Sidney Crosby Driving Penguins' Surprising Season

Almost every preseason NHL power ranking put the Pittsburgh Penguins near the bottom of the pack. With a fresh front office looking to build for the future, it was uncertain how long the team would be willing to keep its veteran core together, which most likely meant this season was going to be somewhat forgettable. Anybody who thought that, however, forgot about the greatness of Sidney Crosby.

When analyzing why the Penguins, who currently occupy third place in the Metropolitan Division, one can point to several different reasons. But that’s a waste of time, because the main factor lies with the team’s leader, captain and one of their greatest players of all time: Crosby. Without him, nothing is possible in Pittsburgh, and that remains the case in 2026.

Through 48 games, the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft and two-time winner of the Hart Memorial Trophy has scored 26 goals and notched 29 assists. His 55 points lead the team by a fairly wide margin, making him by far the most prolific scorer the Penguins have to offer. As always, his production on the power play — he’s scored 10 goals with the man advantage this season — has been outstanding. Additionally, he has continuously shown up in the clutch moments, recording three game-winning goals, the second most on the team.

The Penguins Can Return to the Promised Land

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner and center Sidney Crosb — Jan 15, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) and center Sidney Crosby (87) react after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Penguins last made the playoffs at the conclusion of the 2021-22 regular season but lost in the first round to the New York Rangers. Since then, the postseason has eluded the once-powerful Penguins, but it appears this year will finally deliver some reprieve to the Pittsburgh faithful who have been yearning to return to the promised land.

Sure, the Eastern Conference is a whirlwind of uncertainty. With how close each team is in the standings, there’s always the possibility that the tiniest losing streak could plummet the Penguins out of the playoff picture entirely. Conversely, even just a two-week hot streak could elevate the team to the top of the Metropolitan Division, currently led by the Carolina Hurricanes. Pittsburgh does need to be careful, though. There are many teams on its tail, and it can’t afford to falter too much down the line. The room for error is slim — every game counts from here on out.

Luckily for the Penguins, Crosby is in their ranks. That counts for a lot. Like, a ton.

All told, the Penguins go as Crosby goes, which shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone familiar with the NHL over the past two decades. His superstar ability, even at 38 years old, makes him a player who can completely flip a season on its head, just like he’s doing for Pittsburgh right now. While the rest of the hockey world was certain the Penguins were going to flounder near the bottom of the league standings, Crosby has made sure that negative prophecy hasn’t had any oxygen so far.

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