What Happened
Sidney Crosby is preparing for his 22nd NHL season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, whose opener in Philadelphia was less than 36 hours away at the time of a late-September practice. According to Sportsnet, Crosby completed an hour-long session and then remained on the ice for more than 20 additional minutes with longtime teammates Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. Coach Dan Muse, who took over in the summer of 2025, said the trio's time on the ice still stands out to him.
Key Details
- Crosby is entering his 22nd NHL season and is closing in on his 40th birthday.
- He made his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2005.
- Crosby is the NHL's seventh all-time leading scorer and is soon to be top five.
- He stayed on the ice more than 20 minutes after practice with Malkin and Letang.
- Rookie goaltender Sergei Murashov took part in the practice.
- Coach Dan Muse took over the Penguins in the summer of 2025.
What It Means
Crosby remains the standard-setter for a Pittsburgh core that includes Malkin and Letang, both of whom are also well into their careers. Muse is entering his second season behind the bench and has said the veterans' extra work is not the norm. The report frames Crosby's preparation as unchanged even as he approaches 40, with the Penguins opening on the road in Philadelphia.
What's Next
The Penguins open the 2026-27 season in Philadelphia. Crosby's next scoring milestone is a move into the top five on the NHL's all-time points list.