Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins didn’t go down without a fight, but a 3–0 series hole against the Philadelphia Flyers ultimately proved to be too much to overcome.
Despite a strong Game 6 that they probably deserved to win, the Penguins saw their season come to an end thanks to a Cam York overtime winner, sending the Flyers to Round 2.
It was a disappointing way for the trio of Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang to go out in their return to the postseason for the first time since 2021–22, and with their future together somewhat uncertain, the captain was asked what it’s meant to play alongside them for two decades.
“It’s probably hard to put into words, honestly. It’s something that we’ve probably just gotten used to. I think they’re like family. That’s the best way to describe it. We’ve had some great wins, some tough losses like this. Ultimately, though, that’s a long time that we’ve played together and just so appreciative for the opportunity to be able to play with them as long as we have, and, hopefully, we can keep going,”
The 38-year-old Crosby is locked in with one year remaining on the two-year, $17.4 million extension he signed with the Penguins in 2024. Malkin, 39, is a pending UFA after playing out the fourth and final season of the four-year, $24.4 million deal he signed to extend in 2022. Meanwhile, Letang, 39, still has two years left on the six-year, $36.6 million extension he signed to remain in Pittsburgh in 2022.
While it’s possible we just saw the last of the big three together in Pittsburgh, it remains more likely than not that they all return to the Steel City for the 2026–27 campaign.
Crosby and Letang are, of course, both under contract, and while Malkin’s future is up in the air, he has consistently reiterated his desire to continue playing—and only for the Penguins.
We’ll see where the offseason takes things, but it would feel wrong for Crosby, Malkin, and Letang not to be teammates for a 21st consecutive season come October.
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