Crosby Agrees to 12-year, $104.4M Extension with Penguins

Crosby Agrees to 12-year, $104.4M Extension with Penguins
Fitzgerald Cecilio

Pittsburgh, PA

Captain Sidney Crosby has agreed to a 12-year, $104.4 million contract extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins, keeping the high-scoring center through the 2024-25 season.

"This is a great day for hockey and tremendous news for the Pittsburgh Penguins and our fans," co-owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle said in a joint statement posted on the team's official website.

"We are grateful for all that Sidney Crosby has done for our franchise since coming to Pittsburgh in 2005, both on and off the ice, and we look forward to having him in a Penguins uniform for the rest of his career," they added.

The front-loaded contract has an average salary of $8.7 million a season and would go into effect for the 2013-14 season. Crosby, 24, will play the 2012-13 season under the terms of his current contract.

Under the collective bargaining agreement for players who have one year remaining on their current contracts, Crosby cannot sign the new deal until July 1. Full details of the contract will be known when the extension is officially announced.

"In an era when players often move from team to team, it's gratifying to see a young man who is so committed to one city and one franchise," said David Morehouse, Penguins CEO and President. "He's meant so much to the Penguins, to the growth of youth hockey in Pittsburgh, and to the NHL and the game of hockey in general. It's a tremendous feeling to know he'll be here through 2025."

"He's a very special player and knowing that he will be here long-term is outstanding news for our players, coaches, staff and fans," said Ray Shero, the Penguins general manager. "Sidney also brings those extra dimensions as our captain, with his leadership in the room and on the ice. We're all very excited to reach this agreement on an extension."

Crosby, known as "Sid the Kid", led the Penguins to the Stanley Cup in 2009, becoming the youngest captain in NHL history to lift the trophy at age 21.

He also has won the Hart Trophy as MVP, the Art Ross Trophy as league scoring champion, the Rocket Richard Trophy as goal-scoring champion and the Ted Lindsay Award as most outstanding player in his seven NHL seasons.

But Crosby was limited to just 28 games in the last 18 months after sustaining a concussion in the Winter Classic against the Washington Capitals in January 2011. He finished with eight goals and 29 assists last season and added three goals in a first-round playoff loss to Philadelphia.

In 434 career games, Crosby has tallied 223 goals and 386 assists for 609 points. He also has 90 points in 68 playoff games.

Penguins Agree to Two-Year Deal with Defenseman Matt Niskanen

The Pittsburgh Penguins re-signed Matt Niskanen to a two-year, $4.6 million deal, keeping their defensive unit intact for next season.

The 25-year-old Niskanen will pocket $2.1 million next season and $2.5 million during the 2013-2014 NHL season.

Niskanen had a solid 2011-2012 season, recording four goals, 17 assists and 21 points in 75 games. He also proved a great penalty killer for the Penguins.

Drafted 28th overall by the Dallas Stars in 2005, Niskanen spent his first four seasons with the Stars before he was traded along with James Neal to the Penguins in exchange for defenseman Alex Goligoski in 2011.

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