Crosby ready to play, even if NHL isn't
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Sidney Crosby won't rule out playing in Europe if the NHL lockout takes hold.
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Sidney Crosby is, his agent said, "feeling great," training hard and eager to play hockey.
And he'd prefer to do it in the NHL.
But, if the league's 2012-13 season seriously is disrupted by a labor dispute -- its collective bargaining agreement expires Sept. 15, and negotiations have yet to produce a replacement -- Crosby is willing to consider playing in Europe, Pat Brisson said Wednesday.
"If, at one point, there's a lockout and the lockout goes long ... Sidney wants to play hockey," Brisson said. "Of course, he would consider alternatives [to the NHL]."
Brisson said he has had "many conversations with lots of European clubs" about players represented by his agency, CAA, including Crosby.
Brisson said that he couldn't "put a time frame on" when Crosby might seriously explore his options in Europe, but "he's not saying 'No,' " to the concept of doing so.
"His mind[set] now is to get ready for a season," Brisson said. "We'll see what's going to happen here."
Crosby is under contract to the Penguins for the next 13 seasons, and any agreement he would reach with a European club would be structured to end when the lockout does.
Earlier this week, fellow Penguins center Evgeni Malkin confirmed he has an agreement in place to play for his hometown team in Russia, Metallurg Magnitogrosk of the Kontinental Hockey League, if the NHL is shut down by its labor dispute.
First Published August 31, 2012 12:00 am
