ESPN: Sidney Crosby's Time in Pittsburgh May Be Over Sooner Than Expected

The Pittsburgh Penguins have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the past three years, and given what a fixture they've been in the post-season under captain Sidney Crosby, it's easy to assume that there's some level of frustration with the franchise star.

In recent weeks, that's led to speculation that his time in Pittsburgh could be running out, with rumours even beginning that he could have been moved at the 2025 NHL Draft, but to this point, his management have shut down any potential talk about Crosby requesting a trade.

However, the speculation simply won't go away, and now, ESPN's Greg Wyshynski has speculated that with Evgeni Malkin departing the team at the end of the 2026 season, it could likely be the end of Crosby's Penguins career too.

The one potential saving grace for Pittsburgh? The potential arrival of Gavin McKenna if the team can secure the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, with Wyshynski noting that could be enough to convince the long-time captain to stick around.

Even if they could land McKenna, the rebuild still has quite some time to go, and with Crosby still playing at an elite level at 37-years of age, there's a chance that not even a generational prospect could make him want to sit through another rebuilding year.

Ultimately though, this has been a rough few years for Pittsburgh, and with Crosby potentially wanting to chase one more Stanley Cup at the back end of his illustrious career, don't be surprised if he wants to be moved at some point in the next 24 months.