Could Sidney Crosby finish his NHL career outside the Pittsburgh Penguins? Alex Ovechkin's Washington Capitals success adds pressure
Sidney Crosby has long been the face of the Pittsburgh Penguins , but questions about his long-term future with the club have grown louder. Just a week after his agent Pat Brisson suggested Crosby could eventually consider a trade request, the captain reiterated that Pittsburgh “is where I want to be.” Still, Alex Ovechkin ’s late-career success with the Washington Capitals has reportedly caught Crosby’s attention.
Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins future uncertain as Alex Ovechkin and Washington Capitals set late-career standard
Penguins insider Josh Yohe of The Athletic wrote that “the Washington Capitals’ stunning success last season caught Crosby’s attention. He saw the way the Capitals went from rebuilding to instant contender, and I believe he’d like a similar plan in Pittsburgh.”
Yohe added that he’s “long believed that Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are historically a lot like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in that one is always keeping track of the other. They don’t say it, but when you talk with players close to them, you get the sense that it’s the case. Crosby knows Ovechkin, his biggest rival, is enjoying his final NHL seasons on a very good team, while Crosby is not.”
Washington’s first-place finish in the Eastern Conference standings with 111 points (51-22-9) stood in stark contrast to Pittsburgh’s 13th-place finish with 80 points (34-36-12), underscoring the growing gap between the rivals.
Agent Pat Brisson’s pressure on Pittsburgh Penguins management to speed up rebuild for Sidney Crosby
According to Yohe, Brisson’s comments “seemed to be publicly pressuring [Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas]. Crosby is 38. The Penguins are in the early stages of a long-game rebuild. The clock is ticking, and Brisson is well aware.”
Crosby signed a two-year extension in September 2024 that runs through the 2026-27 season, a deal that appeared to send Dubas a signal about accelerating Pittsburgh’s rebuild. But as of this week, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Penguins at +600 to make the playoffs. Crosby himself acknowledged that “the expectations from the outside are pretty low,” highlighting the challenges facing the franchise.
Sidney Crosby’s loyalty to the Pittsburgh Penguins remains clear, but his window for another championship is closing. With Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals showing that a quick turnaround is possible, the pressure now shifts to Dubas and the Penguins’ front office. Unless progress comes faster, the possibility of Crosby finishing his NHL career outside Pittsburgh can no longer be dismissed.
Also Read: Minnesota Wild alternate captain Marcus Foligno addresses Kirill Kaprizov contract drama after $128M rejection
Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins future uncertain as Alex Ovechkin and Washington Capitals set late-career standard
Penguins insider Josh Yohe of The Athletic wrote that “the Washington Capitals’ stunning success last season caught Crosby’s attention. He saw the way the Capitals went from rebuilding to instant contender, and I believe he’d like a similar plan in Pittsburgh.”
Yohe added that he’s “long believed that Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are historically a lot like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in that one is always keeping track of the other. They don’t say it, but when you talk with players close to them, you get the sense that it’s the case. Crosby knows Ovechkin, his biggest rival, is enjoying his final NHL seasons on a very good team, while Crosby is not.”
Washington’s first-place finish in the Eastern Conference standings with 111 points (51-22-9) stood in stark contrast to Pittsburgh’s 13th-place finish with 80 points (34-36-12), underscoring the growing gap between the rivals.
Agent Pat Brisson’s pressure on Pittsburgh Penguins management to speed up rebuild for Sidney Crosby
According to Yohe, Brisson’s comments “seemed to be publicly pressuring [Penguins president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas]. Crosby is 38. The Penguins are in the early stages of a long-game rebuild. The clock is ticking, and Brisson is well aware.”
Crosby signed a two-year extension in September 2024 that runs through the 2026-27 season, a deal that appeared to send Dubas a signal about accelerating Pittsburgh’s rebuild. But as of this week, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the Penguins at +600 to make the playoffs. Crosby himself acknowledged that “the expectations from the outside are pretty low,” highlighting the challenges facing the franchise.
Sidney Crosby’s loyalty to the Pittsburgh Penguins remains clear, but his window for another championship is closing. With Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals showing that a quick turnaround is possible, the pressure now shifts to Dubas and the Penguins’ front office. Unless progress comes faster, the possibility of Crosby finishing his NHL career outside Pittsburgh can no longer be dismissed.
Also Read: Minnesota Wild alternate captain Marcus Foligno addresses Kirill Kaprizov contract drama after $128M rejection
Next Story