When the Maple Leafs play the Penguins here tonight, they will face a
Sidney Crosby who is the same marvellous player, but one more
comfortable with his superstar status.

Crosby, 21, is entering his fourth NHL season and captained the
Penguins to the Stanley Cup final last season.

The Pens were largely overmatched in the final against Detroit. As the
hockey world watched, anticipating a classic clash, Crosby never
really rose to the occasion, largely due to an ankle injury and a
nagging rib problem.

"It wasn't so much my ankle as it was my ribs," Crosby said.

"My ankle is good now. I rested my whole body over the summer."

The Penguins opened camp last week and made another big cut yesterday
– 13 players – to get their roster down to 29. There is a sense of
urgency because, after playing the Leafs back in Toronto this weekend,
they will join a convoy of four NHL teams on two private jets heading
for Europe as part of the league's expanded involvement overseas.

For Crosby, there has been very little time to straighten out some
details in his private life. He remains a tenant at the home of team
owner Mario Lemieux, a living situation Crosby has maintained since
his rookie season. He hasn't yet made his mind up about moving into
his own digs.

"It's more a matter of the place I do find being the right one for
me," Crosby said yesterday as the Penguins skated for about 90 minutes
in preparation for the Leafs.

"When I do move I definitely want to make sure it's the right place."

Crosby has a home in his native Nova Scotia, just outside Halifax. And
while he relaxed far away from his hockey home, the Penguins underwent
significant personnel changes.

Gone are unrestricted free agents Ryan Malone, Georges Laraque, Gary
Roberts, Jarkko Ruutu, Marian Hossa and Adam Hall. Three new forwards
– Miro Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko and Eric Godard – were brought in.

Crosby has only had a few days to find chemistry with Satan – his new
winger now that Hossa is gone.

"We should be good, he should be good to play with, he's a true
goal-scorer," Crosby said.

"Marian was a guy who'd go into the corner and dig the puck out. He
was a goal scorer too, but Miro is a scorer. Right now we're getting
used to each other and getting a feeling for how we play."

The Penguins appear to be weaker in terms of veterans as they prepare
to defend their Eastern Conference title. But the experience of having
the club's younger players play in a Stanley Cup final should serve
the team well.

"No matter who we brought in, or who left, expectations are going to
be high because we made it to the final," Crosby said. "Last year we
knew we had a good team, and knew there'd be a lot of steps. We're
approaching this year the same way, with a lot of short-term goals
because we know how long and hard a road it can be to get to the final."