The Pittsburgh Penguins are rebuilding their roster, even though management won't admit it. Forwards Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell and defenseman Erik Karlsson have been frequently mentioned as trade candidates throughout the off-season.
Even Sidney Crosby hasn't been spared the trade conjecture, though his name hasn't popped up as often.
Nevertheless, there was sporadic chatter earlier this summer linking the 38-year-old Penguins superstar to the Colorado Avalanche (where his buddy Nathan MacKinnon plays) and his childhood team, the Montreal Canadiens.
Crosby addressed that occasional trade chatter during the NHL/NHLPA player media tour in Las Vegas on Tuesday. He said he understood it because his clubs missed the playoffs the past three years. The Penguins captain also indicated he was flattered that he was drawing so much interest from a hockey-mad market like Montreal.
Meanwhile, Crosby's agent, Pat Brisson, didn't rule out the possibility that his client could be traded before his contract expires in 2027. However, he also suggested the speculation could disappear if the Penguins improve and reach the playoffs. Brisson ultimately believes it comes down to how Crosby is going to be and how the team is going to do.
Colorado Hockey Now's Aarif Deen cited the speculation linking Crosby to the Avalanche and Canadiens. He thinks the latter stands the better chance because of their status as an up-and-coming club.
However, the odds remain slim of Crosby coming to Montreal. The asking price could include a rising star like Lane Hutson or a top prospect like Ivan Demidov, two players the Canadiens won't part with.
NHL Rumor Roundup: Update On Canucks' Hughes, Canadiens' Next Steps After Trading Price
Quinn Hughes' future with the Vancouver
Canucks has been murky since team president Jim Rutherford <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/news/latest-news/the-canucks-dont-hold-the-leverage-in-quinn-hughes-next-contract-so-whats-next">floated
the notion</a> of the defenseman one day joining brothers Jack and Luke
with the New Jersey Devils.
The player media tour also saw New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes say that he'd love to play with his brother, Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes, at some point.
Jack knew that it was “the headline question” but indicated he wasn't afraid to say it, whether it was with New Jersey or elsewhere. “They talk about it all day up in Vancouver, you know?” Hughes said. “But yeah, I'd love to play with Quinn at some point.”
Quinn Hughes said the following day that it's normal for a brother to say something like that, and playing with brothers Jack and Luke Hughes at some point would be fun, but he's excited to be in Vancouver.
Patrick Johnston of The Province assumed Canucks management would love to one day acquire Jack and Luke Hughes from the Devils and unite them with Quinn in Vancouver. However, he acknowledged that it would be incredibly hard to pull off, which is why there's speculation suggesting Quinn Hughes could head to New Jersey when his contract expires in 2027, if not beforehand via trade.
The Devils still have to get RFA Luke Hughes under contract before the start of this season. New Jersey Hockey Now's James Nichols wondered if the term of that deal might determine if the Hughes brothers play together in New Jersey or elsewhere.
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