Does Sidney Crosby ever play another playoff game?

[TkachukNorris79]

The Pens have been so good for so long and it shows in their prospect pool. Whenever they decide to rebuild, it will be 3-5 years of suck. So why start that now?

They will be at least an average team while they still have Crosby/Malkin/Letang, and average teams can always sneak into the playoffs with a good run late in the year, which the Pens are totally capable of doing.

I don't see him playing a game for another team, but if he does then obviously it's be with a contender and he'd be in the playoffs yet again.

 

[Zbynek]

As long as the next GM is competent, I don’t see why the Pens won’t be a playoff team again next year. They barely missed this year with absolutely no depth and horrible goaltending. We still would have made the playoffs is Sullivan got canned.

Exactly, like someone else pointed out already, Pens were literally 1 OT win away from the 8th seed, or a regulation win from a matchup with the Hurricanes.

Restructure the defense this offseason in a non-Hextall sort of way and bring in an actually competent goalie. Don't see how the Pens can't compete with Canes, Devils and Rags for the division.

 

[trick9]

I don't think so, unless he's traded.

 

[biturbo19]

The Pens have been so good for so long and it shows in their prospect pool. Whenever they decide to rebuild, it will be 3-5 years of suck. So why start that now?

They will be at least an average team while they still have Crosby/Malkin/Letang, and average teams can always sneak into the playoffs with a good run late in the year, which the Pens are totally capable of doing.

I don't see him playing a game for another team, but if he does then obviously it's be with a contender and he'd be in the playoffs yet again.

Yeah. Exactly. They're not far off at all, from sneaking into the playoffs...where anything can happen.


It's going to be rough for quite a while when they finally do move on from Crosby/Malkin in a few years. It's going to take a lot of years to rebuild a prospect pool that is quite barren after so many years of mortgaging the future to contend every year for a decade. They're going to be effectively starting from scratch. But that's fine. It'll take a while. But i don't get why some people are in such a rush to see them dive into those years of misery and futility when they're still right there on the door of the playoffs. I'd want to milk every last bit out of that "era" of Penguins hockey before diving into the cellar. Plenty of time for sucking later.

And this idea of starting the rebuild while still competing and making some smooth transition from the Crosby/Malkin era to the "Next Era" is just a naïve pipe dream. So they really are a team where it makes sense to just continue to go "all in" and push for what you can while you still have these star players. Rebuild by completely bottoming out when you eventually do lose those core players to age...just like they did when building this core in the first place.

 

[LeonDraisaitl]

100% he’s way too competitive to not play another playoff game

 

[Crabapple]

Yes, with the Pens

 

[Midnight Judges]

Half the teams make the playoffs and he's got like 3-4 years left probably (more if he wants, or less if he wants).

They were a bubble team this year. There's no real solid way to know they can't be 5-10% better next year or the year after that.

So odds are yes he'll see the playoffs again.

 

[Toby91ca]

Yeah. Exactly. They're not far off at all, from sneaking into the playoffs...where anything can happen.


It's going to be rough for quite a while when they finally do move on from Crosby/Malkin in a few years. It's going to take a lot of years to rebuild a prospect pool that is quite barren after so many years of mortgaging the future to contend every year for a decade. They're going to be effectively starting from scratch. But that's fine. It'll take a while. But i don't get why some people are in such a rush to see them dive into those years of misery and futility when they're still right there on the door of the playoffs. I'd want to milk every last bit out of that "era" of Penguins hockey before diving into the cellar. Plenty of time for sucking later.

And this idea of starting the rebuild while still competing and making some smooth transition from the Crosby/Malkin era to the "Next Era" is just a naïve pipe dream. So they really are a team where it makes sense to just continue to go "all in" and push for what you can while you still have these star players. Rebuild by completely bottoming out when you eventually do lose those core players to age...just like they did when building this core in the first place.

They almost lost the team last time though, so they will probably try the best they can to avoid that. However, doing so probably keeps them mediocre for the foreseeable future.

 

[Gunnersaurus Rex]

Not with Pittsburgh

 

[orby]

He has two years left on his current contract. I bet the Pens sneak in one of those two years since they are not gonna rebuild. Beyond that, who knows.

 

[Matt Ress]

In the ultimate Fúü, they trade Crosby to the Capitals for several firsts and prospects right before he retires following his first shift in DC.

 

[Backcheckmonster3]

Yes, with Colorado in 1-3 years.

 

[megajake]

Not on the Penguins. They're only going to get worse

 

[Sky04]

Penguins miss the Playoffs by 1 point and everybody writes them off. They started the season (Oct-Dec) 2-6 in extra time and finished 9-11. A couple of extra wins in OT at the beginning of the season and none of these threads are happening and the streak would still be in effect.

But no, everyone is claiming doom and gloom and this era is over like they finished bottom of the league 30 points back.

Cool, they also had Malkin and Crosby in every game for the first time, that's highly unlikely to happen again given their injury histories. Both are likely to decline in production rather than increase too.

Not like their team is getting any better either or they have any good players coming up.

 

[keglu]

As long as the next GM is competent, I don’t see why the Pens won’t be a playoff team again next year. They barely missed this year with absolutely no depth and horrible goaltending. We still would have made the playoffs is Sullivan got canned.

Problem is there is more improving teams in the East than declining. I assume Ottawa and Buffalo should make it next year so Pens need to pass 3 currently PO teams.

 

[MoeBartoli]

Went 50/50 because it won’t be with the Pens If he does.

 

[byrath]

Slightly more likely than not. Unsure is the only answer that makes sense here.

 

[wetcoast]

Or just league average goaltending.

I came to say this but surprisingly they were 12 in GA last season so maybe a slightly healthier season from Jarry would be more apt.

 

[LTIR]

Does Sid need to play another playoffs game?
What's left to prove?

He just needs to retire a Pen and take up a job with front office afterwards... Might even become a part owner

 

[dalewood12]

I should have waited 8 months to create this poll.

 

[bobholly39]

I should have waited 8 months to create this poll.

They're 5 points back of WC1 with 2 games in hand. If they win them, they're 1 point back with 36 games to go.

They're 5 points back of WC2 with 3 games in hand. If they win them, they're 1 point ahead with 35 games to go.

I know the playoff race in the east includes a lot of teams this year, but I still think the Penguins end up qualifying. My answer wouldn't change.

 

[Suntouchable13]

They're 5 points back of WC1 with 2 games in hand. If they win them, they're 1 point back with 36 games to go.

They're 5 points back of WC2 with 3 games in hand. If they win them, they're 1 point ahead with 35 games to go.

I know the playoff race in the east includes a lot of teams this year, but I still think the Penguins end up qualifying. My answer wouldn't change.

To me, this doesn't look like a team that will go on a run. They are what they are, and that's a team that is just barely OUT of the playoffs.

 

[PromisedLand]

Voting no with the assumption the Sid would retire as a penguin. If he goes to another team then thats a different story

 

[bobholly39]

To me, this doesn't look like a team that will go on a run. They are what they are, and that's a team that is just barely OUT of the playoffs.

They've been a mess all year, I don't disagree. I'm hoping they can go on a run soon, but we'll see.

The point is - making the playoffs or not this year seems like a 50/50 bet. And then there's next year. Crosby never playing another playoff game again is extremely unlikely to me.

 

[wetcoast]

They're 5 points back of WC1 with 2 games in hand. If they win them, they're 1 point back with 36 games to go.

They're 5 points back of WC2 with 3 games in hand. If they win them, they're 1 point ahead with 35 games to go.

I know the playoff race in the east includes a lot of teams this year, but I still think the Penguins end up qualifying. My answer wouldn't change.

That being said they sure find a way to not win games and there is a lot of dysfunction with the Pens team but I sure hope we get to see Sid and company in the playoffs at least 1 more time.

But the thing is that Sid has been doing his part it's just a question if the rest of the group can give him some help as he is having an all time elite 36 year old season.