The Pittsburgh Penguins are heading into a rebuild. That’s far from a secret, considering the offseason they’ve had and the moves ahead for general manager (GM) Kyle Dubas. It’s why there’s a possibility that Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin are traded either late this summer or at the trade deadline.
Ideally, Crosby stays and is around to see the Penguins compete again. It’s also hard to see Crosby, who has been loyal to Western Pennsylvania, play anywhere else. But Wayne Gretzky was traded, and it wasn’t long ago that Patrick Kane asked his way out of Chicago to join the New York Rangers (and then the Detroit Red Wings). The point being, the Penguins can trade the star player as part of their rebuild.
Any trade, of course, must come from Crosby. He has a no-trade clause, and he can decide where he wants to end his career. If he prefers to end it on a competitive team and with another Cup instead of on a team far from it, then he’ll be on the move. It’s why these four teams make sense.
Colorado Avalanche: Where Crosby can play alongside Nathan MacKinnon, another star from Nova Scotia, with whom he is close.
Montreal Canadiens: A sleeping giant and a team on the rise, one that seems like the perfect place to end his career.
New York Rangers: He has a strong connection with Mike Sullivan and plays under the bright lights of New York. If there’s any United States market for him to finish his career in, it’s this one.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Crosby’s already cemented himself as one of the greatest. Imagine if he can end the longest Cup drought
Related: Blue Jackets Land Bryan Rust in Suggested Trade With Penguins
Between these four teams, which one can put together the best offer? Assuming Crosby has a shortlist and not just one team, then it can become a bidding war, and these teams can make reasonable offers to the Penguins both in the remaining weeks of the offseason and at the trade deadline, where he becomes the definition of an all-in rental.
Colorado Avalanche
2025 Offseason Offer: Martin Necas, Mikhail Gulyayev, 2027 first-round pick
2026 Trade Deadline Offer: Necas, Mikhail Gulyayev, 2027 second-round pick
If there’s one player on the Avalanche who can get a Crosby trade over the finish line, it’s Martin Necas. He’s a free agent after the season, and he’s building up a negative reputation of being kicked out of town (the Carolina Hurricanes traded him, and there are reports that he’s unhappy with the Avalanche), making him a talented skater with a big red flag. That said, Necas is the player the Penguins can acquire, extend, and start the rebuild around.
Once Necas is on the ice, his talent is unquestioned. He’s a consistent 20-goal scorer and 60-point producer who can be a staple of the top six. Better yet, at 27 years old, he’s in his prime years. If the Penguins can extend him, he can be a key part of their turnaround.
Necas alone won’t be enough to get a Crosby deal done. However, a prospect like Mikhail Gulyayev and a draft pick will. The key for the Penguins is when this deal happens. If it happens earlier, then it’s more likely they land a first-round selection, but if it’s at the deadline, it’s more likely going to be their second-round selection.
Montreal Canadiens
2025 Offseason Offer: 2026 first-round pick, Owen Beck, David Reinbacher
2026 Trade Deadline Offer: 2026 first-round pick, 2027 first-round pick, and David Reinbacher
The Canadiens have a surplus of young talent and elite prospects. They can move on from Owen Beck, David Reinbacher, and Kaiden Guhle if they want and still keep their young core together. It’s not a matter of if the Canadiens have enough to acquire Crosby; it’s about how much GM Kent Hughes is willing to move to make it happen.
Beck and Reinbacher are the two expendable prospects. Beck projects as a middle-six forward on the Canadiens, but a top-six option with the Penguins. Similarly, Reinbacher isn’t expected to carry the Canadiens’ defense with Lane Hutson coming off a Calder Trophy-winning season and only getting better, while Noah Dobson was acquired this offseason to put the unit over the top. On the Penguins, he can develop into a top-pair option.
It’s also worth noting that another option for the Canadiens is to trade Ivan Demidov for Crosby in a one-for-one deal. The elite prospect is one of the few skaters who can be traded for a future Hall of Famer. The Penguins would say yes to this, but there’s little to no chance the Canadiens move Demidov, a 19-year-old forward who has a Hart Trophy ceiling in him. So, it’s more likely Hughes moves a few prospects for Crosby and possibly adds in a draft pick or two if needed.
New York Rangers
2025 Offseason Offer: Dylan Garand, Gabe Perreault, Will Cuylle
2026 Trade Deadline Offer: 2026 first-round pick, Will Cuylle
In the hypothetical sweepstakes, the Rangers offering Dylan Garand to the Penguins makes them a wild card. Garand is an NHL-caliber goaltender, but the Rangers have no path for him to make an impact. The Penguins, who acquired Arturs Silovs earlier in the offseason, can add him and build their team from the net out with two young goaltenders leading the way.
The Rangers don’t have a great farm system, but they have a few prospects who could make a trade worthwhile. Brett Berard and Brennan Othmann project as middle-six forwards, while Gabe Perreault has the upside to be a difference-maker at the NHL level. The earlier a deal happens, the more likely the Penguins land Perreault.
One player who will likely be a part of any offer is Will Cuylle. He’s one of the few young forwards on the Rangers who can reliably contribute to the offense. He’s the one player the Penguins can receive in a trade, even if the deal comes at the deadline, and start building around.
Toronto Maple Leafs
2025 Offseason Offer: Easton Cowan, Mathew Knies, 2027 second-round pick
2026 Trade Deadline Offer: Matthew Knies, 2027 second-round pick
The Maple Leafs just extended Matthew Knies and expect him to be a core part of their roster moving forward. That said, he’s the young NHL-caliber forward they must move in any trade for Crosby. Knies has already shown he can be a key part of the offense, and it makes him a big trade chip and someone the Penguins would want in a rebuild.
Knies also won’t be enough for Crosby. The Maple Leafs would probably also need to move a top prospect like Easton Cowan, who otherwise would be untouchable for GM Brad Treliving. If the Maple Leafs refuse to move him, they might look to trade a prospect like William Villeneuve and a 2027 second-round pick. Ideally, they give the Penguins a pick in the first round, but the next available one is in the 2028 Draft, an unlikely pick to move in a trade.
Which Offer Is the Best?
Among the four teams, the Avalanche and the Canadiens separate themselves from the pack. They have better offers and have more to give if needed. While it’s hard to dive into Crosby’s mind, the two teams also appear like the top two for him to end his career with.
In the end, the Canadiens have more future assets they can throw in if there’s a bidding war for the star. They have the ultimate seal in a deal with Demidov and probably won’t have to go there as they can send Beck, Reinbacher, and first-round selections to acquire Crosby.
If Crosby is traded, which team do you think acquires him? Let us know in the comments section below! (And if you are reading this, Sidney, don’t come after me and get angry at these so-called rumors. It’s July, and bills must be paid.)
