Crosby on speculation linking him to Canadiens: 'I get it'
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Sidney Crosby is aware of the that of the clamouring from Montreal Canadiens fans wanting to see the star centre join his favourite childhood team.
The Pittsburgh Penguins veteran admitted to TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun in The Athletic that it's nice to be wanted, but it remains unclear whether he'll ever wear No. 87 outside of the Steel City.
“I get it,” Crosby said of the links to the Canadiens. “Trust me, growing up a Montreal fan and being from not too far from there, I understand how passionate they are. You know whether it’s those experiences or guys that I’ve played with that have played there, or playing there in the playoffs or 4 Nations — all these different things — I get it.
“I remember — I think it was my first or second year in the league — and I was in Montreal for a CCM thing in like June. And they were already projecting the lines for training camp in September. I was like, ‘This is wild. I’ve never heard anything like this. They’re so into it.’
"And I get it why that would come up and that sort of thing (speculation). It doesn’t make it any easier when you’re losing to hear those things. But at the same time, to know that a team like that wants you, it’s not the end of the world. It could be worse (he smiled). Yeah, I think that’s just part of it.”
Crosby signed a two-year, $17.4 million contract extension with the Penguins last summer that kicks in for this season. His cap hit will once again set at $8.7 million and he owns a full no-move clause as part of the deal.
The 38-year-old Cole Harbour, NS native's future has remained in the spotlight as the Penguins have missed the playoffs in each of the past three years. The team is coming off a quiet off-season and there's little promise of a significant step forward this year.
When asked about speculation regarding the three-time Stanley Cup champion's future, Crosby's agent Pat Brisson, told LeBrun "it's always a possibility" that he could move in future if the Penguins continue to struggle.
“Well, it’s a reality,” Brisson said. “First of all, he’s been so consistent for 20 years. He had another great year last season. He just keeps going. The comparison is Tom Brady. We want Sidney to hopefully be in the playoffs every year. We want him to hopefully win another Cup or two. So each year the team that he’s playing for fails to make the playoffs, it creates a lot of speculation.
"In reality, he’s not getting any younger. We’re here to support him. It’s the beginning of the season here. Let’s see how things are going. Hopefully they have a great season and the speculation will go away.”
Crosby scored 33 goals and added 58 assists in 80 games in 2024-2025, topping the 90-point mark for the third straight year. He's topped a point-per-game pace in all 20 of his NHL seasons.