Crosby

PITTSBURGH — Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said he expects to play this season after suffering a concussion, but there are no guarantees he’ll be able to make a comeback.

Crosby visited the Penguins during Thursday’s morning skate for the first time since leaving the team last week to visit his parents outside of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

“I hope I’m back and I hope I play this year,” Crosby said. “That’s the thing with (concussions), you don’t know.”

Like any player returning from a serious head injury, Crosby is frustrated by the slow pace of recovery.

“It’s out of my control,” he said. “You just hope with time, the quicker the better.”

Crosby has missed 14 games for the Penguins with complications due to a concussion. He will not be allowed to return to the ice until he is symptom-free. He still leads the team with 32 goals and 66 points, and is fourth in the league in scoring.

Crosby, 23, said he left to get away, relax and not deal with the stresses that come with talking about his injury. He said it’s impossible to know when he’ll be able to play again, and that he’s just focusing on getting better.