Sidney Crosby is synonymous with Pittsburgh Penguins hockey. The all-time great leaving next year in NHL free agency doesn't feel right. Due to this, many fans expected the 37 year-old to ink a deal quickly and secure his spot as a lifelong Penguin. <q> Sidney Crosby was named the 22nd greatest athlete of the 21st Century by ESPN. And the number one overall 🏒 player. To be able to transcend your sport and era is a whole other level of greatness. 🐐 </q> Sidney Crosby is once in a lifetime. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/87crosbycareer/status/1813949440501395593'> </a></blockquote></div> While an agreement hasn't been reached yet, it appears Crosby's extension and negotiations with GM Kyle Dubas is almost finalized, with the numbers hovering around a 3-year, $10 million AAV deal. The main issue holding things up is sorting out how much is guaranteed and when it's paid out. Yet we know Crosby will be staying in Pittsburgh for the long run. <q> Crosby deal is close to being finalized. Still comes in at 3x10M AAV. The only holdup is how much is guaranteed and paid out in the beginning. Crosby is going to be in Pittsburgh for a while. </q> <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/RogerHicksNHL/status/1815167303991894450'> </a></blockquote></div> Despite Sid's brilliance, still being a point per game player, the Penguins have missed the playoffs the last two seasons after 16 straight years of making it. <q> In an era where nobody scored, Prime Sidney Crosby scored all the time. 87 averaged 1.5PPG in that era. DOMINATED. If 87 wins 4 Nations, Gold medal in 2026 Olympics as Captain, reaches 2000pts, along with everything else he's done, you can argue 87 is greatest to ever play </q> <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/jon_jackson64/status/1815053151843586300'> </a></blockquote></div> With Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, getting older, fans are wondering if their time is up. However, they also don't want the core who brought back to back cups to the Burgh in 2016 and 17, to leave.