LTL REPORT: Crosby To Miss Season Opener

  Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins leader and face of the National Hockey League, is unfortunately still feeling the concussion he sustained in January at the NHL’s Winter Classic.

  Though he has been skating with the team recently, he is still not cleared for contact. After a pre-game practice at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday, Crosby uttered the harsh reality to the media that he is unlikely to start the regular season against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.

"No. I wouldn't expect it. No," he said.

  Head Coach Dan Bylsma and general manager Ray Shero echoed the unfortunate truth; there is no date in mind for Sid’s return.

"In terms of him and his rehab, I think it's positive," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. "We play next Thursday and it's a few short days away. We haven't progressed to the next level yet."

"Knock on wood, everything is progressing for him, it appears," Shero said. "On the ice he's practicing hard, and that's a big part of his recovery."

  Crosby will continue to travel with the team as he did in the pre-season, all the while holding his breath as the NHL collectively does the same in anticipation of his return to the ice.

"When we get back from the trip, maybe I'll see a doctor then," Crosby said. "Every day I just try to go as hard as I can.” He went on. "Hopefully things will keep going as they're going."

  His statistics don’t need to be brought to attention to define his importance to his team, but it has been hard felt by the Pens and the league since he’s been out. In exactly on half of a regular season’s worth of game outings last year, Crosby still led his team through 41 games as he notched 32 goals and 34 assists for 66 points and a +20 rating. He was well on track to set a career high in numbers, and top the league in points and goal scoring.

  He wasn’t the only Pens star to miss half of the year with injury as Evgeni Malkin also only appeared in 43 games, but to put Crosby’s value in perspective, Malkin tallied only 15 goals and 37 points compared to what Crosby accomplished in just two less games played.

- Kendall Grubbs
photo by NHL.com