The Toronto Maple Leafs could be an interesting destination for Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby. During Monday’s edition of “TSN Overdrive”, the panel discussed the possibility of Crosby moving to another team given the Penguins’ current struggles.
Entering Tuesday night’s action, the Penguins are last in the Metro Division, trailing the rebuilding Philadelphia Flyers and the sinking Columbus Blue Jackets.
As such, the panel explored the possibility of the Penguins moving Crosby to the Maple Leafs in exchange for star winger Mitch Marner.
The thought of such a trade has raised more than a few eyebrows. Considering the Leafs are yet to sign Marner to an extension, trading him could be a realistic possibility. Meanwhile, the Penguins look to be heading into a full rebuild. Their lack of success over the last two seasons has come to a head this year.
So, would the Penguins be willing to move Sidney Crosby? Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has publicly said that virtually everyone on the team’s roster could be dealt except for Crosby, who signed a two-year contract extension earlier this season, signaling his willingness to end his career in Steeltown potentially.
But if the Penguins find themselves in an undeniable rebuilding situation, Dubas may have no choice but to sell off the club’s most valuable pieces to recoup draft picks and prospects.
Crosby to Toronto Maple Leafs for Marner seems implausible
On the surface, the deal would be quite tough to pull off. First of all, Mitch Marner has a full no-movement clause. In other words, Marner would have to agree to a deal with Pittsburgh. While there is some familiarity between Marner and Dubas, it’s unlikely Marner agrees to go to a rebuilding club.
Secondly, Marner would likely only sign an extension with the Penguins for six, seven or eight years knowing the Penguins will likely be awful for the next half-decade.
Lastly, Crosby is 37 years old. Is he the type of player the Toronto Maple Leafs need to be successful? Crosby could help put the Leafs over the top during a strong playoff run. But in the long term, losing Marner, especially with how he’s played this season, is perhaps not worth it.
Crosby may have short-term success in Toronto for the next two to three seasons. As Crosby nears 40, his performance could significantly decline. Conversely, Marner is a decade younger than Crosby and could be much more useful to the Leafs in the long term.
Overall, this blockbuster trade would easily be the biggest deal in recent memory. While the Penguins could make out like bandits with such a trade, the Toronto Maple Leafs would be ruining their future for seasons to come. If the Leafs could acquire Crosby for a price that doesn’t include Marner, such as a mix of prospects and draft picks, the deal might then be worth it.
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