

“All my energy is here,” Sidney Crosby said earlier this year, even as trade rumors thickened and swirled. At 37, the Canadian star continues to be the heartbeat of the Pittsburgh Penguins and is the undisputed leader on the ice and off it. Take the example of this season. The Next One has scored 19 goals and has 46 assists to his name, leading the team for points. Additionally, he is also tied 9th overall for the most number of assists in the league this season. As a result, fans were quick to dismiss any trade rumors.
But it doesn’t seem that everyone in the hockey community has received that memo. In fact, NHL analyst, Darren Dreger made a rather controversial statement that hasn’t gone down well with the Pittsburgh faithful.
He claimed that, “Sidney Crosby should request a trade out of Pittsburgh this offseason, ‘for the greater good of the league.'” A hockey page on Twitter, PuckEmpire, shared Dreger’s comments and slammed him as Crosby himself had admitted that he intended to retire with the Penguins.
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NHL analyst Darren Dreger says that Sidney Crosby should request a trade out of Pittsburgh this offseason, "for the greater good of the league."
When will these talking heads acknowledge that Crosby said he's retiring with the Penguins?
Cringeworthy TV everytime it's brought up
— PuckEmpire (@puckempire) March 2, 2025
Poll of the day
Poll 1 of 5
Do you think NHL analysts should stop speculating about Sidney Crosby's future with the Penguins?
Yes, it's disrespectful to Crosby
No, it's part of their job
Only if Crosby publicly addresses it
I enjoy the drama
Should Sammy Sosa be inducted into the Hall of Fame despite the steroid controversy?
Yes, he was a legend
No, rules are rules
Only if others from that era are inducted
Not sure
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Is Arkansas' NCAA Tournament fate sealed without Adou Thiero?
Yes, they're done for
No, they can still make it
Depends on the next games
Not sure
Do you think the UFL should prioritize increasing player salaries given their rising viewership and ownership by wealthy entities?
Yes, players deserve fair pay
No, they should focus on league growth
It's complicated
Not sure
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Yes, she's a powerhouse on her own
No, she's still mostly known as his wife
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Meanwhile, Crosby even signed a two-year extension with the Penguins and is committed to staying with them till he retires. During an interview just before the 4 Nations Face-Off, Crosby once again reiterated his desire to remain with the Penguins, “I’m going to always be here. I just signed a new contract to be here. I’ve been very upfront about it—I’m a Pittsburgh Penguin.”
If that’s not a statement of commitment, then what is? Naturally, when Dreger dredged up the subject of a potential trade, he was slammed by fans on social media for senselessly concocting stories.
Fans dismiss Darren Dreger’s comments and back Sidney Crosby
Crosby joined the Penguins in 2005 and has served the team for just about 20 years, giving his all to the team and collecting 3 Stanley Cups along the way. Not bad at all. It’s easy to see that Crosby has really developed an eternal bond with the Penguins, which looks unbreakable. As a result, one fan hit back at the NHL analyst’s comments, saying, “One of life’s great mysteries is how “experts” never hear Sid say he’s not going anywhere.”
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Furthermore, another fan pointed out that Crosby had signed a two-year extension with the Penguins that will keep him with the team through the 2026-27 season. The contract, worth $17.4 million, was tangible proof that Crosby wanted to stay with the team and a fan rightly pointed this out. The comment read, “Exactly, if he didn’t want to be in Pittsburgh anymore he would have never signed a new contract. The media needs something to talk about. They need to give up on Crosby moving tho. Getting pretty tired of hearing this kind of stuff.”
Similarly, a fan remembered Crosby’s exact words when he signed the contract extension with the Penguins. Explaining why he will never leave them and will retire with the Penguins, a fan commented, “Crosby said when he signed his extension last summer he wants to only wear one sweater in the NHL.”
Meanwhile, a few fans were sarcastic while hitting out at Dreger for suggesting Crosby’s trade elsewhere. Condemning his statement, a fan wrote, “Dreger should quit being an analyst for the greater good of the league,” turning Dreger’s words against him with a sarcastic twist.
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But other fans were more jaded. They believed that the Crosby trade rumors would never die down despite the two decades (and counting) he’s spent with the franchise. Thus, a fan pointed out, “This will never change, No matter how many times sid himself says he doesn’t wanna leave.”
However, Dreger wasn’t the only one who suggested that Crosby would switch teams. Joe Yerdon of Bleacher Report also wanted Crosby to join the Avalanche before the trade deadline. But in the end, no one’s wishes matter more than those of Sidney Crosby. And well, he’s made himself pretty clear on multiple occasions. For now, Crosby is fully focused on helping his team make a comeback as they lie at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division.
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