Penguins and Crosby agree to team friendly deal
Posted 6:26 PM ET | Comments 4
When the Penguins drafted Sidney Crosby in 2005 their expectations for the player they would be getting were high. All scouting reports on him were nearly the same. He was regarded as player that had the all-around skills of a player that could deeply affect whatever franchise drafted him. Today, he has certainly lived up to those expectations. Crosby very quickly became a league wide sensation and most people familiar with the league, are familiar with him, and see his face as the face of the league.
For the last two seasons Crosby has missed considerable amounts of time due to a neck injury and concussion related symptoms. But it is tough to argue against him being a dominant player when he has been on the ice. The Penguins feel the same way. They showed that today when the two sides agreed in principle to a 12 year $104 million contract. The contract will pay Crosby $9 million over the first nine years. The contract does not raise Crosby's salary to any extremes and it stands to reason that Shero will use the money saved to help transform the team for a new campaign.
Ray Shero and the Penguins are aware of the risk they are taking due to the injury concerns that have been prevalent over the last two seasons, but they, like most in the NHL believe that to not take care of Crosby would be foolish. If they did not work a deal with him, another team would. The risks are ones the Penguins are completely fine with taking on.
As mentioned, the deal has been agreed upon in principle. The league offices still have to approve the deal which they will have submitted to them on Sunday, also the day free agency officially begins. Many parts of this offseason could certainly be characterized as unknown and interesting, but this may be the most obvious and boring part of it. The Penguins knew they would reach an amicable agreement and so did Crosby and his management.
Now for many Penguins fans, the focus shifts to Evgeni Malkin and his current contract. He will be a free agent in two seasons, and just like today, the Penguins and Ray Shero feel they can reach another cementing agreement with Malkin.
But until then, the offseason rages on and in just a few short days the free agency process will begin. It's an exciting time for hockey!
For the last two seasons Crosby has missed considerable amounts of time due to a neck injury and concussion related symptoms. But it is tough to argue against him being a dominant player when he has been on the ice. The Penguins feel the same way. They showed that today when the two sides agreed in principle to a 12 year $104 million contract. The contract will pay Crosby $9 million over the first nine years. The contract does not raise Crosby's salary to any extremes and it stands to reason that Shero will use the money saved to help transform the team for a new campaign.
Ray Shero and the Penguins are aware of the risk they are taking due to the injury concerns that have been prevalent over the last two seasons, but they, like most in the NHL believe that to not take care of Crosby would be foolish. If they did not work a deal with him, another team would. The risks are ones the Penguins are completely fine with taking on.
As mentioned, the deal has been agreed upon in principle. The league offices still have to approve the deal which they will have submitted to them on Sunday, also the day free agency officially begins. Many parts of this offseason could certainly be characterized as unknown and interesting, but this may be the most obvious and boring part of it. The Penguins knew they would reach an amicable agreement and so did Crosby and his management.
Now for many Penguins fans, the focus shifts to Evgeni Malkin and his current contract. He will be a free agent in two seasons, and just like today, the Penguins and Ray Shero feel they can reach another cementing agreement with Malkin.
But until then, the offseason rages on and in just a few short days the free agency process will begin. It's an exciting time for hockey!
Brutal Contract...lol.
Well done
This contract is only brutal int the eyes of the jealous ones..
Thanks for reading!