"Get Sidney Crosby out of Pittsburgh": Insider urges legendary No. 87 to leave Penguins as team struggles to find consistency

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Jan 25, 2024 15:20 GMT

In a recent commentary on TSN, analyst Bryan Hayes made a bold suggestion, urging the Pittsburgh Penguins to part ways with their legendary captain Sidney Crosby.

Drawing parallels with Tom Brady's move from the New England Patriots to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Hayes emphasized the need for the Penguins to release Crosby and allow him to thrive as a "monster player" elsewhere in the NHL.

Hayes passionately said:

"Get Sidney Crosby out of Pittsburgh. Follow in the footsteps of Tom Brady."

Despite acknowledging Crosby's indelible connection to the Penguins, Hayes argued that the franchise is no longer reciprocating the dedication and effort Crosby has given over the years.

Hayes acknowledged Sidney Crosby's status alongside Mario Lemieux as one of the greatest Penguins of all time:

"He will always be remembered as a Penguin. It’s him and Mario Lemieux. The two greatest Penguins of all time. He’s given everything he possibly could to that franchise. That franchise is no longer repaying him."

Hayes highlighted Crosby's continued excellence on the ice at 36 years old, positioning him squarely in the MVP discussion.

The analyst drew a parallel between Crosby and Tom Brady, emphasizing how a change of scenery and winning a Cup elsewhere could elevate Crosby's legacy even further:

"If he follows in the footsteps of Brady, goes somewhere else, wins a Cup, is competitive… that is going to make the case for him to get into the top five all time"

Sidney Crosby and the Penguins' mounting concerns as they lost 5-2 to Coyotes

The Pittsburgh Penguins suffered a 5-2 defeat against the Arizona Coyotes, ending an 11-game losing streak for the Coyotes against the Penguins. Lawson Crouse's bizarre third-period goal, where he inadvertently redirected the puck off his head, symbolized the Penguins' struggles.

Despite Sidney Crosby's milestone 577th career goal tying him with Mark Recchi, the Penguins failed to capitalize on their opportunities. The Coyotes' Connor Ingram's 25 saves and strong defensive play thwarted Pittsburgh's attempts to recover.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan expressed frustration:

“It just seemed like when we did get some traction in the game, we get the second goal, for example, and we got some juice, but then we get one up a minute later. That’s demoralizing.”

While the Penguins briefly tied the game, goals from Arizona's Jason Zucker, Juuso Valimaki, Alex Kerfoot and Nick Bjugstad sealed the Coyotes' victory. The loss raised concerns for the Penguins and captain Crosby, as the team has won only two out of its past seven games.