He’s been the face of the Penguins for almost two decades — what does that mean for his bottom line? Let’s break down all the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby salary particulars.
Mario Lemieux. Jaromír Jágr. Sidney Crosby.
Drafted No. 1 overall by Pittsburgh in 2005, “The Kid” has played his way into Penguins royalty over the near two-decade span he’s donned black and yellow. Like LeBron James in hoops, Crosby came into the NHL as a teenager backed by ridiculous hype, seemingly almost too much for one to live up to, yet he somehow has.
Entering his 19th season at age 36, Crosby has more than met expectations, leading the Pens to three Stanley Cups, including back-to-back titles in 2016 and 2017. He’s been named an All-Star nine times, has won the Hart and Art Ross trophies twice each, and earned honors as a member of the NHL 2010s All-Decade team. That’s not even to mention his international accolades with Canada, either, which include multiple gold medals and game-winning goals.
Sid has been at the top of the game for so long now that the up-and-coming can’t-miss prospects, most recently Chicago’s Connor Bedard, are being compared to him. In turn, he’s been paid handsomely over his career, racking up over $150 million in career earnings on the ice — more than any other player in the history of the league.
As he approaches the final seasons of a 12-year deal he signed with Pittsburgh in 2012, let’s break down what the Penguins’ Sidney Crosby contract and salary details really look like dollar for dollar.
Sidney Crosby Contract Details & Salary
All dollar figures via Spotrac.
Years: 12
Total value: $104,400,000
Average annual value: $8,700,000
Free agency: 2025
2023-24 salary: $3,000,000
After playing out his first contract extension, which was valued at $43.5 million over five years, the Penguins and Crosby decided that Pittsburgh would be his only professional home, with the two sides agreeing to a massive 12-year agreement with a total value of $104,400,00 ahead of the 2012-13 season.
- The deal was front-loaded, meaning his base salary has actually declined over the lifetime of the new deal, which is why his salary for this season is just $3 million. Here’s how much Crosby was paid for each season under this 12-year deal:
- 2013-14 to 2015-16: $12,000,000
- 2016-17 to 2017-18: $10,900,000
- 2018-19: $10,000,000
- 2019-20: $9,000,000
- 2020-21: $9,600,000
- 2021-22: $9,000,000
- 2022-23 – 2024-25: $3,000,000
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Sidney Crosby’s Career NHL Earnings
CAREER NHL EARNINGS THROUGH 2023-24: $152,890,244
PROJECTED CAREER NHL EARNINGS THROUGH 2024-25: $158,890,244
