Crosby delays decision

Sidney Crosby's plans are set.

Some of them, anyway.

He intends to head to his offseason home in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia Wednesday, not long after participating in a player-organized workout at Southpointe.

Crosby's tentative plan is to remain there for about a week, but where he heads after that is up in the air.

He might well return to Western Pennsylvania to resume practicing here in the hopes that the 2012-13 NHL season will begin at some point in the reasonably near future.

Or perhaps he'll conclude that he doesn't want to stay away from competition any longer, and will head to Europe.

After skating with some teammates at Southpointe today, Crosby said his decision on gong on Europe -- a subject that's been in play for a couple of months -- likely will be put off until early next month.

"I'll probably just wait and see what's going on (with the NHL lockout)," he said. "We should have a pretty good idea in early January of what's going to happen. Hopefully, it's not a decision I have to make."

There have been no negotiations since late last week in the labor dispute that has shut down the NHL since mid-September, and no announcements that any are scheduled.