Crosby hints at retirement in interview with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman

Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby has literally nothing left to accomplish in the game of hockey.

He's a three time Stanley Cup champion, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and a future Hall of Famer. He has two Art Ross Trophies, two Hart Memorial Trophies, three Ted Lindsay Awards, two Rocket Richard Trophies and two Conn Smythe Trophies all just chillin' at home in a cabinet. I mean... what else is there left to accomplish?

On a recent episode of Sportsnet's 32 Thoughts podcast Crosby admitted that the thought of retirement has popped into his mind lately and that he's preparing to wind down his hockey career in the next few years. “I’m thinking about three more years, then seeing what happens from there,” Crosby told Sportsnet reporter Elliotte Friedman. Crosby's monster 12 year, $104 million contract with the Penguins just so happens to expire in three years, so that timeframe makes a lot of sense for both Crosby and the Penguins. Crosby will be 38 years old at that point, but I don't think many will be counting him out due to his age. At 35 years of age this past season he still put up a remarkable 31 goals and 84 points in just 69 games. Father time may be creeping up on "The Kid" but he's still an incredible productive player. 

If indeed Crosby does pack it in in the summer of 2025 though, it'll be a sad day in the hockey world. Whether you love or hate Crosby and his style of play, you have to stand back and marvel at an outstanding career. Here's a guy who has had the weight of expectation placed on his shoulders since he was a teenage boy and he has surpassed those expectations like few before him. He may not have the lofty point totals of someone like Wayne Gretzky before him, but to me the two are very comparable players in how they've handled the pressure of being the sport's biggest star. The pair have literally dozens of personal and team accomplishments between them and have barely a blemish on their legacies. If indeed Crosby's career has only more three seasons in it, I'll watch each season with the same enthusiasm I have for the past 16 seasons.