The reaction to the Penguins game on Sunday for some fans was going to either be one of two things.
Either they’re unbeatable and heading to the Final, no problem. Or, the Penguins are done and may as well get ready for next season.
After Sunday’s Game One loss to the Islanders in overtime, one columnist in Canada took it far beyond what even the most cynical of Penguins fans would say, Sidney Crosby is too old and leaving Pittsburgh would be best for him and the organization?
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Huh?
The piece by Cathal Kelly for “The Globe and Mail” is entitled: Crosby’s time in Pittsburgh has been epic. Now please make it stop.
“It’s in everyone’s interest – the Penguins’, Crosby’s, the NHL’s – that Crosby move somewhere else. Montreal has always been the dream destination, narratively speaking. Imagine Crosby reinvigorating the league’s most storied franchise?” writes Kelly.
The problem is that it isn’t in everyone’s best interest. It’s based on a Canadian interest to have him play in his home country before he retires.
It isn’t in the Penguins best interest, it isn’t in the league’s best interest, it isn’t in Mario Lemieux’s best interest and it certainly isn’t in Crosby’s best interest
Kelly believes that a move to Montreal would reinvigorate “the league’s most storied franchise.”
The problem is hockey has become a global sport, the interests of a few up north are not what’s best for everyone. As a Canadian hockey fan it has to be frustrating that the Montreal Canadiens were the last team north of the border to lift the Stanley Cup in 1993, but too bad.
Kelly also talks about Crosby like he’s some sort of old man living out his days and that the Penguins are neither good or bad, they just exist.
Now the past three years of postseason hockey haven’t been anything to write home about but acting like Sid is done is just an unbelievable take.
The guy just helped lead his team to their first division title since the 2013-14 season in arguably the hardest division in the NHL. He was also named team MVP…again.
Even if the Penguins lose in the first round to the Islanders or even worse, get swept, it won’t be Sidney Crosby’s fault.
While he may no longer be the best player in the NHL with Connor McDavid putting up amazing numbers, he’s still Sidney Crosby and at 33-years-old is still the number 1 threat that opposing teams need to consider when making a game plan against the Penguins.
That’s something that isn’t going to change for a while when teams see Pittsburgh on their upcoming schedule.