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Insider Offers Latest On Canadiens Link to Crosby Trade

Originally posted on NHL Trade Talk | Last updated Nov 27, 2025 1:57 PM ET

The Sidney Crosby –Montreal Canadiens buzz refuses to fully die, and this week it flickered back to life thanks to Chris Johnston’s latest mailbag in The Athletic. When asked which center the Canadiens should swing big on, Johnston didn’t hesitate: if the window ever cracked open, Crosby is the player Montreal should go all-in for. However, he noted that there’s not much chatter these days.

Johnston wrote:

“The Sidney Crosby trade conjecture has quieted down, given how well the start of the season has gone for the Pittsburgh Penguins, but that’s the player I think Montreal should go all-in for if the Canadiens ever get a chance to land him. There’s absolutely no guarantee Crosby opens his mind to the possibility, but he’d be an ideal fit. The Habs also have the assets needed to make a trade work if the opportunity ever comes their way.”

Crosby-to-Montreal chatter has floated around for months, and we’ve been all over any updates regarding his situation. But each time the conversation starts to heat up, Penguins GM Kyle Dubas pours cold water on it. For that matter, Crosby does too. Dubas has repeatedly said their long-term planning hasn’t changed. Crosby contends he has no desire to play anywhere else and is committed to the Penguins, win or lose.

Dubas suggested that he communicates regularly with Crosby and agent Pat Brisson. What doesn’t come up in those conversations is a trade. There may never be a time when he’ll ask Crosby to consider one. As Dubas put it: “No, I would never,” when asked if he’d approach the captain about waiving his no-move clause.

Still, the truth sits in the background: this is an aging core—Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Bryan Rust, Erik Karlsson—and the front office knows the long-term picture is complicated. They’ve started well, but few believe the Penguins will be in the mix at the end. And, if the Penguins stumble, if their early-season success proves unsustainable, the narrative could shift quickly.

For now, the idea of Crosby in a Canadiens sweater is little more than a nice idea for fans of both the player and the Habs. Montreal has the assets, so it’s technically doable. There are just a lot of what-ifs and maybes involved in any deal.

This article first appeared on NHL Trade Talk and was syndicated with permission.

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