Pittsburgh Penguins fans are getting ready to explode in excitement, as it is now more and more likely that Sidney Crosby will be making a return this season.
On Monday, as NHL general managers had a lengthy discussion about how to prevent concussions, Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby skated for the first time since suffering his concussion in the first days of January.
That's great news, as there has been doubt that Crosby would return at all this year, and there were even rumors that he might be forced to retire. While there is no timetable set for a return to actually playing hockey, Penguin fans should just feel good about Crosby skating.
On Monday, Crosby took a 15-minute skate and said that he felt fine after it. Now it wasn't a practice, just a skate, but it still shows very promising signs of things to come.
Penguins general manager Ray Shero said, "I knew the last few days that he had been feeling much better. I knew he was starting to get back on the (stationary) bike. That, to me, was important." Shero also said Crosby has been shooting the puck in a room in the arena.
If Crosby can return to the lineup before the playoffs, it would give him time to adjust to game speed and get some much-needed chemistry with his teammates, including the two new wingers, James Neal and Alexei Kovalev.
I expect Crosby to skate with Neal and Kovalev when he comes back, and I think that line will be a force to be reckoned with. I would then keep Jordan Staal with Tyler Kennedy and Matt Cooke and have Mark Letestu with Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis.
Crosby has been out since January 6th and was having his best year statistically, and he still remains in the top 10 in most offensive categories. Crosby was having one of the best seasons in the last decade of the NHL, which included a 25-game point streak.
Crosby suffered his concussion in the Winter Classic, when he was struck in the head by David Steckel, then of the Washington Capitals, and later was again hit into the boards by Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Despite not having Crosby and Evgeni Malkin both in the lineup for over the last month, the Penguins remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
I don't think the Pens get past the second round of the playoffs without Crosby. However, if he is able to come back 100 percent, then there is no reason why this team can't go all the way and win a Stanley Cup. Here's hoping.
This article also appears on the Pittsburgh blog www.412sportstalk.net. You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/madchad1187.
Do you really think he will be coming back before playoffs? Since theres no time table they have us and he said all it was was progress
ReplyDeleteI really do. One thing you have to remember is that Crosby loves playing hockey. I think he's motivated and determined to come back this year. I think he'll come back in the last week of the season.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope so, its just hard to believe because they are being incredibly careful with this, and i think if they have to they will wait it out and make sures hes 110% for next season
ReplyDeleteMan I certainly hope that everything you wrote in this article comes true. The history will be made video brings a tear to the eye (I'm an emotional hockey fan).
ReplyDeleteI think that we could be getting ahead of ourselves though...Skating for 15 minutes is a long stretch from playing an NHL late season hockey game... Unless the Penguins organization has been a bit more secretive of Crosby's progress than we think....
I'm not completely sure about Neal playing on Sids line if he returns. I don't see the logic in not putting Sid back with Kunitz, a guy who he has an already developed chemistry with for years. You'd want to put Sid back in his comfort zone as quickly as possible, especially since he will have little time to develop chemistry with anyone else. If and i mean if this all happens, I wouldnt be surprised to see the old Kunitz-Sid-Dupuis line back at the top. Sid was on a record pace with those two earlier, so why try to break it up? Second line Neal-Staal-Kovalev. That at least gives our starting lineup five out of six legit top six forwards.
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