Penguins Captain Must Focus on Specific Skill in 2024-25

Sidney Crosby will need to step up in a certain area to elevate the Pittsburgh Penguins without Jake Guentzel.

Nov 30, 2023; Tampa, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) celebrates after he scored a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the second period at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

About to enter his 20th NHL season, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has always been looked at as one of the best players in the game. Despite his skill level and popularity, and underrated part of Crosby’s game has always been his goal-scoring ability.

The Penguins have seen Crosby grow into a top-five player of all time, but his commitment to playing on both ends of the ice, playmaking ability, and overall hockey sense are what people discuss the most. It’s strange to say a player who is closing in on 600 career goals isn’t looked at as an elite scorer, but that’s just how good Crosby is.

Heading into the final years of his career, however, Crosby will need to bring some extra scoring touch to the table. TSN’s Frank Corrado noted that the Penguins are entering the 2024-25 season without Jake Guentzel and it’ll be up to Crosby to fill that void.

“He does not have Jake Guentzel,” Corrado said. “He might have to be a little more of a shooter.”

Crosby finished the 2023-24 season with 42 goals, the third-highest total he’s ever put up in a season behind his two Rocket Richard Trophy years. He put up 14 of those goals in the final 32 games of the season, all without Guentzel.

Corrado was on TSN discussing Crosby’s goal total for 2024-25 set by FanDuel at 33.5. If Crosby puts that extra bit of attention into shooting more often, Corrado says 33.5 is “way too low.”

“Maybe Sidney Crosby puts a little more onus into his own game,” Corrado said. “Being a shooter. If he’s putting more volume at the net, chances are he’s scoring a little more, too.”

The Penguins are in a bit of a transition period as key faces like Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang age, but there is still a drive to win. Crosby is looking to lead the Penguins to one more deep playoff run, and he’ll likely do that by putting more pucks in more nets.

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