Penguins' Sidney Crosby ruled out vs. Rangers, will miss 1st game in nearly 3 years

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has been ruled out for Friday night’s contest at the New York Rangers.

Coach Mike Sullivan revealed to reporters in New York following the Penguins’ Friday morning skate that Crosby, who’s nursing a suspected arm injury, won’t suit up.

Of note, Crosby did participate in the morning skate.

Pens HCMS:
- Sidney Crosby will not play tonight; “Taking it one day at a time”
- Nedeljkovic starts vs NYR pic.twitter.com/E1OHinNn0L

— Josh Getzoff (@JG_PxP) February 7, 2025

For Crosby, it will be the first game he’s missed in nearly three years, as his absence will snap a team-high streak of 229 consecutive games played that dates back to April 9, 2022.

Crosby, the Penguins’ top-line center who averages 20 minutes, 21 seconds of nightly ice time, leads his club with 58 points (17 goals, 41 assists).

Per SportsNet Pittsburgh’s Josh Getzoff, on the ground at Madison Square Garden, Sullivan is opting to take it “one day at a time” with Crosby, who was forced to leave the ice for about eight minutes during the third period of Tuesday’s shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils after a collision.

Crosby returned to that game and played in overtime, but missed Wednesday’s team practice.

Returning to practice Thursday, albeit only in an individual capacity, he did not partake in the day’s routine line rushes and power-play drills.

The Penguins play back-to-back away games Friday at the Rangers and Saturday at the Philadelphia Flyers.

Crosby is also set to participate in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off from Feb. 12-20 and has been named captain of Team Canada.

In his absence during Thursday’s practice in Cranberry, forward Rickard Rakell stepped into Crosby’s usual place at center, with Anthony Beauvillier and Bryan Rust serving as his wingers.

The Penguins’ top power-play unit, of which Crosby is a key member, was comprised of Michael Bunting, Kevin Hayes, Erik Karlsson, Rakell and Rust.

Note: The Penguins recalled winger Emil Bemstrom from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League Friday. Bemstrom leads the club with 41 points (19 goals, 22 assists) and was recently named an AHL All-Star.