Before the NHL community was swept up in the regular-season madness, one of the biggest storylines was the future of Pittsburgh Penguins icon Sidney Crosby. There was intense speculation of a move away, and not all of it was entirely ungrounded.
The strongest voices linked him to the Montreal Canadiens: after all, it was one of the few destinations the veteran would seemingly agree to leave Pittsburgh for.
Now the question arises whether the Penguins’ early-season success would translate to prolonging Crosby’s stay in Pittsburgh. Fortunately, GM Kyle Dubas provided some much-needed insight into the issue for those of us who were pining for closure.
What Does Sidney Crosby’s Future with the Penguins Look Like?
Not long ago, when Crosby was caught in the trade rumor mill, he had bluntly stated that when a team consistently underdelivers, speculations and rumors naturally follow. Cut to this season, the Penguins are winning.
They are second in the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference with 18 points. However, it is unclear whether this will be enough to strengthen 87’s case to stay with the Penguins, given Dubas’s plans.
In an interview with The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun, Dubas weighed in on the subject, stating that while Crosby and he are united on the topic of clinching one win after another for the Penguins, there are grounds on which they differ.
“We’re trying to put ourselves in a position to win every single day. And I think that’s been what we really set out to do from the spring to the summer through the fall. I understand that it doesn’t appear on the outside at times that it’s glaringly obvious, but internally, we have very different viewpoints on it, and the results of the team will dictate who’s right and who’s wrong,” Dubas noted.
The point of difference has routinely been communicated to Crosby and his agent, Pat Brisson. The Pittsburgh GM further explained that such communication is essential if the team is to develop into a force that seriously has a chance of lifting the Stanley Cup again.
“I communicate that with Sid and with Pat, and I just don’t think we can veer from it if we’re going to deliver for him a team that can contend while he’s still at this level, while he’s still playing.”
An essential point that Dubas highlighted was that Crosby is not the only one in the Penguins lineup who, having lifted the Cup thrice, has the nagging desire to do so again.
Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Bryan Rust, Dubas said, have been there too and would love to do so again. Most importantly, while he acknowledges the differences between Crosby-Brisson and himself, Dubas is in no place to ask the Penguins captain to simply leave.
Ultimately, winning will solve all problems.
“He’s got two years, this year and next year, on his contract. I just think that if we continue to take the right steps and we continue to win, that’s the great solution to everything in sports. Just have to win.”
In short, there is a strong reason to believe that Crosby will remain with the Penguins if the team fares well; however, if Dubas’s plan doesn’t pan out, there will be no shortage of suitors willing to bet the farm on Crosby.
