Sidney Crosby, a longtime Philadelphia Flyers killer since the day he stepped foot in the NHL, has extended his contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins, much to the dismay of Flyers fans.
Crosby, 37, signed a two-year, $17.4 million ($8.7 million AAV) contract extension with the Penguins on Monday afternoon, tying him down in Pittsburgh until the 2026-27 season, when he’ll be 39.
Crosby is heading into the final year of a 12-year, $104.4 million (also an $8.7 million AAV) contract he signed with the Penguins on June 28, 2012, so the future Hockey Hall of Famer secures himself another two seasons of terrorizing the Flyers and other Metropolitan Division teams.
For those who may not know, Crosby started his career with a four-game point streak against Philadelphia, scoring two or more points in three of the four games. In total, the Cole Harbour, N.S., native has 55 goals, 74 assists, and 129 points in… 87 career games against the Orange and Black, per Statmuse.
That No. 87 seems to come up a lot, doesn’t it? Just a coincidence, surely…
Although the Flyers did manage to hold Crosby off the scoresheet entirely twice last season, the 37-year-old still showed flashes of dominance in his advanced age. Crosby picked up a goal in a Dec. 4 overtime loss before spinning back with one goal, three assists, and four points in a 7-6 win over Philadelphia on Feb. 25.
Most fans remember would not remember that game, in particular, fondly.
And now that Crosby got his No. 87 involved in another contract, I can safely extend my condolences to the sick and twisted Flyers fans out there who were ambitiously dreaming of the day the Penguins superstar turned to the dark side to command a line with Flyers ace Matvei Michkov.
We may have to wait for an alternate universe to be discovered before considering that one again in the future.
