NHL analyst drops bold verdict on Sidney Crosby's future with Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby isn’t going anywhere, NHL analyst Avry Lewis-McDougal affirms.

During a July 30 appearance on Hockey on Fanatics View, Lewis-McDougal proclaimed that the Penguins franchise icon will remain with the team despite the turbocharged speculation surrounding his departure from the team.

Lewis-McDougal expressed the following:

“People keep saying me, oh, with the Penguins, you know, will Crosby? Will Crosby leave? Sidney Crosby's not going anywhere. Sidney Crosby is bleeding black and gold until the very end.”

The comments underscore how Crosby’s undeniable loyalty will keep him in Pittsburgh for the remainder of his career.

Lewis-McDougal doubled down on his point, stating:

“He'll be the guy that'll play, you know, 21-22 years when he calls it a day. I just don't see him asking out of a franchise that he's been with since he was 18 years old and won Stanley Cups...Crosby is there. I don't see him leaving."

Check out Lewis-McDougal’s comments from the 37:40 mark onwards:

With the Penguins heading into an impending rebuild, the chatter around the league has indicated Crosby could be leaving. However, there is no indication that this will be the case.

Crosby will be entering the first year of a two-year deal signed this past season. As such, it seems that Crosby won’t be leaving the Steel City until his contract is up.

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Alex Ovechkin believes Sidney Crosby landing with Capitals would be “wonderful”

Crosby and Ovechkin have gone from rivals to friends over the years - Source: Imagn

Washington Capitals legend Alex Ovechkin believes that adding Crosby to the team would be a wonderful addition to the club.

A July 13 piece in RMNB quoted Ovechkin’s answer following a question from Match TV’s Pavel Lysenkov.

Lyesenkov asked:

“If Washington makes trades and Evgeni Malkin or Sidney Crosby come to you, will that increase your chances of winning the Stanley Cup?”

To which Ovechkin replied:

“If this happens, it would be wonderful. If not, we will fight on our own.”

The exchange was predicated on the belief that the Penguins could trade both Malkin and Crosby to recoup some value instead of allowing both players to walk away for nothing.

That rumor has caught steam upon Malkin announcing that the 2025-26 season would be his last.

While it’s unclear that Washington would be a trade destination for either Malkin or Crosby, the relationship between both stars with Ovechkin has been noticeable for years. The bitter rivals have become friends, potentially opening an avenue for either Malkin or Crosby to head to DC.

As for Ovechkin, he’ll be entering the final year of his current contract. Ovechkin will hit the ice for his age-40 season, though he has not hinted at a possible retirement.