![\"Sidney](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/sidneycrosby050126.jpg\")
Sidney Crosby\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSidney Crosby\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Watching Sidney Crosby on the ice, it would seem he has eyes in the back of his head. And on the sides. The Pittsburgh Penguins long-time captain seems to also have keen vision in terms of where the club stands after the 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n
PHN posed a question to Crosby Friday on locker-cleanout day about the dichotomy of a regular season that was much better than predicted and yet a first-round loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in the playoffs.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe probably surprised a lot of people, just the way we came together, the energy that we played with, just a really great group,\u201d Crosby said. \u201cIt was fun to come to the rink every day, especially when you\u2019re winning and you\u2019re starting to see everything come together. That\u2019s really cool to be a part of. It doesn\u2019t always work out that way. Sometimes it works out the other way where expectations are high and you don\u2019t deliver. I feel like as a group we probably did a lot more than people expected, so I think that\u2019s something to be proud of, but also it still stings that we feel like we could be playing in Game 7 here.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you look at the season as a whole, there\u2019s a lot to be proud about there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Penguins rallied from an 0-3 deficit against the Flyers with two wins, but they could not force a Game 7 \u2014 which would have been Saturday at home \u2014 by falling 1-0 in overtime <\/a>in Game 6 on Wednesday.<\/p>\n Looking back, the Penguins were widely expected to miss the playoffs for the fourth straight season and perhaps snatch a good draft lottery slot. Instead, they finished in second place in the Metropolitan Division with 98 points.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we took some good steps,\u201d Crosby said. \u201cJust the way we came together \u2014 guys stepped up individually. You look at it, a lot of guys had career years, so I think that\u2019s a reflection of guys\u2019 individual play, but also as a group \u2013 the coaching staff, management. Everyone deserves a lot of credit for that, but it\u2019s a step. You\u2019ve got to continue to grow and get better. It\u2019s a starting point for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Crosby touched on a few other topics:<\/p>\n #He said he has no lingering effects of the knee injury that knocked him out of the Olympics and does not need any surgery or other offseason procedures. \u201cPhysically I feel really good,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n #He has not \u201ceven had any discussions\u201d about joining Team Canada for the IIHF world championships starting May 15 in Switzerland.<\/p>\n #After his record 21st straight season averaging at least a point a game (29 goals, 74 points in 68 games), he offered this self-assessment: \u201cI feel like I\u2019m always evaluating that, even within the season. With a long season, being injured, that sort of thing. There were points where I felt like I played good and parts that I felt like I wanted to be better. Overall, pretty happy with it.\u201d<\/p>\n #With one season left on his contract, he is taking a wait-and-see approach. He is eligible to sign an extension this summer. He also will turn 39 this summer. \u201cAs far as how long I want to play, I don\u2019t know,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s tough. It\u2019s one of those things that it\u2019s a year-to-year thing and how you feel, but I feel pretty good overall and I\u2019m happy generally with the season.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTags: Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> Shelly Anderson<\/a> Sidney Crosby<\/a> <\/p>\n