Minus Mario, Crosby leads

No one knows if the teen will be named team captain before the Oct. 5 opener
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Now that Mario Lemieux has retired again, the Pittsburgh Penguins are moving on. Sidney Crosby is not only their best player but also the face of the franchise.
What new general manager Ray Shero and coach Michel Therrien must decide between now and the Oct. 5 opener against Philadelphia is whether Crosby, at age 19, should wear the "C" as the team captain.
The only other possible choices look to be forwards Mark Recchi and John LeClair, but they are not the scorers they once were and both spent most of their careers with other teams.
On the fence
Crosby, making an unannounced appearance Tuesday at the Penguins' youth camp, said he wouldn't turn down the "C" if offered it, but won't campaign for it.
"If one day whoever makes that decision decides they'd like me to have it, it would be a huge honor," said Crosby, designated by Therrien as an alternate captain immediately after the coach was hired in December. "But, at the same time, it's something you have to earn. That's not something you take lightly.
"For me it's my second year, so it's not something you're thinking about. I'm working on improving myself as a player and a person, and that's all I really worry about."
Crosby doesn't deny having some issues with Recchi before the 17-season veteran was dealt to Stanley Cup champion Carolina at the trading deadline.
Vocals questioned
Recchi apparently felt Crosby was too vocal and demonstrative about calls that didn't go his way, especially for a rookie.
The two have since talked and exchanged e-mails, and Crosby said he welcomes Recchi's return this season.
"Obviously everyone knows there were some things before that were brought up, but that's in the past," Crosby said. "That stuff happens and you move on.
"We're both fighting for the same thing and you have to have a common goal, to win. Teammates are teammates and we respect each other. It's water under the bridge and it's time to move on and we're all pulling the same way."
Malkin's moves
Crosby has been closely following Penguins draft pick Evgeni Malkin's clandestine departure from his Russian team in Finland and his recent journey to the United States, where he hopes to join the Penguins for camp next month.
"It's a pretty amazing story," Crosby said. "What he went through is pretty unbelievable. He showed a lot of guts to go through that and come over here. I think everyone is just looking forward to having him here and making him feel as comfortable as possible."
Malkin, 20, and Crosby, 19, are expected to give the Penguins a dynamic and very young combination at center. The two are a combined 39 years old, or nearly Recchi's age; Recchi turns 39 on Feb. 1.
Double threat
"If we're both at our best and both lines are at their best, we're going to be tough," said Crosby, who has played against Malkin in the world and world junior championships. "It's always hard to play against teams who have a different couple of lines to play against you."
Not that Crosby will relax if Malkin takes some of the scoring load off him. Crosby's 102 points were 44 more than team runner-up Sergei Gonchar's 58 points.
"You have high expectations for yourself, and you don't want to sit back and say, 'Let him do it now,' " Crosby said.
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