Sidney Crosby’s name is back in the rumor cycle again, and this time it feels a little heavier. The 38-year-old is heading into his 21st season with the Penguins, but people around the league are openly wondering how long he’ll stick around.
What set it off was a comment from his agent, Pat Brisson, who hinted that Crosby’s future in Pittsburgh might depend on whether the team can stay competitive right now. One line from an agent, and suddenly everyone is speculating again.
Is Sidney Crosby Actually Pushing for a Trade?
On Monday, Crosby addressed it himself. He told reporters there are “a lot of narratives out there,” but none of them started with him. “This is where I want to be,” he said. “I love it here, and I can’t keep having to answer the same question over and over.” That’s about as clear as he could make it.
Still, you can see why the chatter won’t stop. The Penguins are stuck in a rebuild and have missed the playoffs three straight years. That’s not the standard in Pittsburgh, and it wears on everybody, especially Crosby.
He’s still playing at a high level, but at 38, he doesn’t have time for a slow reset.
Brisson’s words came across like a shot across the bow at GM Kyle Dubas. Whether Crosby asked for it or not, the point was obvious: he’s earned the right to be in the playoffs every year. Waiting around isn’t good enough.
There’s also the Alex Ovechkin angle. Crosby has watched his longtime rival in Washington stay competitive while the Capitals have found ways to reload on the fly.
As The Athletic’s writer, Josh Yohe put it, “I’ve long believed that Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are historically a lot like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in that one is always keeping track of the other. They don’t say it, but when you talk with players close to them, you get the sense that it’s the case.”
It’s no secret he’d like Pittsburgh to take a similar approach to patch the holes quickly, add proven players when possible, and avoid wasting the final years of his career. “Crosby knows Ovechkin, his biggest rival, is enjoying his final NHL seasons on a very good team, while Crosby is not,” Yohe added.
Dubas, though, isn’t biting. He downplayed the rumors, saying the front office won’t lock itself to a specific timeline. “We don’t put any timelines on that because we’re trying to do this as urgently as we can,” he said. To him, the trade talk is just noise.
Where Things Stand
For now, Crosby is still the heartbeat of the Penguins. Younger players follow his lead, and his day-to-day habits continue to set the standard. His presence at camp is a reminder that everything in Pittsburgh still runs through him.
But underneath the loyalty, there’s an edge of urgency. Brisson’s comments hint that patience is thin. Crosby’s own words sound committed, but losing seasons take a toll.
The truth is, this probably won’t go away. Trade talk will flare up whenever the Penguins struggle.
Crosby doesn’t look eager to leave, though. What he really wants is for the team to move quicker, to give him a legitimate chance at chasing wins in the time he has left, not just hoping the next wave of prospects eventually figures it out.