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Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. (Photo by Peter Joneleit\/Icon Sportswire)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. (Photo by Peter Joneleit\/Icon Sportswire)\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
CRANBERRY, Pa. \u2014 After the Pittsburgh Penguins\u2019 first three games, a cynic or conspiracy theorist might have suggested that team captain and megastar Sidney Crosby was hurting his trade value in what might be dubbed a slow start to the season.<\/p>\n
Yeah, right.<\/p>\n
The trade speculation that could continue to dog Crosby through the NHL trade deadline and beyond has been reduced to a trickle for the moment.<\/p>\n
Trade rumors can be juicy and a lot of fun, but you know what can be even more fun? Watching Crosby, 38, show the world why he remains one of the best.<\/p>\n
And, after noting his two goals, five points on the Penguins\u2019 recent three-game swing through California, and seeing one of his signature deflection goals in Saturday\u2019s 3-0 win at San Jose, some of those doubters might come to the conclusion that the kid is all right.<\/p>\n
In the Penguins\u2019 first three games, he had a goal and two assists, with none of those three points coming at even strength, with four shots and a -4 plus-minus.<\/p>\n
His five-point road trip boosted him over the point-per-game threshold at seven points in six games. If he maintains that pace or better, he will extend his NHL record to 21 straight seasons \u2013 each one in his career \u2013 averaging at least a point per game.<\/p>\n
His goal Saturday stood out even for him. Kris Letang threw the puck toward the net. Crosby, closely covered by Sharks defenseman Vincent Iorio near the right post, reached out to redirect the puck in out of midair to break a scoreless knot in the second period.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t know where he was going to put it,\u201d Crosby said after practice Monday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. \u201cI was just trying to get my stick on it. I didn\u2019t really know exactly where the net was. I knew generally. Yeah, I was just trying to get my stick on it. It was a good bounce that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
If that sounds like he\u2019s just deflecting praise the same way he deflects pucks, well, he\u2019s probably not. Crosby tends to be pretty honest about such things.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s not sure if his start to this season is comparatively slow or could be described that way.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t know my stats the last 20 years in the first 10 games.\u201d<\/p>\n
You be the judge. Since the pandemic, in his first six games of each season, Crosby has six points, 11 points, six points and six points over his first six games.<\/p>\n
Crosby pointed out that line combinations have been in flux at times. He\u2019s back with regular wingers Bryan Rust, who started the season injured and Rickard Rakell, who spent a little time at center.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think just trying to get better with every game is more the goal, and if you can do that and get some wins at the same time, that\u2019s good,\u201d Crosby said of the 4-2-0 Penguins.<\/p>\n
First-year Penguins coach Dan Muse doesn\u2019t have a working knowledge of Crosby\u2019s starts to seasons. He just knows that the three-time Stanley Cup winner and future Hall of Famer has met his expectations.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know the reputation just from working in the league and the reputation in general,\u201d Muse said. \u201cYou talk to players who have played with him before. You talk to people who have been around him. Everybody talks about his drive and his professionalism and how it\u2019s every day.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been great to be able to be here and be able to see it first-hand. You can see why he\u2019s been doing it for as long as he has and at such a high level. Just the way he prepares, the focus in every single practice, the focus in everything he does. It\u2019s been amazing to see, and it\u2019s great for all the other players, too, in the organization to have somebody that\u2019s driving things on a daily basis like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Muse so far has distributed minutes a little more evenly than some coaches. That means Crosby is averaging 18:15 of ice time, well below his career average of 20:40, and he has not topped 20 minutes.<\/p>\n
Asked about his preference in terms of ice time, Crosby deferred to the coaches \u2013 and the results.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever\u2019s going to help us win. That\u2019s the most important thing,\u201d he said. \u201cEveryone\u2019s got to contribute if you want to win consistently. It\u2019s honesty whatever gives us the best chance to win.\u201d<\/p>\n
It can be argued that a productive Crosby, regardless of ice time, gives the Penguins a chance to at least be competitive most games.<\/p>\n
He is six points away from becoming the ninth player in NHL history to reach 1,700 points, and just three points shy of tying Mario Lemieux for the most points in Penguins history.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He is 12 goals away from moving into a tie for 15th place all-time at 640, 13 assists away from moving into a tie for eighth place all-time with 1,079.<\/p>\n
So, about that slow start and trade speculation\u2026<\/p>\n
Injury (Non)updates<\/p>\n
Injured forward Rutger McGroarty had an on-ice workout before practice, but Muse had no update on his status. He has been dealing with an upper-body injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cNothing new to report,\u201d Muse said of McGroarty and two others who have not played this season because of injury \u2013 forward Kevin Hayes and goaltender Joel Blomqvist.<\/p>\n
\u201cStill status quo. Guys are continuing to progress and take steps.\u201d<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTags: Dan Muse<\/a> Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> Shelly Anderson<\/a> Sidney Crosby<\/a> <\/p>\n