For Crosby, who has been a central figure in Pittsburgh’s three Stanley Cup championships, the conversations with Dubas were essential in solidifying his belief that the team was still dedicated to competing for titles, even after missing the playoffs for two consecutive seasons.

Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins are ready to hit the reset button. Pittsburgh narrowly missed the playoffs each of the last two years after a stretch of 16 consecutive appearances.

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said he had some promising conversations with general manager Kyle Dubas about the direction of his longtime club before he put pen to paper on a new extension.