The Pittsburgh Penguins and Sidney Crosby keep pushing toward the franchise’s first postseason appearance since they last made the playoffs in 2022.
The Penguins are battling for position in the Metropolitan Division, currently sitting second with a 34-18-16 record and 84 points with 14 games left in their schedule.
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Crosby has been a central part of that push, producing 28 goals and 33 assists in 57 games this season, but he hadn’t played for Pittsburgh since he left for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympics to represent Canada on the international stage.
The Penguins remained competitive during Crosby’s absence, posting a 5-3-2 record while he missed time leading up to his comeback game on Wednesday.
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) comes off the ice after warmups.James Guillory-Imagn Images
(James Guillory-Imagn Images)
The captain returned to the lineup to face the Hurricanes after an 11-game absence and made an immediate impact, scoring one goal and assisting on another.
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Crosby’s return removed him from injured reserve and brought Pittsburgh to 16 forwards on the active roster, forcing the franchise to make an adjustment and remove one of its players from the team.
On Thursday, the Penguins announced that forward Avery Hayes has indeed been reassigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League.
Hayes, 23, appeared in 11 games with Pittsburgh this season, scoring two goals. Down in the AHL, he has played 36 games this campaign while scoring 19 goals and assisting on 11 for a total of 30 points.
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The young forward had already been scratched in consecutive games for the Penguins, and with Evgeni Malkin also returning to the lineup following a five-game suspension, there was no room for him anymore.
The Penguins will return to action on Saturday when they’ll host the Winnipeg Jets at 1 p.m. ET.
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Related: Oilers Coach Shares Update on Leon Draisaitl’s Postseason Outlook
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the NHL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.