Insider addresses if Penguins could trade Sidney Crosby, other franchise icons

Even before superstar captain Sidney Crosby agreed to a two-year contract extension that could keep him attached to the Pittsburgh Penguins through at least the 2026-27 NHL season, fans hoped the trio of Crosby, center Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang could help the club go on one last magical run before they retire.

Instead, The Penguins started the season at 6-9-3 and recently traded veteran center Lars Eller to the Washington Capitals for two future draft picks. With Pittsburgh looking like one of the worst teams in the league, some understandably have wondered if Crosby is having second thoughts about retiring as a one-club man. 

"The Penguins have let teams know that they are open for business," NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet shared on Thursday. "According to a couple of sources, their preference is young NHL players, followed by already-drafted prospects, followed by picks. ...If Sidney Crosby wished to go anywhere else, he wouldn’t have extended with the Penguins. The only way I could ever see it changing is if reality hit him harder than he expected. I don't see that right now."

While there is, on paper, plenty of time for the Penguins to become a team capable of hanging around through early next year regarding playoff conversations, there's no sign this squad has any such run in it. This past Monday, Pittsburgh surrendered six first-period goals in a 7-1 home loss to the Dallas Stars. As The Athletic's Josh Yohe noted, Pittsburgh is old and "rarely competitive against contenders" this fall. 

Nevertheless, Friedman said Penguins president/general manager Kyle Dubas doesn't want to trade Malkin. Friedman added that he doesn't "believe [Malkin] wants to go anywhere else" despite the club's woeful record. 

"Letang has a no-move [clause] for three more seasons," Friedman continued. "Even if he wished a new address, it’s not going to be easy. ...His history of injuries and ailments make trading for the 37-year-old a gamble. And, it is difficult to know exactly how it all works, but NHL contracts can be uninsurable for pre-existing conditions."

In October 2023, Crosby, Malkin and Letang became the longest-tenured trio of teammates in North American professional sports history. Breaking them up years ago probably would've been the right move as it pertains to the Penguins' long-term fortunes, but there is something to be said for them wanting to go down with a ship that will sink sooner rather than later.