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The Pittsburgh Penguins' season had just ended, and no one in the media scrum with Sidney Crosby in the locker room minutes after the game asked him directly about retirement.
But when he was asked about what it's been like to play with Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang for so long, he hinted at what might be coming next.
This was his full answer to that question:
"It's probably hard to put into words, honestly. It's something that we've probably just gotten used to. But they're like family. That's the best way to describe it. We've had some great wins, some tough losses like this. Ultimately, that's a long time that we've played together. So appreciative for the opportunities to play with them as long as we have, and hopefully we can keep playing."
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Those last five words tell the story.
Crosby probably knew he'd be listened to closely on this one, and he chose to share the thought that he wants to keep playing with these guys.
That's not a line Crosby would throw in if retirement was on his own mind. It's probably not something he'd say if either of the others was thinking about it, either.
Yes, this is reading into his words deeply, but that's all the hockey world has right now.
Malkin, for his part, has seemed all along that he wants to keep playing. He'll just need a new Pittsburgh contract to stick with his buddies.
They've accomplished so much together, including three Stanley Cups. It's been quite the journey, and they overachieved past expectations this season for sure.
It ended in tough fashion, an overtime loss Wednesday night to the Philadelphia Flyers.
But if Crosby's words can be interpreted at all, it sure seems like he doesn't plan on this being his last night in a Penguins uniform.
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