The Pittsburgh Penguins continue preparations to begin the 2025-26 NHL season, which will be the 21st campaign in the career of team captain and longtime face of the franchise, Sidney Crosby.
However, most projections have the Penguins coming nowhere close to attaining a playoff spot, especially if general manager Kyle Dubas proves ultimately successful in dealing assets like forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell, along with defenseman Erik Karlsson.
With two seasons remaining on his current contract but playing for a team with no hope of winning the Stanley Cup, where does that leave Crosby?
Montreal Canadiens Rear Their Heads In Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes
Multiple teams have been suggested as potential landing spots for Crosby if he were to request a trade from the Penguins, including the Colorado Avalanche, who feature Crosby’s good friend and fellow Nova Scotia native Nathan MacKinnon on their roster.
Additionally, the Montreal Canadiens have also been floated as a possibility, considering his connection to the team as a devoted fan growing up.
When asked what a potential trade package for Crosby from the Canadiens could consist of, NHL analyst Eric Macramalla answered with what could be considered a modest proposal.
“Don’t know you have to give up a ton to get a 38-year-old center even if it’s Crosby,” he wrote on X. “Maybe something like a 1st, a 2nd, Beck and Newhook? It would make no sense to trade away core pieces like Demi, Slaf and 22. Sid would arrive to fill a glaring hole and not create another.”
Marcramella was firm on not including players whom he considers to be future franchise cornerstones in Ivan Demidov and Juraj Slafkovsky, the latter of whom was a former first overall selection in the 2022 Draft, to be tradeable, even for a player like Crosby.
Crosby’s drive and desire to win are among the brightest burning lights in the NHL today, making it all the more personally difficult for him, knowing full well that the Penguins have not been viewed as a legitimate threat to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in some time now.
Crosby has not formally requested a trade, but the potential continues to linger that if the Penguins get off to the poor start that most projections have them destined for, he could grow tired and feel that his still-elite skills would be better utilized elsewhere.
The Penguins will begin Training Camp next week, followed by their pre-season schedule.
