Sidney Crosby: What Crosby's Return Will Mean to the NHL

It has been 10 months since Sidney Crosby was sidelined with a concussion that has now spanned into two seasons.

Ever since the beginning of the season, the big question on everybody's mind has been, "When is Sidney Crosby going to return?"

If this were the start of last season, chances are pretty good that we already would have seen Crosby, but now that there has been so much more attention put onto head injuries (thanks in great part to the one sustained by Crosby himself), the Penguins naturally want to make sure that the centerpiece of their franchise is in the right condition to come back.

On Monday Crosby began to hint at the serious possibility of a comeback as early as this coming Friday, while still keeping the air of mystery around his situation.

Crosby's return doesn't just mean good news for the Penguins, it means good news for hockey in general.

The biggest reason that Crosby's return is a win for hockey is that it finally allows a return to the famous debate that constantly rages through the NHL right now.

Who is the best player in the NHL, Crosby or Ovechkin?

As of this moment there is no debate because Ovechkin is the only one out there on the ice right now, though Ovechkin's last minute benching the other night might still add some fuel to the fire.

If this particular debate is up and running, that means the ratings of the NHL will be up as well, just as last year's Penguins vs. Capitals Winter Classic game managed to do for the NHL last New Year's Day.

Then there is Crosby's style of play. He is the absolute poster-boy for today's super-skilled, high-paced NHL game. 

He does everything for his team. He scores, he passes, he even fights on occasion. Plus, he is probably the best ambassador for the game of hockey right now.

He makes appearances, is good with fans, answers questions and really promotes the image of a superior athlete that views the opportunity to play in the NHL as a great privilege rather than a right (something the NHL has always been able to boast over some other professional sports).

Crosby also makes the NHL money. Other than the great ratings that follow him, Crosby's jersey is always amongst the top selling jerseys in all of the NHL.

People don't buy his jersey because he is on the bench, they buy it because of the way that he plays the game.

So from a monetary perspective, it is very easy to see why having Crosby back on the ice is a very good thing.

Whether you think that Sidney Crosby is the best player in the game of hockey today, or that he is a diving crybaby that gets too many calls and is protected because Gary Bettman loves him, one thing is absolutely certain about Sidney Crosby, he is good for hockey.