The story surrounding NHL great and future Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby over the last couple of seasons hasn't been his retirement, and hasn't been anything to do with breaking records or any on-ice play in particular, but rather whether we could see Crosby in a different jersey come early March, and what the true chances of Crosby being traded are. But, hypothetically if Crosby does take his game to another city, do Penguins teammates Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang also jump ship from Pittsburgh?
Crosby, Malkin, and Letang are the three names Penguins fans have been comfortably supporting over the best part of two decades, and that trio could be split up as early as this winter. With Letang, Malkin, and Crosby being the three musketeers in Pittsburgh for longer than anyone can imagine, playing over 1,000 regular season and playoff games together, scoring thousands of points, and being on the winning end of three Stanley Cup triumphs over 189 years of playing with each other, it seems if one leaves, the rest may follow.
Three or four years ago, splitting up the famous three would have been a preposterous idea, but now, the Crosby departure rumours are in full flow, but would his exit really tempt Letang and Malkin to also jump ship? With Letang and Malkin both headed towards retirement, a so-called Crosby departure could mean both call it quits at the end of the season, something nobody wants to see from two long-lasting legends of the NHL, but it just wouldn't be right as a two man band. The chances of all three being on the same team to end the season is super slim, but Letang, Malkin, and Crosby are all names that should be competing in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and their trade value could still be high enough for the Pens to consider a triple departure.
It is easy to say that Crosby could leave Pittsburgh and end that chapter of his illustrious NHL career, but it doesn't seem like people are giving the other two guys enough credit. Does Crosby win those Stanley Cups without his two go-to guys? Probably not. And does the other win without each other? It is hard to say yes. But if Crosby did take the move away for another shot at glory, would it really be a difficult decision for Malkin and Letang to seek opportunities elsewhere, or would it be the perfect ending to a multi-decade long fairytale which would put the cherry on top of the cake for two of the NHL’s most underrated players.
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