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Crosby Trade Talk Goes Beyond Speculation: “Ready to Chase Cup Elsewhere”
As the Penguins spiral deeper into a rebuild, Sidney Crosby may finally be forced to win one more Stanley Cup somewhere else.
Sidney Crosby has been the face of the Pittsburgh Penguins for nearly two decades. There is no doubt he’s the best player of his generation, but also loyal and somewhat ageless. The timing of his career’s trajectory versus the Penguins’ isn’t aligning, and as the Penguins retool, the unthinkable is starting to feel inevitable: Crosby might have to leave to win elsewhere.
On a recent episode of The FAN Pregame podcast, NHL analyst Jason Bukala shared his take on the conversations surrounding the NHL superstar. “Crosby is still an elite talent, and Pittsburgh is not going to be very good for a long time,” Bukala said bluntly. “He is going to age out of that roster (and) go win somewhere else, is what I think.”
Bukala’s comments aren’t new. In fact, despite Crosby’s consistent messaging that he’s not looking to leave, the “Crosby trade” is discussed so frequently that fans and insiders are starting to suggest those who keep bringing it up are being disrespectful. However, “Every single person in hockey is having discussions,” Chris Johnston said while appearing on SDPN. “It’s the absolute elephant in the room.”
Crosby talk is reaching the highest levels, and teams are keeping an eye on the situation, knowing that at any moment, things in Pittsburgh could change.
Crosby Trade Talk Is Moving Beyond Speculation
It’s not just speculation anymore. While Crosby has made it abundantly clear he wants to retire in Pittsburgh—reaffirming his commitment with a two-year extension before last season—insiders around the league are increasingly vocal about the conversations happening behind the scenes.
Johnston says it would be naive to think that Crosby hasn’t given it some thought. Frank Seravalli has reported that Crosby might have a “short list” of potential landing spots. Nick Kypreos has hinted at similar rumblings in his offseason trade coverage. And Bukala isn’t alone in suggesting that sentimentality may not be enough to override Crosby’s hunger for one last serious Cup run.
At 37, he’s still producing at a pace worthy of a playoff spotlight—not a bottom-of-the-standings rebuild. He deserves better than to spend the last few seasons of his career with a potential lottery team. They are a team in limbo, neither rebuilding nor contending. They are looking to dump his best friends and trade out the players he won with. Among them is Evgeni Malkin, who has reportedly been told this is his final season with the team.
“Sentimentally, he’s going to want to be [in Pittsburgh] to the end of Malkin’s career,” Bukala noted. “But I don’t know that that’s going to be a reality.” Malkin, 39 next season, is entering the final year of his contract with retirement looming.
Insiders insist the conversation about a trade is not only valid—it’s already happening. That said, it is important to remember that no trade will happen unless Crosby wants it.
Perhaps the question isn’t if he’ll leave—but when.
Next: Which NHL Teams Still Desperately Need to Make a Trade This Summer?
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