Sidney Crosby (Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images)
If Pittsburgh Penguins captain and franchise icon Sidney Crosby decides he wants to be moved out ahead of Friday’s trade deadline on Friday.

Sidney Crosby has made it clear time and time again that he wants to stay with the only NHL team he’s ever known. But if you take sentiments out of the equation, it’s best for him to pursue more Stanley Cups elsewhere — and for the Penguins to get a monster return that would speed up their inevitable rebuild.

Crosby, of course, would have to approve of any trade since he has a no-movement clause in his contract. But if he decides it’s time to move on from Pittsburgh, who sit second-last in the East with 58 points, the Toronto Maple Leafs are the ideal landing spot.

The Leafs sit first in the Atlantic Division with 79 points. The core of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, William Nylander and Morgan Rielly has accounted for just one playoff series win.

Trading for the best player of his generation (three Stanley Cups, two Olympic gold medals and a 4 Nations Face-Off championship) would give the Leafs the ultimate difference-maker and make them the Cup favorites.

What Leafs Should Offer Penguins For Sidney Crosby

Sidney Crosby (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Toronto should offer the Penguins Tavares, budding 22-year-old star forward Matthew Knies, promising 20-year-old prospect Fraser Minten, their 2026 first-round pick and a conditional 2026 first-round pick.

The Leafs would have to deal Tavares (an $11 million cap hit) to make room for Crosby’s contract. In this scenario, Pittsburgh can flip Tavares to another Cup contender for a big return and even retain some of the pending free agent’s salary if need be.

For Pittsburgh, getting two potential long-term cornerstone pieces in Knies and Minten, two early-round picks and another asset to flip in Tavares makes for a good return. The alternative is to keep Crosby and push back the rebuild that should have started a while ago now.