The Colorado Avalanche have several superstars on their roster and recent discussion across Avs Nation is thinking about another possibility: the addition of longtime Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby. Does this move seem likely? Does it make sense for either side?
Let’s start with the obvious notes here: Yes, Crosby is good buddies with Nathan MacKinnon. They were neighbours while they both lived in Nova Scotia. Yes, Crosby has had a Hall of Fame career. Crosby is on pace for 48 goals and 41 assists for the 2023-24 season. It’s obvious that he still has something left in the tank. He can likely play as long as he wants to, it seems.
That being said, at 36 years old, and three Stanley Cup victories in his career, how much motivation does he have to continue playing? Would he want to change cities for a chance at another Stanley Cup? To me, that doesn’t seem likely.
Crosby also has all the money that he needs and that probably won’t be a motivation for him to continue playing, again, for a new team. According to CapFriendly, Crosby sits at $141,340,243 in career earnings.
The only way that I could see a Crosby-to-Colorado scenario is if he has playing alongside Nathan MacKinnon on his bucket list. The two did just play on the same team during the All-Star break games, but let’s be real: that’s nothing like winning a Stanley Cup.
The two could potentially play alongside each other during the Olympics again in 2026, though.
Crosby might still have a little bit left in the tank, but he does not have anything left to prove. He’s right up there with a guy like Mario Lemieux as the best in Penguins history. I would think that if Crosby wants to play another year or two, the Pittsburgh Penguins would agree to let him do so where he began, and sign him to a one or two-year contract to cap off a brilliant career.