Sidney Crosby took two hits to the head within a week last January and symptoms of concussions have limited him to just eight games in the last 13 months.
But the Pittsburgh Penguins and the NHL should continue their slow approach to Crosby's return.
Love him or loathe him, Crosby is the best player in the world and his presence brings more wins to Pittsburgh and more highlights to the NHL.
But Crosby is 24 years old. If he returns next year he will still have 15 years left to play in the NHL. If he gets hit with another concussion he could be done forever, so there's no need to rush.
With all of the medical research involving concussions that has come to light in the past few years, bringing him back before he is 100 percent would be plain stupid. The Penguins and the NHL need him a lot more over the next 15 seasons then they do for the rest of this year.
The Penguins lost Crosby at the beginning of January last season and have been playing great ever since. When they lost Crosby, they held a two-point lead in the Eastern Conference standings and when the season ended they were just one point back from the Flyers for first in the east.
The Penguins went to back-to-back Cups in '08 and '09 and Crosby was an integral part of those runs. However, the Penguins have shown that they are a complete team that is able to win without their number one player.
They have one of the best goaltending tandems in the league with Marc-Andre Fleury and Brent Johnson, they have reigning coach of the year in Dan Bylsma, and have one other important factor, MVP frontrunner, Evgeni Malkin.
Malkin has emerged as the team leader for the Penguins and is on pace for over 100 points this season. But more importantly, the Penguins are currently in fourth place in the east, just as they were at the end of last season.
The Penguins already have the tools to go far in the playoffs and maybe even make a run at the Cup, so they shouldn't risk Crosby's injury.
The NHL is also having a great year, so it doesn't need Crosby.
Besides having the most exciting Winter Classics in history, it has been one of the best years in recent memory.
With less than 20 games to go, everybody but the Columbus Blue Jackets has a chance to make the playoffs. Also, the teams currently holding playoff spots are a good fusion of old foes and new – there are currently four Original Six teams and teams in the nontraditional markets of Dallas, Florida, and Nashville, that are in playoff spots. Not to mention, the Jets currently hold a spot in the franchise's first year in Winnipeg.
Young players like Steven Stamkos, Claude Giroux, and the Penguins' own James Neal have emerged as some of the league's top scorers. So there is no shortage of talent in the NHL.
Crosby is hesitant to come back and as much as opposing fans want to call him a baby, he's smart to do it. There's no reason to rush. The NHL and the Penguins will still be there next year and hopefully so will you Sid.
Email: bryan.feiler@ubspectrum.com
