Sidney Crosby Could Leave Penguins If Key Teammate Is Traded: 'All Bets Are Off'

The Pittsburgh Penguins could be headed towards a long rebuild, with an underwhelming prospect pool giving their fans very little optimism for the future of the organization.

That has left the future of captain Sidney Crosby incredibly clouded, with many believing that after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs in three straight seasons, he could potentially want out after two decades with the team.

Now, ESPN's Greg Wyshynski has commented on the situation, noting that perhaps the departure of Evgeni Malkin could also play a key factor in Crosby's future, noting that many key people with knowledge of the situation believe that when 'Geno' is gone, Crosby will be gone too.

From all reports, 2025/26 appears to be the final season of Malkin in Pittsburgh, as this is the final year on his current deal, with GM Kyle Dubas having no intention of keeping him around, so if he does depart and the Penguins once again miss out on post-season play, it would make sense if he asked for a trade next summer.

Crosby has an incredibly palatable contract at $8.7 million per season, and after another productive season at over a point-per-game, Crosby is showing that he can still be an elite player in the NHL.

With all of the talk around No. 87 in recent weeks, it's unclear exactly where things go from here, as some believe all bets are off after free agency, while others tie his fate to Evgeni Malkin, but for now, it appears as though he's intent on remaining with Pittsburgh until things change.