SUNRISE, Fla. — Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby skated Friday for the first time in more than a month, and his teammates left little doubt they’re behind their captain as he continues to recover from a recurrence of concussion-like symptoms.
The Penguins taped a “C” on each of their practice jerseys in tribute to Crosby, who hasn’t played since Dec. 5 after the symptoms that kept him sidelined for nearly a year returned.
Crosby joined the rest of the team on the ice for the final 30 minutes of a morning skate before Friday night’s game against the Florida Panthers, shooting a few pucks and making a few passes. While Crosby called his return a “positive,” he’s still uncertain when he’ll be cleared to practice, let alone play.
“The symptoms are getting a lot better, but I wouldn’t say (I’m) symptom-free,” Crosby said.
Crosby, 24, suffered similar symptoms last January and missed more than 10 months. He returned in spectacular fashion Nov. 21, scoring two goals against the New York Islanders. He tallied 12 points in eight games before the symptoms returned after a 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins.
The Penguins have struggled to find the net without their captain, managing just six goals during their current six-game losing streak, a slide that’s dropped a team considered a Stanley Cup contender two months ago into the bottom half of the Eastern Conference.
Doctors have cleared Crosby for “light exertion,” and he was clearly out of breath when he addressed reporters shortly after leaving the ice. While acknowledging skating is “better than being on a bike” there are restraints on what he can do.
Crosby admitted to having dizziness and balance problems, though the bigger issue remains how his body reacts when he’s moving.
“The motion stuff has kind of been the issue from the time before and going through it a bit now,” he said. “The good thing is I have a pretty good handle on it.”
Though the injury-ravaged Penguins have looked dismal over the last few weeks, Crosby shot down any discussion that the silence surrounding his condition — he hadn’t spoken to the media in a month — was causing a rift in the dressing room.
“I’ve been around hockey long enough to know this stuff goes on when you’re losing,” Crosby said. “I don’t think we’d be talking about it if we’d won five straight.”
Unlike last year, when Crosby took two shots to the head, this time there was no single play that caused the symptoms to return. He has applauded the league’s effort to crack down on dangerous plays.
“They can only do so much. At the end of the day it’s up to us as players,” Crosby said. “It’s a quick game. Things can happen.”
