RALEIGH, N.C. — The Pittsburgh Penguins haven’t won in Raleigh since 2018. They’re bringing a pretty significant reinforcement for Wednesday’s battle against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Sidney Crosby is back.
After missing the past 11 games because of a right knee injury sustained during the Olympics, Crosby, four weeks to the day since he was hurt in Canada’s quarterfinal win over the Czech Republic, is making his return to the lineup.
The Penguins went 5-3-3 without him.
“I’m excited to get back in it,” Crosby said. “I’ve watched these guys. Being on the trip, getting closer, it’s been close (to getting back). I’m happy to get back in there.”
Last month, a team official called Crosby’s situation a “four-week injury,” but Crosby said Wednesday wasn’t necessarily the target date for his return. Rather, he wanted to get comfortable with his knee and feel certain that he wasn’t risking further injury.
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“It’s just a matter of how I feel, trying to make sure that everything is good in every way,” he said. “Be ready to play, all that stuff. I don’t think specifically today was the target.”
The Penguins captain has been skating for two weeks and has taken part in all five morning skates on this road trip. When Wednesday’s morning skate began, instead of standing at the back of the pack, as had been the case on the four previous stops, Crosby stood between linemates Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell.
He will also operate on the top power-play unit alongside Evgeni Malkin, Rust, Rakell and Erik Karlsson.
Crosby has been impressed with the team’s performance in his absence.
“(They’re playing) really well,” he said of the Penguins, who sit in second place in the Eastern Conference’s Metropolitan Division, behind the Hurricanes. “It’s never easy watching. You see it on a nightly basis, the way we compete, the way we work. Coming back in games. A lot of different things. I want to jump right in there and contribute as best I can.”
Malkin made quite a splash in his return, scoring two beautiful goals and adding an assist in the Penguins’ 7-2 win in Colorado on Monday.
His longtime teammate was impressed.
“Great,” Crosby said of Malkin’s performance. “We were skating together. To see him come out like that, after missing five games, was huge. He set the bar high.”
Crosby knows what it’s like to return from a prolonged absence after an injury. He once missed nearly a full calendar year of action because of a concussion in 2012, along with many other injuries over his 21-season career.
He’s hoping the work he’s put in during the past two weeks in practice will ease his transition into Wednesday’s game.
“I think it’s more timing (that can be a challenge), things like that,” he said. “Those are the things that are hard to recreate in practice. We haven’t had a ton of practices. With the timing stuff, you have to be patient, making sure you’re doing your best to anticipate. As far as getting touches and handling the puck, I’ve done a lot of that the past couple of weeks.”
Crosby has scored 27 goals and produced 59 points in 56 games this season. He will need 12 points in the final 15 games of the season to continue his NHL record streak of 21 seasons averaging a point per game or better.
Of course, more importantly to Crosby, the Penguins are in playoff position but still have a lot of work to do if they will reach the postseason for the first time in four years. The Eastern Conference playoff race has reached absurd levels.
“It’s competitive,” Crosby said. “You see it on a nightly basis. Everyone is pushing for a few spots. But that’s the fun for a hockey player. Those are the games you want to be in.”
Starting Wednesday, he’ll get his chance.