Sidney Crosby's Future in Doubt as ESPN Analyst Predicts Surprise Exit Date

The Pittsburgh Penguins have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of the last 3 years, the longest drought of captain Sidney Crosby and his longtime teammate Evgeni Malkin's careers.

Malkin has only a year left on his deal, and the prevailing thought by many is that he could choose to hang up the skates when it's through. Additionally, Crosby has 2 years left on his deal, but will they be completed in Pittsburgh?

Per a new report from ESPN's Greg Wyshynski, if the Penguins get off to a poor start this year, as they are expected to, Crosby will likely request a trade out of town so that he can have the best realistic chance at another Stanley Cup before he retires.

It also wasn't long ago that Wyshynski predicted that if Crosby does leave the Penguins, he would request to be moved to the Montreal Canadiens, the team he grew up supporting and still holds a deep affinity for.

The struggles of the Penguins in recent years have already resulted in a major change in leadership by GM Kyle Dubas, who terminated coach Mike Sullivan and hired former New York Rangers assistant Dan Muse in his place.

If the Penguins trade Crosby, it would arguably be the biggest move in their modern history.