Elliotte Friedman makes his thoughts clear on Sidney Crosby's future with Pittsburgh Penguins after Mike Sullivan's departure

Mike Sullivan is no longer the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins. He and the team agreed to part ways. Sullivan led the team for ten years and won two Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. He also has the most wins in the Penguins' coaching history.

Many people are now asking what this means for Sidney Crosby. He has been the team’s captain and leader for many years. Some wonder if the coaching change might affect his future in Pittsburgh.

General Manager Kyle Dubas was asked if Sidney Crosby might leave because Mike Sullivan is no longer the coach. Dubas said “No” during his press conference on Monday. This shows that Dubas believes Crosby is still loyal to the Penguins.

On the "32 Thoughts" podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman shared his view. He said Crosby is private and careful when making big decisions.

Friedman said Crosby is still skating and practicing with the team. He believes Crosby still enjoys playing and being around the game. He also said it’s likely hard for Crosby to watch the playoffs without playing.

"I do not like to speak for for Sidney Crosby, he wouldn't even admit to us Kyle that 87 was going to be in his contract number last year," Friedman said. "He actually signed for 8.7 million. I can't imagine it's easy for him to watch the playoffs right now." (1:10:05)

Friedman said if Crosby thought about leaving, it wouldn’t happen quickly. He said Crosby will take his time and think things through. He believes Crosby will want to understand the team’s direction before deciding anything.

"You watch him, and he's skating with with the penguins right now, like he loves hockey," Friedman said. "But I'll just say this, if, in any way, shape or form, this is going to change his opinion. It's not going to be a quick snap decision. He's going to sit down, he's going to think about it, and he's going to take time to properly assess how he feels about all this. So I don't think anyone should jump to any conclusions."

Right now, there is no clear sign that Crosby wants to leave. But Friedman said Sullivan’s departure might make him reflect. Even so, he thinks Crosby will not rush and will decide only after careful thought.

Sidney Crosby reflected on Mike Sullivan’s departure

On Tuesday, Sidney Crosby shared his thoughts after Mike Sullivan was let go as head coach. He thanked Sullivan for his work and support over the past 10 years. Crosby said Sullivan pushed him to be better every day.

“He did an amazing job over the last 10 years here with his preparation and commitment to winning," Sidney Crosby said." Personally, he pushed me to be better everyday."

He also said he learned a lot from Sullivan and appreciated their memories shared. General manager Kyle Dubas informed Crosby about the decision before it was made public.