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Elliotte Friedman Drops Concerning Hint About Sidney Crosby's Future in Pittsburgh


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Daniel Lucente
May 5, 2025  (10:36)
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Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby salutes the crowd
Photo credit: Edit from ESPN India

On a recent episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed that Nathan MacKinnon will be pressuring Sidney Crosby all summer to join him.

One of the NHL's most prominent insiders stirred the pot by making some bold speculation on the futures of Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon and Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby.
During a '32 Thoughts' segment on Monday, Elliotte Friedman predicted that MacKinnon, still shaken from Colorado's crushing Game 7 defeat at the hands of the Dallas Stars, will spend the summer trying fervently to persuade Crosby, his childhood friend, to leap over the one NHL team he's ever played for.
Friedman suggested that MacKinnon may have a good case, potentially referring to Pittsburgh's uncertain direction and the potential for one more Stanley Cup run with him in Colorado.
"Pittsburgh just made a coaching change because Kyle Dubas and Mike Sullivan disagreed on the path from here. Sullivan wants to win sooner, Dubas sees more of a rebuild.

You don't think MacKinnon's gonna be all over Crosby saying "Want to miss more years in the playoffs?" Come to goavsgo and play with me and we rule the league from the Western Conference."

- Elliotte Friedman
With plenty of time together this summer, Friedman believes MacKinnon will take every opportunity to influence Crosby's mind.
"He's gonna be staring at Crosby burning holes in his head, and Crosby's gonna know he's just looking at me thinking we should be in Colorado together.

It's going to be like this all summer, first at the World Championships and then when they get back home to Nova Scotia. For MacKinnon to work Crosby.

And I'm not even saying it as a Joke."

- Elliotte Friedman

Colorado would likely have to give up a lot to acquire Crosby

Even that, however, seems unlikely for Crosby to don anything other than a Penguins jersey. Trading away a franchise cornerstone in Crosby would be a seismic shift, one that few, if any, general managers would venture to make.
Penguins GM Kyle Dubas would come under immense pressure, with any trade necessitating a blockbuster haul.
With Colorado's recent win-now push, the Avalanche may not have the assets to make such a monumental trade. In spite of this, MacKinnon has nothing to lose by trying.
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Elliotte Friedman Drops Concerning Hint About Sidney Crosby's Future in Pittsburgh

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