Sidney Crosby’s Anticipated Return

RALEIGH, N.C. — Sidney Crosby, the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, is set to make his comeback on Wednesday against Carolina. He’s been sidelined for almost a month due to a lower-body injury he picked up while playing for Canada at the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games.

“I’m really excited to be back,” Crosby shared with reporters following the team’s morning skate.

It’s been a tough time for him. Crosby hasn’t played since he sprained his right leg in a clash with Radko Gudas from the Czech Republic during the Olympic quarterfinals. After the Olympic break, the Penguins placed the 38-year-old on injured reserve.

Despite Crosby’s absence from the lineup for 11 games, Pittsburgh has managed a surprising 5-3-3 record, putting them in second place in the Metropolitan Division with less than a month remaining in the season. They’re aiming to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022.

“Watching from the sidelines is never easy, but it really makes you appreciate what the team is doing night in and night out,” Crosby reflected.

This season, he has recorded 27 goals and 32 assists in 56 games, maintaining a consistent scoring rate that keeps him on track to extend his NHL record of averaging at least one point per game across successive years.

Crosby’s return comes after he has been skating with the team for a bit now. This coincides with a stretch where the Penguins face formidable opponents, including the division-leading Hurricanes.

Penguins manager Dan Muse highlighted Crosby’s leadership, noting that it has been crucial even while he was out of the lineup, contributing to the team’s current success.

Interestingly, Crosby’s return comes on the heels of his teammate Evgeni Malkin, who recently completed a five-game suspension for an incident involving Rasmus Dahlin from Buffalo, and made an impact by scoring two goals against Colorado. “Seeing him come back strong after missing five games was huge,” Crosby commented about Malkin. “He really set the bar high.”