NHL Rumor Mill – September 11, 2025
Could Penguins captain Sidney Crosby end up traded to the Avalanche or Canadiens? Could the Canucks land Ducks center Mason McTavish? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Roundup
CROSBY TO THE AVALANCHE OR CANADIENS?
COLORADO HOCKEY NOW: Aarif Deen wonders if this is the beginning of the end of Sidney Crosby’s long tenure with the Pittsburgh Penguins after his agent didn’t dismiss the idea of a trade.
Pat Brisson, Crosby’s agent, told The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun earlier this week that a trade was “always a possibility.”. Deen suggests that opens the door a crack to Crosby’s potential departure from Pittsburgh, even if the chances are remote that he gets traded.
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby (NHL Images).
Brisson pointed out the Penguins have missed the playoffs the past three years. He indicated that it would depend on how Crosby is going to be and how the Penguins are doing. It’s Brisson’s personal opinion that his client should be playing in the postseason every year.
Deen noted that Crosby’s long friendship with Avalanche star (and fellow Cole Harbour, NS native) Nathan MacKinnon has generated speculation that the Penguins star would end up in Colorado. However, Deen thinks Crosby would be a better fit with his boyhood team, the up-and-coming Montreal Canadiens.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Trading Crosby to the Avalanche is a long shot. They lack the cap space to take on his $8.7 million cap hit for this season, even if the Penguins retain half. The Avs don’t have their first-round pick in 2026, which is likely to be part of the asking price from any team interested in acquiring Crosby. Their prospect pool is ranked 32nd by The Athletic’s Corey Pronman, and they don’t have the type of young NHL-ready players that would tempt the Penguins.
The Canadiens would be a better fit, especially given their depth in 2026 draft picks, their prospect pool, and their young NHL talent. However, Crosby is the type of player a team acquires if they’re poised to be serious Stanley Cup contenders. The Canadiens aren’t there yet.
Jim Parson of The Hockey Writers cited the hosts of TSN’s Overdrive show discussing what a hypothetical trade of Crosby to the Canadiens would look like. Habs fans were overwhelmingly against the idea of parting with winger Ivan Demidov or defenseman Lane Hutson. Parsons believes moving Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, or Juraj Slafkovsky would also be non-starters for the Canadiens.
Giving up any of those young players for a 38-year-old Crosby would go against everything the Canadiens have been doing for the past three years. It could delay or derail their efforts to build into a perennial Stanley Cup contender.
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: Joe Starkey wonders if Crosby might be softening his stance on being a Penguin for life as a power play to bring back Mario Lemieux as team owner.
If the Crosby trade talk heats up, Starkey suggests that might make the club less attractive to a potential owner other than the Lemieux group.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: It’s an interesting theory, but if Crosby decides to move on, it’ll likely be for one more opportunity to play for a Stanley Cup contender than to help Lemieux regain control of the Penguins.
NO MCTAVISH FOR THE CANUCKS
THE PROVINCE: Patrick Johnston believes Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish would be a great fit as a second-line center for the Vancouver Canucks. However, the Ducks aren’t interested in moving on from the 22-year-old restricted free agent.
If McTavish became available, Johnston pointed out that the Canucks lack the blue-chip trade prospect to pry him away from the Ducks. Meanwhile, there’s a growing consensus among the pundits that the Ducks will get the young center re-signed.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Other clubs with more depth in draft picks and prospects have been linked to McTavish in the rumor mill. However, as much as those teams need a second-line center like him, so do the Ducks.
If Crosby said he would only be traded to Montreal that price becomes lower of course. if he lists a few teams that changes the price tag.
with the mobile D on the team with the young forwards adding Sid would be a fun group to watch
Meh, move along, nothing to see here. Another day spent in the doldrums. Waiting for hockey has no real excitement.
Didn’t Sid live with Mario as an 18 year old ? Don’t think Lemieux would want to move on from Crosby in anyway .
At 38 I think you do not get a boat load regardless of how good he is or was.
First rounder yes. Maybe a minor leaguer prospect and other lesser picks. You are not getting any of the Habs listed. Caufield Suzuki Demidov and Slafkovsky are almost laughable
Colorado better win in the next few years. When they crash it will be long and hard with no pipeline
Exhibition starts Sept 20 . Real hockey around the corner
SilverSeven, rookies report today with short tournaments scheduled in several locations, including one in Montreal this weekend involving the Habs, Senators, Leafs and Jets.
https://www.nhl.com/news/top-nhl-prospects-set-for-tournaments-this-weekend
At the end of the day – if Crosby decides he wants to move on- he will go where he wants to go and the Pens will take whatever they get. I am sure that was the agreement when he signed. My guess is the AVs more than the Habs but who knows
Let’s see how Pens season plays out. I don’t see Crosby sitting out playoffs again. If team starts rebuild, he’s gone at tdl. I’ve mentioned Sullivan being in NY as reason for landing here. I’ll add that new Pens coach is very familiar with Rangers prospects, especially ones he’s coached during his 3 years as HC for US nat’l teams. NYR also have 2 1st rd picks next year. Crosby nmc will help keep cost down. We’ve got almost 6 months to deadline.
Perhaps participating in the Olympics – especially if they win Gold, will soften the blow of another playoff miss to the pony where he remains with the Penguins for one more “let us see what can be done with all that cap space heading into 2o26-27.”
An Olympic failure, however, could have the opposite effect.
” … to the point …” (I did NOT type “pony” – LOL)
I think Crosby knows better than to go to the aging star retirement home. It’s like being put out to pasture.
You realize Pittsburgh is the oldest team in the league right? Average age 31.5.
Ny is 20th, at 28.8
So technically, he’s in the aging star retirement home. And a part of that reason why they’re a retirement home.
I was referring to the issue historically (Gretzky Lindros jagr bure naslund fleury messier… albeit the last worked out). Lots of older stars have gone to the rangers… one has one a cup.
Crosby as a Ranger even with Sully seems outlf character
i as a Rangers fan wlll be very happy if happened
Just thinking, Crosby kept his salary at the usual $8.7M for the possibility to depart the penguins at some point and allow teams the affordability to obtain him especially if the penguins retained 50%.
If he was committed to staying with the penguins I think he would have asked for $18.7M per year. My understanding they have over $50M next year in cap space which I assume they will not spend as there are the beginning of a rebuild.
My feeling he will agree to a trade this year.
I’m confident that Sid was fully aware beforehand what Brisson was going to say.
Sid is obviously not happy.
I don’t buy the clandestine speak in order to perhaps get Mario’s bid to win instead of the Chicago bid
To me, Sid, via Brisson, is ending a shot across Dubas’ bow “get on the phone and get something done, I am not willing to end my career with 5 straight years of definitely missing the playoffs. All I’m asking is for changes that at least get us within striking distance of a Wildcard spot”
I (and I would hope all Pens fans) would be very sad if he left; BUT (and here is the key), would in no way blame him for doing so.
If things don’t change, odds of Sid in a Habs uniform at TDL grow.
Sid for a bucket of futures really moves the needle for Habs
Sid is owed (as at TDL) less than $8 M
Trade at TDL
Sid 50% retained
Rusty Razor (also & 50%)
That’s $6.9 M (annualized) in Cap coming in
Habs currently at $4.6 M in space
Dach is $3.4 M; and at least a league min player has to go down to get roster to 23; so cap would work
Sid/Rust replacing Dach and league min (or close to) is a huge uptick for Habs.
Proposal at TDL
Sid/Rust (both at 50%) plus 2nd (‘26-lower of Jets/Blues); 3rd (‘26- Sharks)
Return:
Dach
Hage
1st (‘26)
1st (‘27)
Beck
“ is ending” should be “is sending”
8787, the price you suggest would be the bargain of the century for the Habs and criminal irresponsibility by the Pens. At a minimum, why would you inflict Dach on your team?
Seriously, Lyle has it dead on: the Habs are not at a point in the rebuild for Sid to get them the Cup. Meaning, they would not be desirable for Sid, and any reasonable acquisition price would cost the Habs too much.
We know you like complicated trade scenarios, so have fun. But Sid to the Habs is nothing but opium. Put that pipe down.
Sid alone on Habs ; barring other major moves; I agree, no cup in next 2 years
But Sid and his right hand man Rust; that’s a different story. Your adding a built in key duo AND the dressing room presence of 3 Cup/1st ballot HHoFer with probably the league’s best personal internal drive to motivate the youngins
Taking Dach was to balance the Cap
If he (Dach) does something productive this year; he becomes an asset to Pens, If he fails; no harm no foul; Pens only have him for 1/4 of season, then either trade for late round pick or B prospect; OR don’t qualify him; let him walk
The return in trade for Pens is 1 position shy of getting 5 firsts (Dach and Hage were 1sts; plus the 2 future 1sts, and Beck was the very first pick of round 2).
The two biggest keys of the trade to Pens is Hage and the fact that moving BOTH Sid and Rust effectively plunges them in the standings contributing to a marked increase in McKenna probability
If you think the Habs are stealing the deal ; drop the picks coming over from Pens OR keep them and add Florian X
In that best case scenario those moves then get
For Pens:
McKenna, Hage, Florian X, Beck; a healthy Dach ; and a shot at Dupont in ‘27
Habs get a huge bump this year and a fair shot at the Cup in ‘27 (with 21 year old Demidov, 23 year old Slavkivsky, 22 year old Reinbach, all much better than the already are, etc etc); just losing out in Cup in ‘27 would likely have Sid re-up for 27/28 and they’d be back in SCF in ‘28
The worst case :
For Pens: Hage, Florian X, Beck; a top 5 pick in EACH of ‘26 and ‘27 and a late rounder for trading Dach (that’s assuming he fails badly)
For Habs
Ousted game 7 in the ‘27 Eastern Conference semi- finals; but Sid re-ups for 1 more year and they get at least to ECF’s in ‘28
LJ , Setting aside my “complicated trade scenarios” and citing your contention that my trade proposal would be “the bargain of the Century “ for Habs;
What do YOU think is a fair return (at TDL) for BOTH Sid and Rust; BOTH @ 50% ?