Penguins' loyalty shattered? Sidney Crosby reportedly eyed for post-Olympics move to Montreal
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But here's the thing: insider Frank Seravalli says Crosby isn't actually looking to move.
Sidney Crosby exit drama intensifies as Canadiens insiders predict blockbuster post-Olympics deal
The hockey world is buzzing about Sidney Crosby's future with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Even though his contract runs through the 2026-27 season and he's expressed wanting to retire as a Penguin, recent rumors are fueling up. A big reason? Longtime teammate Evgeni Malkin's $24.4 million contract is in its final year, adding to the skepticism.
Malkin himself had opined back in 2022, 'If this team wants new blood and young guys and they say to me to move on, we will see.' Adding to the discourse, ESPN's Greg Wyshynski, contemplating the Penguins' potential performance in the upcoming season, ominously predicted on The Sheet, 'If the Penguins get off to the start that we assume they're going to get off to…I think he moves on before the end of the season, that's my prediction.
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Turns out, insider Frank Seravalli probed the brakes on the Crosby trade talks. He told Bleacher Report on July 15 that, 'I think there's been some teams, or a short list, Montreal, LA Kings, Avalanche, those are the teams have been talked about, but he hasn't shown any interest… in moving.' This fits Crosby's typical calm, as he said about retirement, 'I don't think about it a whole lot. I just try to prepare for the next one.
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NHL insiders hint at ugly end to Penguins legend's era
Some of the teams on Seravalli's list have really caught the eye of fans and analysts. The Colorado Avalanche, for illustration, seems like a strong fit because of Crosby's friendship with fellow national team member Nathan MacKinnon.
Nevertheless, MacKinnon recently shot down those ideas, calling them 'fake news'. Still, ESPN's Wyshynski, always with a strong opinion, phrased on The Sheet, 'I've long believed he'll end his career in Montreal,' adding, 'I always assumed if it wasn't Pittsburgh, it was going to be Montreal, that's kind of where I'm at with it; the Colorado thing is sort of like a pipedream.'
What's more, NHL insider Nick Kypreos went on record, telling Justin Bourne and Sam MacKee, 'Wait till they [Montreal Canadiens] get Sid Crosby after the [2026 Milan Cortina] Olympics. I'm liking the odds a little better than I did maybe a few weeks ago.' Despite these pervasive discussions, Crosby currently remains a Penguin, as Seravalli indicated.
Also Read:
Despite all the chatter and what some folks are predicting, it really seems like Sidney Crosby is set on staying right where he is with the Penguins, at least for now.
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