Crosby Out 6 Weeks: Penguins’ Metro Division Odds Fall From +510 to +630
By Robert Duff in NHL Hockey
Updated: April 8, 2020 at 7:17 pm EDTPublished:
- Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby underwent surgery Thursday to repair a core muscle injury
- Crosby will miss the next six weeks
- The average odds of the Penguins winning the Metropolitan Conference jumped from +510 to +630
The Pittsburgh Penguins can’t replace Sidney Crosby. In the past, though, they’ve learned to survive without him.
They’ll be asked to do so again, and the sportsbooks don’t like their long-term chances of hanging with the big boys minus their captain.
Across the leading sportsbooks, the Penguins’ average in the NHL Metro Division odds increased from +510 to +630 when news broke of Crosby’s lengthy absence.
2019-20 NHL Metropolitan Division Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Washington Capitals | +125 |
| New York Islanders | +300 |
| Carolina Hurricanes | +500 |
| Pittsburgh Penguins | +600 |
| Philadelphia Flyers | +900 |
| New York Rangers | +4500 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | +7000 |
| New Jersey Devils | +8000 |
Odds taken on November 14, 2019.
Crosby underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia injury he aggravated in a Nov. 9 game against the Chicago Blackhawks. He originally suffered the injury in training camp.
Crosby is expected to be out the Penguins’ lineup until Dec. 26.
Crosby’s Lengthy Injury History
This is far from the first time that the Penguins have been asked to overcome the absence of their captain.
In 2007-08, the Penguins lost Crosby for 28 games due to a high ankle sprain. But they kept it together and still reached the Stanley Cup final for the first time since 1992.
In 2011, Crosby suffered a concussion in the NHL’s Winter Classic and missed the remainder of the season, as well as the first 20 games of the 2011-12 campaign.
Just five games back from his concussion absence, Crosby suffered another concussion on Dec. 5, 2011 and missed the next 40 games.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8C-NppM3FgU
In 2013, he was out the final 12 games of the regular season after suffering a broken jaw.
He’s expected to miss 18 games while recovering from the surgical procedure he underwent on Thursday.
Penguins Seek To Survive Without Sid
Pittsburgh has already endured its share of injuries this season, including the absence the guy who’ll be expected to pick up the slack during Crosby’s absence, center Evgeni Malkin. At practice Thursday, Malkin worked the middle of Pittsburgh’s top line between Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust,
Malkin has more than ably filled this void in the past. During Crosby’s 2007-08 enforced absence, Malkin posted 47 goals and 106 points, at the time both career highs.
"I will be fire" 🔥😂
Evgeni Malkin on stepping up with Sidney Crosby out. #HockeyTwitter | 📽️: PensTV pic.twitter.com/uiiTULhtCK
— Tim and Friends (@timandfriends) November 14, 2019
While Crosby missed 60 games during the 2011-12 campaign, Malkin stepped up to collect 50-59-109 totals. He won both the Art Ross and Hart Trophies.
Crosby is Pittsburgh’s leading scoring this season with 5-12-17 totals. However, in seven games, Malkin has averaged a point a game, posting 2-5-7 numbers.
They’ve Done This Already
Counting out the Penguins might be premature. Pittsburgh was an impressive 8-5-0 in October despite being hampered by a litany of injuries to core players.
Malkin was lost for 11 games due to a lower-body injury. Forwards Nick Bjugstad and Alex Galchenyuk each sat out nine games with lower-body injuries.
One thing to keep in mind – back when Sid was out of the lineup a lot, Evgeni Malkin became superhuman.
So watch for that— Dobber (@DobberHockey) November 14, 2019
Rust was absent for the first 11 games of the regular season with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Brian Dumoulin (lower body) was lost for four games.
Monsters Of The Metro
The Penguins suffered a 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Rangers on Wednesday in their first game minus Sid The Kid. But the Pens are 4-1-2 in their last seven games.
https://twitter.com/TwitterMoments/status/1195011654066622465?s=20
The top four in the Metropolitan Division are among the best teams in the NHL. Washington looks like the team that won the 2017-18 Stanley Cup and both the New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes are displaying that last spring’s playoff runs were no fluke.
Truth be told, even a healthy Pittsburgh team wasn’t going to win this division.
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
