PITTSBURGH — Sid the Kid is back.
Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby will make his season debut tonight against the Islanders, his first game in nearly a year since being sidelined with concussion-like symptoms.
Crosby hasn’t played since taking head shots in consecutive games in January against the Capitals and Lightning.
The 2007 NHL MVP spent the last 10 months undergoing a painstakingly thorough rehabilitation that left him wondering when — or even if — he’d play again and forced the league to take a harsher stance when it comes to policing head hits.
His return ends weeks of speculation that appeared to put the ever-polite Crosby on edge but hardly bothered his teammates. The 24-year-old declined repeated interview requests in recent weeks as the speculation about a possible return date reached a fever pitch.
Crosby missed the remainder of the 2010-11 season after taking a hit from Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman on Jan. 5. The expected brief absence turned into an extended one that rendered him a spectator for Pittsburgh’s loss to the Lightning in the opening round of the playoffs.
He vowed to be ready for training camp but spent much of the summer in seclusion in his native Canada, his silence fueling speculation his career may be in jeopardy.
Crosby came forward in September and — flanked by the two doctors who have overseen his recovery — said it was “likely” he would be back this season.
He finally was cleared for contact Oct. 13, and his return will start with a three-game homestand that will generate the kind of buzz normally reserved for late spring.
“We know what he means to this team, this city,” defenseman Kris Letang said. “He’s a special player.”
One that spent months dealing with “fogginess” that at times made it difficult for him to drive or watch television. He also endured painful migraines and likened the recovery process to a roller coaster.
The ride appears to be finally pulling into the station, sending Crosby out into the great unknown. — AP