NHL Analyst Outlines Scenario for Possible Sidney Crosby Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Amid mounting speculation about a potential Pittsburgh Penguins trade involving captain and franchise icon Sidney Crosby, nothing has materialized yet.
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And according to the latest reports, it’s likely that nothing happens on that front at least through next season.
Explaining his view of the situation on his Bleacher Report podcast, NHL insider Frank Seravalli said any possible trade involving Crosby likely won’t happen until the 2026 offseason — at the earliest.
“I think ‘eventually’ might be the key word there,” Seravalli said. “I could see it. I think it’s still a real long shot. Mostly because I think we’re taking Sidney Crosby — I think you have to take him at his own word. He wants to be a Pittsburgh Penguin. He wants to finish his career in Pittsburgh.”
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Explaining what it might take to see Crosby leave Pittsburgh, Seravalli pointed to teammate Evgeni Malkin’s likely departure once his contract is over next offseason as a potential turning point.
That said, Seravalli emphasized that nothing is imminent and that Crosby might still want to remain with the Penguins after Malkin is gone.
“I think one thing to keep an eye on here is that Crosby has been really focused on playing out this run with Evgeni Malkin at forward,” Seravalli said. “Particularly, those guys have had so much success together, they’re so close, that I think with Malkin’s deal expiring at the end of this upcoming season, that maybe that presents a window or an opening where he reconsiders or something different happens.”
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Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby.David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Crosby, who will turn 38 next month, continues to perform at an elite level and has two years left on his contract. He recorded 91 points in 80 regular-season games last season, yet the Penguins missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
If Crosby gets traded, according to Seravalli, that won’t happen in-season. On top of that, the insider believes this is not the offseason for a Crosby trade.
“I also don’t see this being an in-season trade,” Seravalli said. “So I would think that if it’s going to happen, that it would be in an offseason, and definitely not this one.”
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Related: NHL Fans Urged to ‘Keep A Close Eye’ On Sidney Crosby’s Future
Related: Penguins GM Reportedly ‘Asking for a Ton’ in Trade Talks for Two Veteran Players
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared.