One of the biggest questions on the minds of Pittsburgh Penguins fans, and hockey fans in general, is what the future holds for Sidney Crosby.
Crosby has shown tremendous loyalty to the Penguins throughout his career, the last several seasons of which have not included a postseason appearance. By all projections, the Penguins are not expected to be serious contenders for a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference this season either.
While Crosby has two years remaining on his current contract, rumors have swirled that he could potentially leave for another team in search of one more Stanley Cup before the end of his Hall of Fame career.
Which Team Could Emerge as a Landing Spot for Sidney Crosby?
NHL insider Pierre LeBrun noted in a report for The Athletic that while Crosby has been linked to the Montreal Canadiens, the team he grew up cheering for, there is also a chance he would welcome the opportunity to play for the Colorado Avalanche.
Colorado’s top player is Nathan MacKinnon, a fellow Nova Scotia native who has been Crosby’s teammate multiple times with Team Canada in international competition, including the Four Nations Face-Off tournament and the 2025 IIHF World Championship.
“The reality is that this isn’t a Dubas decision if it ever comes to pass,” LeBrun wrote. “It will be Crosby and Brisson at the wheel. And it’s not just Montreal. There’s Crosby’s good pal Nathan MacKinnon in Colorado, who no doubt would love to have No. 87 with him in Denver. I would imagine Brisson has gotten a fair number of nudge, nudge, wink, wink whispers from NHL teams this summer, wondering about Crosby’s intentions.”
Adding to the speculation were recent comments from Crosby’s agent, Pat Brisson, who confirmed Crosby would love to win the Stanley Cup at least once more before ultimately retiring.
“We want Sidney to hopefully be in the playoffs every year. We want him to hopefully win another Cup or two,” he said. “So each year the team that he’s playing for fails to make the playoffs, it creates a lot of speculation. In reality, he’s not getting any younger.”
Crosby, who will once again suit up for Canada in February at the Milan Winter Olympics alongside MacKinnon, still has a clear desire to win in the NHL. However, his chances of doing so with the Penguins appear slim, which increases the likelihood that he might consider a move to a stronger team.
