Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is expected to be sidelined for at least six weeks after undergoing a procedure on his left wrist, the team announced Wednesday.
The timeline for his recovery means the 34-year-old will miss the start of the regular season.
“This is not a new injury for Sid. It is something that he has played through for years,” Penguins general manager Ron Hextall said in a statement. “After exhausting all minimally-invasive options and much discussion, it was decided that surgery was in his best interest.”
The procedure was performed by Dr. Robert Hotchkiss and team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas.
The Penguins begin training camp later this month and open the 2021-22 season on the road against two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay on Oct. 12. The door for Crosby’s possible routine would likely open around Oct. 20 at the earliest.
Crosby missed just one game during the COVID-19 shortened 2020-21 season, finishing with 24 goals and 38 assists to help lead the Penguins to the East Division title. He had a goal and an assist in six games during Pittsburgh’s opening-round playoff loss to the New York Islanders.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time league MVP has spent his entire career with the Penguins, spanning 16 seasons, and has 486 career goals and 1,325 points.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.