The 2015 NHL All-Star Game will be without the league’s biggest star in Sidney Crosby thanks to a lower-body injury. The Pittsburgh Penguins elaborated on that issue quite a bit more than teams normally do on Friday.
The team announced that Crosby, 27, suffered his injury during a Jan. 10 game against the Montreal Canadiens. He received “an injection” at some point to try to play through the pain, which has persisted since then.
The Penguins revealed that he’s expected to resume skating on Tuesday with the goal of either playing against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday or the New Jersey Devils on Friday.
This might seem mundane for those who don’t follow injury updates with regularity, but for those who do, it’s eyebrow-raising stuff.
Josh Yohe of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a simple theory: the team has been feeling the heat regarding another injury-related All-Star absence for Crosby:
Penguins must be feeling some heat because of 87's ASG absence. Ordinarily never would have sent out such a press release.
— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) January 23, 2015
I don't doubt that Crosby is hurt. He is. But Pens press release clearly intended to get people off his back for ASG absence.
— Josh Yohe (@JoshYohe_PGH) January 23, 2015
Crosby played pretty well in the games immediately following Jan. 10.
He collected three assists versus Minnesota on Jan. 13, two goals and an assist against the New York Islaners on Jan. 16 and one more tally against the New York Rangers on Jan. 18. He didn’t collect a point in Pittsburgh’s last two contests, although he did generate seven shots on goal.
Whatever way you slice it, Crosby (and Evgeni Malkin) receive a hearty break close to the midway point of the 2014-15 season. Considering how banged up they seemingly were during the 2014 playoffs, this could come in very handy.
Even if it means dealing with some griping.