Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby recognizes the 2021-22 Stanley Cup Playoffs could be the last opportunity for his club's longtime core to chase a championship.
Teammates Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are set for unrestricted free agency this summer.
"As much as you don't want to think about it, it's something that you understand could be a possibility," Crosby told NHL.com's Wes Crosby. "I think you just try to enjoy it as much as you can, and try to take it all in because you know it's something that's not going to last forever, whether it's this year or down the road a little bit more.
"You only get to play for so long, so I think just trying to enjoy it and be grateful for the opportunity that we have to do it again."
Crosby (34 years old), Malkin (35), and Letang (35) have been teammates for the past 16 seasons, qualifying for the playoffs each year and winning the Stanley Cup in 2009, 2016, and 2017. The only campaign Crosby's Penguins failed to reach the postseason was his rookie year in 2005-06, before Malkin and Letang debuted in the NHL.
Although they're well into their 30s, the trio is still the engine that drives the Penguins.
2021-22 stats
| Player | GP | PTS | ATOI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crosby | 68 | 84 | 20:01 |
| Malkin | 40 | 40 | 18:25 |
| Letang | 77 | 67 | 25:48 |
Malkin currently carries a $9.5-million average annual value, while Letang earns $7.25 million per season. Both high-profile players could command big-ticket contracts on the open market, but the Penguins could attempt to retain the pair of superstars. Pittsburgh has more than $29 million in projected cap space this offseason, according to CapFriendly.
Crosby is signed through 2024-25 at a yearly cap hit of $8.7 million.
The Penguins currently sit third in the Metropolitan Division with 101 points and one game remaining. The Washington Capitals are hot in pursuit of their archrivals with 100 points of their own and a game in hand.
