In case there was any doubt, Pittsburgh general manager Kyle Dubas wants captain Sidney Crosby to be a Penguin for life.
"The intention has always been clear," the executive told reporters Friday. "I think he should finish his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins. How long that is? I'm not going to put any limits on Sidney Crosby. He's capable of great things and is still performing at an extraordinarily high level."
Crosby has one season remaining on his 12-year, $104.4-million contract and is eligible to sign a new extension July 1.
"Obviously, I'm going to talk to Kyle and have a conversation with him," the future Hall of Famer said Thursday, according to NHL.com's Wes Crosby. "We'll see."
Dubas added it's "imperative" for contract talks to be kept private, according to team reporter Michelle Crechiolo.
Crosby was outstanding in his 19th NHL season, leading the Penguins with 42 tallies and 94 points while appearing in all 82 games for the second straight year. This campaign marked the third time he's eclipsed the 40-goal mark in his career.
Like Dubas, the future Hall of Famer also didn't put a limit on how many seasons he might have left.
"Obviously, at my age, and things like that, there will be a lot of factors," the 36-year-old said, adding, "I don't look any differently at how much longer I can play based off that. It's always just evaluating my game for what it is, not my age."
The Penguins missed the playoffs for the second straight season, falling outside the postseason picture by three points despite going 6-2-1 in April.
Dubas traded winger Jake Guentzel to the Carolina Hurricanes before the March 8 deadline. A despondent Crosby said at the time that he wasn't sure what kind of message the front office was trying to send, and the reeling Penguins went on to lose seven of their next nine games.
On Friday, Dubas said he was "surprised and disappointed" by the players' response to the trade.
"If we had shaken the doldrums a little bit earlier, we might not be in this position," he explained, per The Athletic's Rob Rossi.
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