After First-Round Loss to Flyers, Penguins Star Sidney Crosby Doesn't Sound Like Someone Ready to Retire
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After First-Round Loss to Flyers, Penguins Star Sidney Crosby Doesn't Sound Like Someone Ready to Retire originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Penguins entered the 2026 NHL Playoffs hoping to make another deep run with captain Sidney Crosby, but the Pens fell to the Flyers in their first-round series.
With Pittsburgh's season over, all eyes will now turn to Crosby's future and how the organization will handle his final years in the NHL. Here's what Crosby has said about retirement.
Will Sidney Crosby retire?
Crosby still has a year left on his contract, hinting at a likely return for the 2026-27 season. He played in 68 games this season, missing an extended stretch after suffering an injury at the Winter Olympics, but he still produced a team-high 74 points (29 goals, 45 assists).
After the Game 6 loss to the Flyers on Wednesday night, Crosby spoke like someone who is planning to return.
"Hopefully we can keep it going," Crosby said about his connection with longtime teammates Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.
Sidney Crosby on Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang: “They’re like family. … Hopefully we can keep it going.” — From Taylor Haase in Philadelphia— DK Pittsburgh Sports (@DKPghSports) April 30, 2026
Before the season began, NHL insiders believed it was more likely that Crosby would be traded than retire, although that chatter came when the Penguins were not expected to make the playoffs.
"I know that if all my energy isn't towards what it needs to be, then I'm not giving myself the best chance for it to be successful," Crosby said about trade possibilities (via ESPN). "If it ever came to that point, I would discuss it, but I don't feel like I'm there."
The Penguins' resurgence this year likely gives Crosby hope that Pittsburgh can contend for the Stanley Cup title before he steps away from the game. Even with a disappointing first-round showing, he doesn't seem ready to enter the next phase of his life.
Sidney Crosby contract
Crosby is finishing the first season of a two-year, $17.4 million extension that he signed with the Penguins in 2024. He has one year left on the contract ($8.7 million), and he could become a free agent in the summer of 2027.
That contract also includes a no-trade clause, giving Crosby full control over his future. Therefore, he is likely to finish out his contract before making a decision about retirement, barring any surprises.
Malkin will be a free agent this summer, but veteran defensemen Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang are signed through 2027 and 2028, respectively.
How old is Sidney Crosby?
Crosby is 38 years old and will turn 39 in August before the start of the 2026-27 season. The Penguins captain has been in the league for more than two decades, capturing three Stanley Cup championships and winning the Hart Trophy twice.
