Avalanche face fierce competition as another team emerges as top Crosby contender
Photo credit: Jamie Kamin-Oncea / AP Photo
Sidney Crosby's name continues to surface in trade speculations across the NHL, and according to a recent report, the Colorado Avalanche brace themselves as the Los Angeles Kings have emerged as a top contender in landing the veteran all-star from the Pittsburgh Penguins in a massive blockbuster trade.
Questions remain about whether Crosby will close out his career with the Penguins or chase one more championship elsewhere.
Avalanche face fierce competition in Crosby sweepstakes.
Michaël Petit from Dose.ca writes that naturally, the Montreal Canadiens have been tied to the generational talent, especially since he's previously named Montreal as a potential place to finish his career, and he grew up a devoted Habs fan.
The Colorado Avalanche have also emerged as a possible landing spot, given Crosby's close relationship with Nathan MacKinnon.
On the Shaun Starr Show, Marco D'Amico emphasized that the Los Angeles Kings shouldn't be ruled out just yet.
"D'Amico spoke briefly about Pat Brisson, Sidney Crosby's agent, and there are certainly connections to be made between the Kings and Brisson." -Petit
To start, while it may not be a major factor, Brisson has lived in Los Angeles for years and knows the city inside and out, meaning he could easily help Crosby adjust to life in California.
What truly adds weight, however, is Brisson's close ties to the Kings organization. He's not only a longtime friend of Luc Robitaille, the team's President of Hockey Operations, but also of Marc Bergevin, who serves as Senior Advisor to the GM.
"Brisson is a long-time friend of both of these fairly influential Los Angeles Kings, so this would definitely give the Kings an edge over the vast majority of other NHL teams." -Petit
Additionally, Los Angeles is an incredibly appealing sports market, something that could be very enticing to Crosby.
The opportunity to close out a legendary career in California, playing for a storied franchise like the Kings, is the kind of scenario that makes any player stop and seriously consider it.
"On the other hand, D'Amico adds the fact that the Kings are doing a fantastic job of destroying their prospect bank, so there aren't many interesting prospects to offer the Penguins." -Petit
Goaltender Carter George stands out as one of the Penguins' most intriguing prospects, but Liam Greentree (26th overall in 2024) shouldn't be overlooked either. He put up a staggering 119 points in the OHL this season.
Greentree has also been dominant in the playoffs, tallying 24 points and 14 goals in just 11 games. It's clear that Pittsburgh will be leaning on both of these rising stars to help restock their prospect pipeline.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 15 | 33 ANSWERS Avalanche face fierce competition as another team emerges as top Crosby contender Which team do you think Crosby will get traded to before the end of his career? | ||
| Colorado Avalanche | 20 | 60.6 % |
| Montreal Canadiens | 4 | 12.1 % |
| Los Angeles Kings | 1 | 3 % |
| neither | 8 | 24.2 % |
| List of polls | ||
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