Sidney Crosby maintains he hasn\'t seriously considered requesting a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins despite the franchise\'s ongoing rebuild. The 38-year-old captain scored 91 points in 80 games last season while the franchise missed the playoffs for a second consecutive year.
Crosby\'s two-year extension at $8.7 million annually includes a full no-movement clause, giving him complete control over any potential trade. League sources believe the Penguins would never approach Crosby to waive it out of deference to the franchise icon.
Crosby was voted the NHL\'s \"most complete player\" by his peers for the sixth straight season in an NHLPA poll released in April. He tied Connor McDavid for Canada\'s team lead with five points in four games at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February.
\"I know that if all my energy isn\'t towards what it needs to be, then I\'m not giving myself the best chance for it to be successful,\" Crosby said. \"If it ever came to that point, I would discuss it, but I don\'t feel like I\'m there.\"
Pittsburgh\'s 16-year playoff streak ended in 2023. GM Kyle Dubas has been restocking a prospect pool depleted by years of championship-chasing trades.
Crosby has demonstrated exceptional loyalty to longtime teammates Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. The trio represents the longest-tenured group of teammates in major North American sports history.
\"He\'s probably my best friend here in Pittsburgh,\" Malkin said. \"He texts me all summer, you know? He texts me during season, we try to support each other.\"
Crosby\'s agent Pat Brisson has said publicly it\'s his personal belief that Crosby needs to be playing playoff hockey. However, the captain maintains tunnel vision toward success in Pittsburgh.
Crosby has 1,687 points in 1,352 career games. Pittsburgh opens the season with five rookies under first-time head coach Dan Muse.