In a current article, TSN’s Travis Yost explored the intriguing risk of the Pittsburgh Penguins buying and selling their longtime captain, Sidney Crosby, earlier than the March commerce deadline. Though Yost acknowledges that such a transfer is unlikely, he laid out a state of affairs the place Crosby, now 37, might be moved if the Penguins fall out of playoff rivalry this season.
With one yr remaining on his contract, Crosby is ready to grow to be an unrestricted free agent subsequent July, creating potential alternatives for each the Penguins and contenders. The Penguins are doing every little thing of their energy to stay aggressive and Crosby has mentioned he has no want to go away town or the group, however he’s but to signal a contract extension.
Yost means that if Pittsburgh’s postseason hopes fade, Crosby could be open to a commerce, serving to the Penguins jumpstart a rebuild whereas giving him an opportunity to compete for one more Stanley Cup. He then means that the Penguins would possibly re-sign Crosby in free company over the summer time, successfully making any commerce a short-term association.
There’s at all times a danger in any participant leaving and discovering out that they’re completely happy elsewhere. That mentioned, if the 2 sides are snug with any such state of affairs, the Penguins ought to really feel assured Crosby will wish to come again and retire as a Penguin. The draw back is that he’ll have worn one other uniform in his profession, which will surely take away from his legacy.
Who Would Be Curious about Crosby?
A number of groups stand out as potential suitors. Yost mentions the Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, and Colorado Avalanche as franchises that not solely have the cap flexibility but additionally the aggressive drive to usher in a participant of Crosby’s caliber. These groups are all able to compete for a Stanley Cup, and including Crosby, at the same time as a rental participant, may bolster their playoff possibilities considerably.
For Pittsburgh, retaining a part of Crosby’s $8.7 million cap hit may sweeten the deal and assist safe a useful return that will be key to a Penguins’ rebuild. Buying and selling Crosby and never getting a first-rounder or higher appears pointless.
The thought of Crosby shifting to a contender, solely to return to the Penguins later, is an intriguing thought. It’s not clear if both the participant or the group has critically talked about it, however Yost put it on the market for a motive.
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