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Penguins Get Positive Sign After Sidney Crosby Injury
Mar 24, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) moves the puck against Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson (11) and right wing Valeri Nichushkin (13) during the third period t PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Penguins Get Positive Sign After Sidney Crosby Injury

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI  |  By Deepanjan Mitra  |  Last updated Mar 27, 2026 10:54 AM ET

The Penguins received concerning news and encouraging signs Thursday night regarding captain Sidney Crosby. The 38-year-old center left the game against Ottawa early in the second period with a lower-body injury, but postgame reports suggested the issue may not be serious.

Crosby played just 6:39 before exiting the contest at Canadian Tire Centre. He took a single 38-second shift to open the second period before heading to the locker room for good and never returned to the ice. For the fans, this felt like the season slipping out of the Penguins' hands.

The captain initially left the bench late in the first period after his left leg appeared to get tangled with Senators forward Nick Cousins along the boards. He attempted to continue playing but ultimately removed himself from the game during the subsequent period.

Encouraging Postgame Observations

The Athletic's Josh Yohe provided reassuring updates following the Penguins' 4-3 shootout victory. His observations offered hope that Crosby avoided a significant injury despite the early exit from such a critical divisional matchup.

"Bad news is he took himself out of the game, and the team immediately announced he was out for the night," Yohe reported on social media. "Good news is he appeared to be walking with no limp following the game. Didn't appear to be wearing a brace of any kind."

Head coach Dan Muse confirmed the injury classification but provided no additional details during his postgame media availability. The team officially labeled the issue as lower-body without offering a timeline or severity assessment for their franchise centerpiece.

Troubling Timing

The injury arrives at the worst possible moment for Pittsburgh. Crosby recently returned from an 11-game absence caused by a Grade 2 MCL sprain to his left knee suffered during the Olympics with Team Canada. Yesterday's game marked just his fifth appearance since returning from that injury.

Despite that, Crosby has compiled 28 goals and 64 points through 61 games this season while anchoring a Penguins team fighting to end a three-year playoff drought. The Penguins currently sit second in the Metropolitan Division with an 86-point total.

They hold a precarious one-point lead over both the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Islanders in the tightly contested divisional race. Pittsburgh already plays without forward Evgeni Malkin, who missed his second consecutive game last night with an upper-body injury.

Meanwhile, Blake Lizotte is also likely done for the regular season but should return if the Penguins reach the playoffs. With the side facing the Dallas Stars, who have already qualified for the playoffs, the game over the weekend will prove how the Penguins will fare in the absence of their best forwards.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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