NHL Rumors: Insider floats shock Sidney Crosby trade not to Avalanche or Canadiens, but $2.9B franchise

In a recent Canadiens Mailbag on Sportsnet, Eric Engels discussed the chances of Sidney Crosby leaving the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“In the rare event that Crosby is actually willing to leave Pittsburgh and willing to come to Montreal, what does the marketplace look like for him and what would it take for the Canadiens to get him?” a fan asked on Thursday.

Engels responded that Crosby has shown no clear intention of leaving Pittsburgh. However, he said that Montreal could be an option, as Crosby grew up as a Canadiens fan, which adds to the long-running speculation. The team is also improving, with young talent and good prospects.

Engels added that Montreal is not the only team Crosby might consider.

"I’d hardly be putting myself on an island suggesting Colorado would be one destination of choice," Engels tweeted.

Crosby is close with Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon, and they are both from Nova Scotia. Colorado is also a top team with a strong chance to win the Stanley Cup.

However, Engels mentioned another possible team that many fans didn’t expect: the LA Kings.

“Crosby might like Los Angeles just as much, though,” Engels wrote.

He noted that the Kings are not as strong as the Avalanche, but that could change.

“If he feels that way, I think chasing the Cup from Hollywood and living closer to longtime agent Pat Brisson could prove appealing to him,” Engels tweeted.

LA is one of the NHL’s most valuable teams, worth $2.9 billion (according to Forbes). This makes it a major franchise with strong market power.

Crosby is still with the Penguins, and nothing official suggests a trade will happen. However, if he ever decides to move, Engels thinks the Kings could be a real option.

Sidney Crosby addressed trade rumors midseason

On Jan. 29, Sidney Crosby said he is done talking about trade rumors and won't respond every time he's asked about it. At the time, the Penguins were struggling, and some thought he could join Nathan MacKinnon in Colorado. However, Crosby said his focus is on helping Pittsburgh and wants to play his best to support his teammates. He added that he can’t control what people say.

"I know how speculation works: Everybody's looking to talk about different things, different scenarios," Crosby said, via TSN. "I can't control that. I don't know where that comes from. I don't think that it's something I'm going to discuss every time someone speculates something. I'm not going to answer it every time that happens."

Before the start of last season, Crosby signed a two-year extension through 2027. He has a no-movement clause and has made it clear he does not want to leave Pittsburgh.