The Pittsburgh Penguins are clearly still one of the most sought-after teams in the National Hockey League.
On Thursday, the NHL announced its national broadcast schedule for both TNT and ESPN, and the Penguins are tied with the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche for the most games played in the league this season, with 17:
Despite missing the playoffs two straight seasons, the Penguins still rank in the top half of team approval ratings, albeit just barely: They rank 16th out of 32 NHL teams in 2024 approval ratings.
But there are other factors that influence sales. According to shop.nhl.com, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby still has the best-selling jersey in the NHL, followed (in order) by Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche), Alexander Ovechkin (Washington Capitals), Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers) and Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs).
If nothing else, it shows that Crosby will always score, no matter how bad the outlook for the Penguins may look this season and beyond.
Considering the other major events surrounding Crosby and his team, this news shouldn’t really come as a surprise.
One of the biggest headlines this summer — both locally in Pittsburgh and nationally — was Crosby’s upcoming UFA status in 2025. The future Hall-of-Famer has yet to sign an extension with the only team he’s ever played for — the Penguins — and it’s fueling speculation left and right about Crosby’s future.
It’s no surprise that the Penguins once again had the most nationally televised games, along with the Oilers and the Avs.
(Crosby, McDavid, MacKinnon)
Sidney Crosby is entering the final year of his contract, which could mean a lot. The NHL knows it. https://t.co/HzFkRyFa2Y
— The Sidney Crosby Archives (@87crosbycareer) August 29, 2024
And Crosby is, well, still great. And with both he and Ovechkin set to break NHL records this season — Ovechkin needs 40 goals to break Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record, and Crosby needs to score his 20th consecutive point-per-game season to break Gretzky’s record of 19 — the hockey world will be keeping a close eye on both of them.
In addition to Crosby, the Penguins’ offseason moves have also generated some intrigue, most recently the acquisition of one of hockey’s top prospects, Rutger McGroarty. Many are curious to see where the team will go and how it performs after bolstering its bottom-six depth while piling up draft capital, ostensibly looking to rebuild on the fly.
Either way, expect to see a lot of black and gold on national broadcasts this season. Here are some of the nationally televised matches to watch out for:
– New York Rangers at Penguins – October 9, TNT: The NHL on TNT 2024 schedule kicks off with the Penguins’ season opener against a top division rival
– Penguins at Capitals – Nov. 8, ESPN+: Crosby and Ovechkin, both looking to make history this season, will face each other for the first time in 2024-25
– Penguins at Utah Hockey Club – January 29, TNT: The Penguins visit Salt Lake City for the first time to take on the relocating Utah Hockey Club
– Boston Bruins at Penguins – March 1, ABC, ESPN+: The Bruins come to Pittsburgh for an afternoon game as a prelude to the 2025 NHL Stadium Series game later the same day between the Detroit Red Wings and Columbus Blue Jackets
– Toronto Maple Leafs at Penguins – March 2, TNT: Toronto comes to town to take on their former GM Kyle Dubas in his second year as Penguins’ GM and POHO
– Chicago Blackhawks at Penguins – April 8, ESPN: Connor Bedard visits Crosby and the Penguins for just the second time in his NHL career
– Capitals at Penguins – April 17, ESPN: Not only is this the final regular season game for the Penguins, it’s also possible NHL record watches are still in play for Ovechkin and/or Crosby
Related: Pittsburgh Penguins 2024-25 Schedule Highlights: October
Related: Analysis of Crosby’s Chance at 2,000 Points
Related: Old roster, light schedule: Can the Penguins take advantage?
