Sidney Crosby finds himself in the middle of two fights in wild preseason game

The Penguins and Red Wings met for a preseason tilt on Tuesday night, but the final 7-4 score for Detroit was far from the biggest talking point in Pittsburgh. Instead, it was Sidney Crosby finding himself in the middle of not one but two near-fights that had everyone buzzing.

Video circulating on social media showed the Pittsburgh captain getting into it with Detroit players on multiple occasions. In one clip, Crosby appeared to instigate a scrum before stepping back and letting his teammates handle the rest.

Referees weren’t keen on players throwing punches during this preseason contest, so they were quick to break things up, but the whole thing was equal parts entertaining and eyebrow-raising. Crosby, now deep into his legendary career, is not exactly known for dropping the gloves. Seeing him nearly do so twice in a game that doesn't even count had fans and media alike doing a double take.

Pittsburgh journalist Josh Yohe offered a pointed observation on the situation. "Sid getting close to dropping the gloves twice in a preseason game is kind of funny," Yohe wrote. "But if I'm one of the young guys on the roster tonight, and this keeps happening, I'd be a little embarrassed if I didn't do something about it."

That sentiment was echoed by fans online, with several pointing out that the lack of protection for Crosby has been a recurring theme over multiple seasons. One fan called it "ridiculous that no one has done anything," particularly among Pittsburgh's younger players.

Others took a more lighthearted view. Penguins supporters on social media seemed to enjoy the spectacle of their captain stirring things up, with one fan sharing video and writing that Crosby was "starting shit and then stands back to watch everyone hash it out."

Whether the incidents were a product of genuine frustration or simply preseason intensity boiling over remains unclear. But the underlying message from Yohe's commentary is hard to ignore. If the Penguins' younger players want to earn roster spots and earn respect in that locker room, stepping up when their franchise cornerstone is getting targeted would be a good place to start.

The clips are making the rounds and the conversation is growing. It's only September, but Crosby has already given Pittsburgh plenty to talk about heading into the regular season.