Crosby, Letang, Malkin set to enter 20th season together as Penguins teammates

CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Sidney Crosby skates out second to last.

Ahead of him is Kris Letang. Behind is Evgeni Malkin.

For the most part, that’s how it’s been since 2006, when Malkin and Letang were rookies with Crosby, then in his second season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Letang, Crosby and Malkin -- in that order -- will again step on the ice when the Penguins open their regular season against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN1, TVAS), becoming the first trio of teammates in the history of North American pro sports to reach 20 seasons.

"Honestly, I don't know if I've ever felt that secure with it, to be honest,” Crosby said Monday. “I mean, hockey, you know, there's so much turnover. I think just in general, all sports, you see more and more turnover. It's pretty rare that you see guys be with one team for long periods of time. Because of that, I think I probably didn't allow my hopes to get up too much, but I think that's what makes it even more special.

“There's no guarantees and I think that's what makes it what it is. It's super-rare and I think it makes us appreciate knowing that, you know, (separating) could have happened so many different times.”

When the 2023-24 season began, the three became the longest-tenured trio of teammates in North American professional sports, their 18 seasons one more than that of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada with the New York Yankees.

But “The Core” and “The Big Three” aren't only nicknames.

"It's an attitude,” Letang said.

One that's helped them lift the Stanley Cup three times (2009, 2016, 2017).

“We've got the same goal and we always share the same thing,” Letang said. “When we entered the League, our goal was to build something that was going to be regarded as one of the best teams. We tried to bring that every single day for the people that walk through our dressing room every single year. So, I just think that's what happened. I think we kind of, like, grew together to get the same goal."

That’s still true, but the Penguins are in a youth movement after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past three seasons and Crosby, Malkin and Letang are at different points in their careers, despite each being at least 38 years old.

Crosby, 38, could extend his NHL record of point-per-game seasons to 21 after having 91 points (33 goals, 58 assists) in 80 games last season.

At 1,687 points (625 goals, 1,062 assists), the Pittsburgh captain needs 36 to tie Mario Lemieux (1,723 points; 690 goals, 1,033 assists) for the most in Penguins history.

"We are aware. We're not surprised. That's the thing,” Letang said. “We see what he does every single day and the way he conducts himself on and off the ice, his appetite to get better and to win more. ... At one point, those numbers will reach those levels and they'll pass those names. And to me, and probably ‘Geno,’ it's not a surprise to him up there."

Letang, 38, had surgery in April that closed a small hole in the wall of his heart after having 30 points (nine goals, 21 assists) in 74 games, his lowest output when playing at least 38 games since 2009-10 (27 points; three goals, 24 assists in 73 games).

Malkin, 39, had 50 points (16 goals, 34 assists) in 68 games last season, down from 67 points (27 goals, 40 assists) in 2023-24 and 83 points (27 goals, 56 assists) the season prior.

Pittsburgh's long-time second-line center is in the final season of a four-year, $24.4 million contract signed July 12, 2022.

“I hope I stay here, like (with) Sid, ‘Tanger,’” Malkin said on Sept. 19. “I (want to) be with the Penguins forever, for sure. Again, I hope I play great and I hope everything goes perfect and I’m perfect myself, too. I want to stay here, for sure.”

At the same time, he didn’t rule out retiring or playing elsewhere.

“If it’s my last year here, I had 20 years played here. Not bad, too, you know?” Malkin said. “I’m glad to be with the Penguins. I’m glad to win three Stanley Cups here. But again, if I have a chance to play next year, I’ll do it.”

If Malkin sticks, the trio will likely reach 21 seasons.

Crosby signed a two-year, $17.4 million contract on Sept. 16, 2024, keeping him in Pittsburgh through next season. Letang is signed through 2027-28 on a six-year, $36.6 million contract from July 7, 2022.

It’s not something to be taken for granted.

Crosby was infamously plagued by concussion-related issues beginning in 2011, when he was 23 and in his sixth season. He’s since built an NHL resume beyond dispute.

Malkin has had multiple knee surgeries, tearing his ACL and an MCL in 2011 and ACL and PCL in 2021. He’s now unquestionably one of his generation’s best power forwards with 1,346 points, 514 goals and 832 assists, third in Penguins history in each behind Lemieux and Crosby.

Letang has suffered two strokes while in the NHL, one in 2014 and another in 2022, and was unsure if he could continue playing after having neck surgery in 2017. He’s gone on to have the most points (772), goals (175), assists (597) and games played (1,161) by a Pittsburgh defenseman.

It was, and still is, doable because each of the three had the other two.

"Working together through those things, knowing that you've got guys that you can lean on, that you can trust, that you believe in, that also believe in you,” Crosby said. “I think we're not going to agree on everything all the time, but we can tell each other that. I think we've been there for one another for a really long time, been through a lot of different situations, like I said, individually and as a team.

"So, you know, when you go through that stuff, I think it builds that trust and that belief and that bond even more. At this point, we've been through a lot together, so there's just a lot of trust there."