Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is returning from a wrist injury and will play his first game of the season on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils.
SIDNEY CROSBY IS PLAYING HOCKEY TONIGHT!!! pic.twitter.com/j0Mrr4hKBi
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 30, 2021
Crosby has yet to play this season after having wrist surgery in August. On Wednesday, Sullivan told media Crosby was “real close” to returning to the lineup.
Crosby made his return to the ice for an optional morning skate on Oct. 9 but has been practising in his normal spot in the lineup for the last few days. The wrist surgery, Crosby's second in about a year, was done to address an issue that has ailed him since 2014.
"The first time I ever injured, it was seven years ago. (Ryan Reaves) got hold of me pretty good at home here after the Olympics," Crosby said. "It was something that I kind of had to manage since then, and was able to avoid having to do any surgeries or anything like that until last year.
"It was something I was always able to manage somehow in the summer, just being able to get rest. Then obviously during the year, it was something that would kind of come back and I would get through it. Then this year, it just wouldn’t come back over the summer."
Despite not having Crosby or Evgeni Malkin in the lineup, Pittsburgh is 3-1-2 to start the season.