYohe_PGH 👀
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) August 18, 2026
Crosby has 1 year left on his current contract, with his next deal expected to add another 1 or 2 years. And in typical Sid fashion, he'll be working with the… pic.twitter.com/bQz8f4bZsP
Crosby made his intentions to keep playing clear back in May, when asked whether 2026-27 could be his final season. "Not at all," he said, adding that he prefers negotiating extensions on a year-to-year basis rather than committing to something longer.
"I said year to year because of where the team is at. It just makes sense, whether it's our cap, who we have coming in and out, just to have that flexibility."
Pittsburgh Isn't Worried
Part of the calm comes down to what happened last season. The Penguins returned to the playoffs for the first time in four years, and Crosby, at 38, still produced at nearly a point-per-game pace with 74 points in 68 games.
That success has removed the kind of trade speculation that dogged him during quieter Pittsburgh stretches in years past.
Yohe also reported that Crosby's next deal will likely run just one or two more seasons, continuing the short-term, team-friendly approach that have been his recent contracts.
His current $8.7 million cap hit is already considered one of the best value contracts in the league relative to his production, and Yohe's sources suggest Crosby is prepared to work with GM Kyle Dubas on similarly favorable terms rather than push for a market-rate deal.
Sidney Crosby doesn’t sound like a guy preparing to leave Pittsburgh. 🐧
— Hockey Patrol (@HockeyPatrol) August 18, 2026
Crosby is entering the final year of his contract, but another deal with the Penguins is still very much on the table.
According to Josh Yohe of The Athletic, Crosby’s agent Pat Brisson said the two… pic.twitter.com/d7WG9epUJv
Crosby's agent Pat Brisson told Yohe he hadn't yet discussed the contract with his client directly, having deliberately let Crosby enjoy his offseason before getting into business.
Crosby will open his 22nd NHL season on September 30 against Philadelphia, the longest tenure of any athlete in Pittsburgh professional sports history.
