Shocking story surfaces explaining why Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin share such a strong bond

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Mike Armenti
September 11, 2022 (1:25 PM)

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In recent years, we have seen, on a number of occasions, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin go to bat for one another - most recently with Crosby being vocal about his displeasure for the way the Pens handled negotiations with Malkin this summer.

What makes their bond so strong? Well, first and foremost, they've been teammates a long time. But loyalty goes a long way, and Crosby certainly remembers a time where Malkin displayed his loyalty to Sid.

A story came to light on Saturday from 2011 when Crosby was sidelined long-term due to a concussion. At the time, it was unclear as to whether or not Crosby would be able to resume his career and some players in the Pens' locker room were pushing for a leadership change. Malkin was having none of it, completely having Sid's back.

"It was 2011. Crosby was still out with the concussion and had been out for the better part of a year. There was a now infamous meeting in the Penguins' locker room. On one side stood Brooks Orpik, Jordan Staal, Craig Adams and Matt Cooke. Those four were exploring the possibility of naming someone else team captain until Crosby came back. On the other side of the debate were Marc-Andre Fleury, Malkin, Pascal Dupuis and Arron Asham. A rather heated discussion broke out. At the end, Malkin made his point clear: 'Guys. Sid is the f****** captain.' Then he left the room. And the conversation was over."

Knowing that Malkin had Crosby's back like that, it's no wonder why they're so close on and off the ice. That's the sort of friendship and loyalty you want from your teammates.

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