Sidney Crosby Talks Next Penguins Contract, Retirement Buzz Ahead of 2026-27 NHL Season

Sidney Crosby is currently set to play the 2026-27 season on an expiring contract as retirement rumors run rampant, but the Pittsburgh Penguins legend isn't sweating about striking a new deal before the campaign starts.

Crosby said he'll let president of hockey operations/general manager Kyle Dubas and his agent, Pat Brisson, figure out the details of his next deal.

"I don't know," Crosby told The Athletic's Josh Yohe . "I'm going to let Pat and Kyle figure that out. I wouldn't say there's a hard timeline. It's something that I'll let them discuss. At this point in my career, it's hard to project how long I'll play for. We'll see what happens."

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As for his retirement, Crosby gave no indication of when he'll hang it up, but said he'll know when it's time.

"I think it's a combination of everything," he said. "You talk to guys who are later in their careers, and I think it's different for everyone. I don't think you ever know until you get to that point. I'm guessing it's your level (of play), how your body feels, a combination of things."

Despite being 39 years old, Crosby had a productive 2025-26 season, recording 29 goals and 45 assists while playing 68 games. He helped lead the Penguins to the playoffs for the first time since 2022.

He dealt with some knee injuries throughout last season but was overall able to stay healthy.

"Overall, I feel pretty good," he said. "I'm hoping it's not something I'll have to think about too much. That's (age) just the reality of things. I'm happy with how I feel. We'll just go from there."

A player of Crosby's age can't avoid retirement rumors, but he's clearly taking it one day at a time as he weighs his future.