"His legacy is in Pittsburgh" - NHL analyst emphatically shuts down talk of Sidney Crosby trade to $1.95B franchise

NHL analyst John Shannon shut down trade rumors about Sidney Crosby. He spoke on the Sekeres & Price show on Wednesday, discussing the Vancouver Canucks' potential trade option.

Shannon talked about the Pittsburgh Penguins as potential sellers in the market. He discussed Evgeni Malkin and also mentioned that Crosby is not going anywhere. According to Shannon, it is not possible for Canucks (worth $1.95 billion per Forbes) to land Crosby due to his legacy in Pittsburgh.

"When you talk about the big 2," Shannon said. [17:30 onwards]. "I mean with Malkin, I'd love to know how his health is like right now because it doesn't sound very good, but I'm one of those guys who may be a stubborn old hoot, but Sid (Crosby) is not going anywhere."

Sidney Crosby is playing at a high level even at 37 years old. He had 91 points in 80 games last season. However, the Penguins missed the playoffs for the third straight year. Crosby had over 90 points in each of those seasons. Despite this, the team is not winning.

This has led to rumors about Crosby potentially moving out of Pittsburgh in pursuit of another championship.

"You know what? Regardless of your age, you have to prove yourself," Crosby said, via NHL.com, about making it to the playoffs again. "If there's a lot of healthy competition, I think that's better for us. That means that there are tough decisions that have to be made."

But Shannon thinks the idea of Crosby leaving is unrealistic. He believes Crosby is too connected to the franchise since he has won three Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh (2009, 2016, and 2017).

"His legacy is in Pittsburgh, he's gonna be on Pittsburgh's Mount Rushmore at some point," Shannon said. "And I think that for him to be discussed, I just don't see it. I do not see it."

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Greg Wyshynski's take on Sidney Crosby

Greg Wyshynski said Sidney Crosby might be traded if the Penguins start the season badly. He thinks the move could happen before the season ends.

"Greg Wyshynski: Re Sidney Crosby: If the Penguins get off to the start that we assume they're going to get off to," Wyshynski said. "I think he moves on before the end of the season, that's my prediction."

The insider explained that rebuilding is hard with Crosby and Malkin still playing. These players want to win, not wait for young talent. As long as they are on the team, it’s tough to fully rebuild.