Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins are meant to be together forever. However, that may be too optimistic thinking for a team that finds itself at the bottom of the NHL standings time and again lately. With suspense around the captain’s future, reports state the jury is still out.
Crosby is still addressing his options when it comes to his NHL career. Though he voiced a sincere statement admitting he wants to stay in Pittsburgh, it could all change with another losing season. The Penguins are well aware of this, but there isn’t much they can do.
It’s all in Crosby’s hands. The decision is his to make. Pittsburgh understands that. Even though the captain has repeatedly stated his desire is to stay in The Burgh, reports indicate his camp is suggesting otherwise.
“[Crosby’s] first choice is to be a Penguin forever,” insider Elliotte Friedman said on La Poche Bleue. “[However], people around him have tried to say to him, if the team keeps missing the playoffs you’ve got to go somewhere else.”
How could he not?
Fans in the City of Bridges won’t be pleased if Crosby eventually requests a trade. Still, they won’t blame him, either. It’s not something Crosby pays much attention to, but he’’s still keeping his cards close to the chest. If things head even further south in the 2025–26 NHL season, it could be time to pull the plug.
“I think he’s thought about it, I think he’s considered it, and it’s something that was on his mind a little bit this summer, but it’s gonna happen on his terms,” Elliotte Friedman commented.
It’s obviously a big decision which would require much thinking from Crosby and his camp. Entering the first season of his two-year deal with the Penguins, it seems this won’t come down to an in-season request, but rather something to keep an eye open for during the summer.