There is great anticipation surrounding the uncertain season debut of Sidney Crosby, and as much as Pittsburgh fans want to see him on the ice, there can’t be anyone more eager than NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman.

There’s no doubting the Pens could use him, but Marc-Andre Fleury is a talented netminder and the squad is deep enough to grind its way into playoff position no matter how long it takes Crosby to return. Evgeni Malkin, a superstar in his own right, has been limited to just 37 minutes of ice time, but the Penguins are still off to a 3-0-1 start.

The Pens don’t need Crosby and Malkin racking up goals and dishing out assists right now, but the NHL is a different story. The league needs them on the ice — and as soon as possible.

The NBA is mired in a lockout and has already canceled the first two weeks of the season. It seems inevitable more games will be erased from the schedule, and sadly, NBA Commissioner David Stern agrees.

“With every day that goes by,” Stern told the Associated Press on Monday, “I think we need to look at further reductions in what’s left of the season.”

Somewhere, Bettman is smiling from ear to ear. That bleak prognosis for the NBA’s immediate future presents a golden opportunity for the NHL to seize the attention of a national audience. Hockey has been fighting for the spotlight since its own ugly lockout wiped out the 2004-05 campaign, and a resurgence of Crosby and Malkin could do wonders for league popularity.

Crosby, the most recognizable hockey player on the planet, is talented enough to consistently drop jaws and has already led his team to Stanley Cup glory. He’s like LeBron James — except a winner.

Crosby is the face of the league, and the league needs its face to attract the casual sports fan. Crosby’s recovery from concussion — recently a hot-button topic in all of sports — will draw the intrigue of fans everywhere and with the NBA on the sidelines, ESPN and other major media outlets will certainly track Crosby’s progress.

Crosby simply being on the ice makes a matchup with Washington or Tampa Bay must-watch TV. Not only are those the teams Crosby suffered his concussions against, but they also boast household names like Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos to reel in a bored NBA fan.

Add in the potential to challenge for a scoring title — if not run away with one — and potentially chase records, Crosby can generate as many storylines for the NHL as he can wins for the Penguins.

A healthy Malkin makes for a perfect sidekick. The talented Russian isn’t a spokesman for the league like Crosby, but he does possess the skills to appear on SportsCenter’s “Top 10 Plays” on a nightly basis — especially with no NBA dunks to embellish.

Hockey is a unique sport that features a skillful blend of toughness and intensity.

It lost popularity due to an extended lockout and a lack of star power after the departure of Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.

It’s unclear how long basketball will spend on the sidelines — it appears it could be quite a while — but an arrival of Crosby and Malkin could lead to gaudy statistics and a championship chase for the Pens. It’s recipe for the league to regain national admiration.

I’m sure a triumphant return of Crosby and Malkin sounds good to Pittsburgh fans — but it’s music to the ears of Commissioner Bettman.

Jason Orfao is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle