Latest news with #SidneyCrosby
USA Today
35 minutes ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Avalanche star halts Sidney Crosby trade rumors with 2 definitive words
There's no way the Pittsburgh Penguins will trade Sidney Crosby ... right? RIGHT???? How could they even though the team is heading toward a rebuild? He's an icon, an all-time great and has brought so much to the franchise that drafted him. But all-time greats have been traded or let go in free agency, so it wouldn't be unprecedented. Which brings us to some trade rumors that popped up during the 2025 NHL Draft. Crosby's ex-teammate Georges Laraque tweeted that there was "a good chance Crosby play somewhere else," followed by Kevin Weekes tweeting a photo of Denver. Hmm. But Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon shut that down real quick on Instagram with just two words: Here are those tweets from Laraque and Weekes: Sidney Crosby's agent responded to the trade rumors He called them "baseless rumors," and Rob Rossi had more reporting on the matter: Not really sure what's going on here, but doesn't seem like Crosby's getting dealt to Colorado anytime soon.
New York Times
9 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Penguins' NHL Draft first round was unpredictable, unorthodox and completely Kyle Dubas
Follow our live coverage of the 2025 NHL Draft. PITTSBURGH — A few days before the NHL Draft, a Pittsburgh Penguins employee told me something about the team's president and general manager, Kyle Dubas, that stuck with me. 'Kyle isn't worried about what anyone else thinks. He's going to do what he wants. He's got guts.' Advertisement Fast forward to Friday's first round, where Dubas did pretty much everything unconventionally. If he was trying to win a popularity contest on social media, he failed. If he was trying to satisfy fans who treat mock drafts as gospel, he failed. Benjamin who? If he was trying to expedite the Penguins' rebuild to find players who could immediately help Sidney Crosby get back to the playoffs before he retires — which probably would've looked like trading up for a top-five pick — he failed. But, overall, did he fail? First of all, if you think you know, you don't. We won't know for years. On the surface, it seems disappointing that none of the big names in the top 10 slipped through the cracks to 11, where the Penguins were sitting, or that more familiar names, such as thumper Kashawn Aitcheson, were overlooked. It seems at least conceivable that Benjamin Kindel may have still been on the board when the Penguins made their second selection. We'll never know. Dubas noted after the draft that 'we had intel' that he wouldn't have been on the board for much longer. So, there is that. And Dubas did pull off some shrewd business. There's nothing sexy about trading down in a draft, especially a top-heavy one. Still, dealing the 12th pick for the 22nd and 31st picks is pretty good business. Turning around and dealing the 31st and the 59th to move back up to 24th is pretty good business, too. The Penguins met some objectives on the night. They have serious talent in the pipeline on defense (Harrison Brunicke, Emil Pieniniemi, Finn Harding, Owen Pickering) and in goal (Sergei Murashov). However, they look far more bleak at forward. Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen have the look of good NHL players, but neither projects to be a star. Behind those two, the organization doesn't have a ton of talent up front — some, but hardly overwhelming. Advertisement So, Dubas looked squarely at the forwards available and took three in the first 24 picks in the first round. After the 2024-25 season, Dubas decided the Penguins needed to get bigger and more difficult to play against. Bill Zonnon, the 22nd pick, is known for being a relentless, physical competitor who is nasty to play against. Will Horcoff, whom the Penguins took two picks later, is 6 feet 5 inches and physically imposing. He's the son of former NHL player Shawn Horcoff. Those two players may well help the Penguins become tougher to play against down the line. Friday was unpredictable and unorthodox for the Penguins, but they progressed. They selected three players in the first round since 1984. They selected multiple players in the first round for the first time since 2012. And yet, fans seem largely disappointed. They're restless. They're bored. They don't want to wait to compete for a championship again. They want fireworks. They wanted Dubas to trade up. (He said he tried but that there were no takers.) It's not that Dubas doesn't care about what the fans want. Of course he does. But he also is paid to make big decisions, and sometimes, the best decisions are not immediately received well or understood by the public. Everyone wanted a big name. Everyone wanted the Penguins to move up in the draft. Dubas said that, to move up in the draft, the Penguins would have ended up with just one player on Friday. Now, they have three. It's Dubas' show, with a hand from Wes Clark, his vice president of player personnel, who clearly has considerable influence on the draft process. When Dubas took over the Penguins just over two years ago, he seemed to go out of his way to please everyone. He might've wanted to impress Sidney Crosby and Mike Sullivan more than anyone. Even so, he had to have known a dramatic makeover was necessary. Advertisement But you try sitting in a room with Crosby and telling him you're going to sell. Try telling that to Sullivan. Good luck. Dubas gave them a chance to win with the current group, even though it was unlikely to work out. After a few months, he cut the cord and traded Jake Guentzel. That was the day Dubas made the Penguins truly his. Since then, the Penguins have sold, they've collected assets and they've built for the future. Now, is he building the right way? It's tough to say either way, even though the decision to draft Benjamin Kindel at No. 11 is going to be questioned until proven otherwise. Regardless of these moves' success or failure, this is Dubas' show. That's probably why this job appealed to him in the first place. Brendan Shanahan isn't here. Dubas is his own boss. Penguins ownership scarcely makes its presence felt. Former CEO David Morehouse is long gone. So is Sullivan, who possessed an awful lot of power for a coach. In the last month, we've seen Dubas go outside the box on a coaching hire and with the 11th pick in the draft. You might not like it. You might question it. You might have reason to. If the Penguins rise in the next few seasons, Dubas might look like a genius. If they fail, you'll be able to hear the laughter from Toronto. Either way, Dubas is doing it on his terms, which is precisely how he wants it. (Photo of Benjamin Kindel with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, Penguins defenseman Kris Letang and his son, Alex: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
New York Times
a day ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Pittsburgh Penguins NHL Draft guide: Picks, best fits and analysis
The Pittsburgh Penguins have 11 picks in the 2025 NHL Draft: Nos. 11, 12, 59, 73, 84, 85, 105, 130, 148, 169, 201. Here's what to expect. The Penguins haven't had many draft picks in recent years, but in the young talent they have acquired, it has been on defense and the wing, especially after trading center Brayden Yager to Winnipeg. They have no substantial prospect in their system at arguably the most important position. The Penguins enter the 2025 NHL Draft as a team that could make serious waves. President and general manager Kyle Dubas now owns the 11th and 12th picks in the first round, along with a second-round pick and three picks in the third round. He also enters this draft eager to land some substantial quality along with all of the quantity that having 11 picks in a draft promises to bring. Advertisement The Penguins, as a result, are a candidate to move into the top 10 of this draft. While Dubas acknowledges that his organization needs an infusion of young talent at every position, he is particularly impressed with the centers expected to go in the top 10. Sidney Crosby is going to be 38 next season, while Evgeni Malkin will be 39 and likely entering his final NHL season. That means the Penguins are in the market for a future top-six center. One of Dubas' favorite players in this draft is a forward, but not a center. He has scouted right wing Porter Martone extensively this season and brought him to Sweden as a member of Team Canada at the World Championship. Dubas believes he can acquire two good building blocks if he stays at 11 or 12, but he may well have the ammunition to make a bold move. — Josh Yohe, Penguins beat reporter In recent mock drafts, Corey Pronman has projected the following picks: 11. Kashawn Aitcheson, D 59. Tomas Poletin, LW 73. Maxim Schafer, RW 84. Conrad Fondrk, C 85. Yegor Borikov, RW 105. L.J. Mooney, C 130. Roman Bausov, D 148. Gabriel D'Aigle, G 169. Kieren Dervin, C 201. Jordan Gavin, LW (Photo of Penguins GM Kyle Dubas: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
This Penguins' Game May Have Altered History For The Florida Panthers
Apr 11, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; aChicago Blackhawks center Tyler Johnson (90) collides with Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) after Johnson scored a goal against the Penguins during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Chicago won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images On Tuesday, the Florida Panthers became back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 at home, 5-1. Not only was it Florida's second-straight Cup win, but it was also their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final. They lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023 before besting the Oilers in back-to-back Cup years, and - given that they handily beat a very good Edmonton team in six games despite partaking in their third-straight Final - they may not show any signs of slowing down. Advertisement But this near-dynastic force, in a way, all started with a loss in the spring of 2023 by a different NHL team. No, Florida isn't where they are because of a singular notch in the "L" column by the Pittsburgh Penguins. But, had Pittsburgh won this one game, a lot may have changed for Florida that could have altered their destiny. On Apr. 11, 2023 - in the penultimate game to their regular season - the Penguins were set to square off against the lowly, rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks on home ice. In order to end up clinching a playoff spot, Pittsburgh simply needed to beat Chicago, one of the league's worst teams. And they did not succeed. Can The Penguins Trade Up For Blackhawks' Third Overall Pick? Can The Penguins Trade Up For Blackhawks' Third Overall Pick? It has been rumored that the Advertisement Pittsburgh Penguins would like to trade up in the 2025 NHL Draft. Chicago went up, 1-0, approaching the midway point of the second period on a goal by defenseman Connor Murphy. Then, a little more than five minutes into the third, Penguins veteran forward Evgeni Malkin scored a power play goal to even the score. But - five minutes later - Pittsburgh was dealt a double-gut punch. Just past the 10-minute mark of the final frame, Buddy Robinson and Andreas Athanasiou scored back-to-back within 26 seconds to put the Hawks up, 3-1, pretty much sealing the deal. Pittsburgh forward Danton Heinen scored sandwiched between two Chicago empty-net goals by Tyler Johnson and Mackenzie Entwistle, but it was not enough. Pittsburgh was dealt a course-changing loss, as it, ultimately, led them to miss the playoffs for the first time in 17 years. They also lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime, 3-2, a few days later, but even if they won that game, the Penguins would have missed. Advertisement And the team that squeaked into the postseason instead? The Florida Panthers. Like Pittsburgh Before Them, The Florida Panthers Are Reinventing The Wheel Like Pittsburgh Before Them, The Florida Panthers Are Reinventing The Wheel Anyone who has been invested in the National Hockey League over the years knows that, as the seasons pile on, the game evolves. In the 2021-22 season, the Panthers won the President's Trophy as the best team in the league, but they were swept in the second round of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Lightning and made a shocking coaching change in the aftermath, hiring Paul Maurice and canning Andrew Brunette. They also shook up their roster in the offseason of 2022, acquiring and then extending Matthew Tkachuk from the Calgary Flames in exchange for star forward Jonathan Huberdeau and top-four defenseman Mackenzie Weegar. Advertisement There were a sequence of moves in the following years that made them what they are. But, had they missed the playoffs in 2023 after a President's Trophy-winning season - all because the Penguins beat the lowly Blackhawks - it stands to reason that Florida GM Bill Zito may have made some more impulse moves to shake things up after a near-miss. Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Maybe they would have fired Maurice. Maybe they never go out and get veterans like Brad Marchand, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Seth Jones. There's no telling how their timeline and their roster management would have played out had the Penguins won that game against Chicago. Every ounce of credit goes to Zito and the Panthers for becoming the machine they are today. More than likely, it was bound to happen eventually, anyway, regardless of what happened in terms of the 2023 postseason. Advertisement But the Penguins inadvertently opened the door of opportunity for the Panthers to begin their run at three straight Final appearances when they lost, perhaps, one of the most winnable "must-win" games in franchise history. As a result, the Penguins became a cellar dwellar. And the Panthers became a monster. Amazingly, unbelievably, incredibly, the Florida Panthers are back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions Amazingly, unbelievably, incredibly, the Florida Panthers are back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions The Florida Panthers are Stanley Cup Champions. Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more! Featured image credit: Charles LeClaire - Imagn Images
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sabres Potential Trade Partner: Pittsburgh Penguins
The NHL's 2025 off-season is here, and teams are going to be jockeying for trades and free agents in the coming days and weeks. And in this ongoing Buffalo Sabres site series, we've been examining potential trade partners for the Sabres. We began the series with a look at the Utah Mammoth, followed by the Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings. And in this file, we're going to break down the potential trade fit with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Let's get straight to it: Advertisement TEAM: Pittsburgh Penguins CAP SPACE: $22.9 million FREE AGENTS: Matt Nieto, LW; Connor Dewar, C (RFA); Phillip Tomasino, RW (RFA); Vasily Ponomarev, LW (RFA); Matt Grzelcyk, D; Pierre-Oliver Joseph, D (RFA); Conor Timmins, D (RFA) NEEDS: Help on offense, but especially, on defense; depth at left wing; change in goaltending tandem SABRES FIT? The Penguins have been one of the most disappointing teams in the NHL in the past three seasons, failing to make the playoffs in each year despite a veteran-laden lineup that includes icons Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson. Astonishingly, Pittsburgh has gotten progressively worse each year, going from a 40-win season in 2022-23 to 38 wins in 2023-24 to 34 wins this past season. It's inexcusable for a team with this many experienced hands to come up so short, but that's where the Pens are at today. Advertisement Consequently, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has a gigantic problem on his hands -- namely, how to balance the needs of the now with the long-term future of the franchise, Dubas is under extreme pressure to steer the Pens into the post-season in 2025-26, but to do that, he'll have to change Pittsburgh's lineup considerably. That starts with goaltending, as longtime starter Tristan Jarry was an absolute disaster last year, posting a 3.12 goals-against average and an .893 save percentage. Jarry was waived by the Penguins last season, but with three years left on his contract at $5.375 million per year, nobody will be taking him off the Pens' hands. Jarry is a key candidate to have his contract bought out, but if that doesn't happen, Dubas could bury him in the American League. Sabres Potential Trade Partner: Los Angeles Kings Sabres Potential Trade Partner: Los Angeles Kings THN's Advertisement Sabres site is continuing a new series in which we examine potential trade partners for Buffalo. We've kicked off the series by looking at teams including the the Utah Mammoth, Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, New York New Jersey Devils. If that's the case, would Pittsburgh be intrigued by Sabres goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen? The Finnish netminder's play fell off in a big way last season, with his GAA ballooning from 2.57 in 2023-24 to to 3.20 in 2024-25, and his save percentage falling from .910 to .887. Luukkonen is signed through the 2028-29 campgain at a relatively reasonable average annual salary of $4.75 million -- essentially, in the same range as Jarry's pay slot. And Luukkonen doesn't have any no-trade or no-move protection until 2026-27. What would the Sabres want in return for Luukkonen? Well, let's start by talking about Penguins winger Bryan Rust. The 33-year-old is a proven offense-producer, and last season, he set new career-highs in goals (31) and points (65) in only 71 games. Rust would give a terrific jolt to Buffalo's offense, and Rust doesn't have any no-trade or no-move protection on a contract that pays him $5.125 million to shoot down a deal to the Sabres. That said, if Luukkonen isn't a target for Dubas, there are other options on the Sabres who could be moved in a trade for Rust -- namely, veteran winger Alex Tuch, or young RFA winger J.J. Peterka. Both of those Sabres wingers might benefit from a change in scenery, and getting dealt to the Penguins as they aim for the playoffs once again could turn out to be just what Tuch or Peterka may be looking for. Sabres Potential Trade Partner: New Jersey Devils Sabres Potential Trade Partner: New Jersey Devils The NHL's off-season has arrived, and here Advertisement at the Sabres team website on we're in the midst of a series of columns examining which teams Buffalo could make a notable trade with. Another potential fit for Buffalo is Pens winger Rickard Rakell. The 32-year-old does have a modified no-trade clause allowing him to veto a trade to one of five teams of his choosing, but for all we know, the Sabres may not be one of those five teams. Rakell's salary of $5 million runs for the next three seasons, so Buffalo GM Kevyn Adams could rest assured he had a cost-controlled asset in Rakell for the foreseeable future. Rakell posted career-bests in goals (35) and points (70) last year, and he'd be a welcome addition to a Sabres squad that needs all the firepower it can get. Sabres Potential Trade Partner: New York Rangers Sabres Potential Trade Partner: New York Rangers The NHL's off-season has arrived, and we're turning our attention in this series to potential trade partners for the Sabres. Advertisement As you can see, there are multiple avenues Adams and Dubas can go down to consummate a major trade between Pittsburgh and Buffalo. Both teams are desperate to make the playoffs, but both teams can't afford to run it back with the status quo. The pressure is squarely on Adams and Dubas to get something done in terms of changing their respective rosters, and both teams have pieces that aren't essential to their core. And that means a trade that shakes up the Sabres and Penguins would ultimately be beneficial to each team's competitive bottom line.
