Penguins Negotiations Drawing Maple Leafs Comparisons

The Pittsburgh Penguins are feeling the same sort of pressure the Toronto Maple Leafs felt last in extending superstar talents.

Nov 26, 2022; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) and Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) reach for the puck during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Toronto won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Sidney Crosby has been eligible to sign an extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins for about a month and a half at this point, and no new deal has been signed. Many have assured Penguins fans that there is no need to worry and a Crosby extension will happen in the near future, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to sit and wait patiently.

It just so happens, however, that Crosby isn’t the only NHL superstar in recent memory to wait a while before signing an expected extension. Soon-to-be Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews was due for a long extension when free agency opened last year but waited until late August to put pen to paper.

On August 23, 2023, Matthew signed a four-year contract worth $13.25 million annually, almost two months after his eligibility opened up. Insiders recall the Matthews extension and are drawing comparables between the two situations.

“Last year, Auston Matthews signed his extension with the Leafs in late August,” Chris Johnston said on his podcast. “Kind of, I’d say, out of nowhere. The reason it was out of nowhere is because basically the talks had been put on pause while everyone enjoyed their summer.”

That is essentially the same position the Penguins and Crosby are in right now. The most recent update from Rob Rossi of the Athletic stated that the talks are on pause because there is a level of comfort between the Penguins and Crosby’s camp.

A deal should get done quickly once they are ready to resume working, much like Matthews and the Maple Leafs last year.

“I think it was all done in a day,” Johnston said. “Auston’s agent phoned the Leafs and said, ‘We’re ready to do this,’ and they hammered it out.”

That sort of comparison should put restless fans at ease. It’s a superstar player who fully intends to stay with the team he leads and can get a deal signed quickly.

“I think you can see something similar happen in the Crosby situation,” Johnston said. “I wouldn’t sound any alarm bells on this one.”

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