When I was 19, I was making $5.85 an hour stocking produce (time and a half on Sundays!). Sydney Crosby is 19, and he’s making just a bit more now that he’s signed a 5 year, $43.5 million dollar contract. His $8.7 million average salary is a slight, 924% increase from his old $850,000 salary.
Perhaps the scariest part of the deal is that it’s probably under market value for Crosby, and may give the Penguins more flexibility to keep Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal under wraps.
Smart move by Pitt. If they waited until he was in restricted status a team would have sacrificed four 1st round picks for him and they would have front loaded the offer to hurt Pitt’s cash flow considerations. Not many people are worth it but Crosby is. Thank God he didn’t sign for 10 million or something like that. He represents the ceiling of what every other player in the NHL will sign for in the next couple of years.
When I was 19, I was in my second year of college and made $5.50 as an R.A. in my dorm. 9 years later, my current salary is about $8,665,000 less than Sid’s new average.
It must be tough growing up these days.
I’m glad to see Pit make this move. I want to see this team work together and watch all that young talent mature. It will be entertaining for all fans of the NHL to watch, even if you arent a fan of the Pens. And to be honest, the NHL needs a young, talented team like the Pens to get attention.
The NHL could use about 30 young, talented teams at this point, or contract the league to 24 teams and they all instantly get a whole lot better.
I look at the Avs as an exciting team full of young talent almost on par with the Pens, just without somebody stellar like Crosby. Stastny is on par with Malkin, Wolski is on par with Staal, and Budaj is on par with Fleury. Up-and-coming players like Hensick and Burki could add to that youthful resurgence. Hopefully the Avs have as much success as the Pens are sure to enjoy in the coming years.
We might not have someone as “stellar” like Crosby - but we do still have Sakic. That at least counts for something. And if we resigned Forsberg, hows that for a star studded team?
*Please note that I do NOT want Peter back on the team. I was just throwing this out there.*
Lets not forget Svatos, who had a great rookie season just like his fellow underdclassmen Ovechkin and Crosby. Now, I’m not saying he is in their class, but I for one believe that last year was a hiccup for Svatos and he will continue to be one of the young contributors for the Avs next season. I’d personally like to see him on a line with Sakic and Smyth for a few games. If he can’t score some goals with a HOF playmaker and one of the best ‘bangers’ in the league, then I will officially declare him dead to me.