SIDES DISCUSSING TERM OF 10-12 YEARS?
Discussions between GM Ray Shero and agent Pat Brisson have heated up in the past week with both sides said to be expressing optimism that a deal for Sidney Crosby will be put in place as early as July 1 when Crosby can sign.

The focus in talks this week has centered around the term of the contract and the two sides appear to be close to reaching an agreement on the term of the contract at 10 years but one source close to the situation told me on Saturday that a deal as long as 12 years has also been mulled and remains on the table to lessen the cap hit. For the most part, talks are said to have centered around 10 -12 years. 
Crosby currently carries an $8.7 million cap hit and he has already made it known that he wants to try to work out a deal that keeps his cap hit in the $9 to $10 million range, in attempt to help the Penguins remain competitive on a year to year basis.
Chatter surrounding the talks is that Crosby’s new deal will look somewhere in the range of 10 years worth $87 to $100 million.
Crosby being superstitious, made it a point to have the number 87 in his previous deal, which led to the deal being 5 years, $43.5 million, which worked out to an $8.7 million cap hit.
If Crosby wants his new deal to still work out to an $8.7 million cap hit, here would be the total value of the contracts for 10, 11 and 12 years:
10 Years – $87 million
11 Years – $95.7 million
12 Years – $104.4 million
Currently, Crosby along with teammate Evgeni Malkin have the games second highest cap hit in the NHL at $8.7 million.
Alexander Ovechkin has the highest cap hit in the game at $9.538 million.