Sidney Crosby acknowledged the trade chatter surrounding him as the Penguins enter a third straight playoff drought. At 38, he remains under a team‑friendly extension through 2026-27 with a no‑movement clause that keeps him at the center of Pittsburgh’s plans. He stresses the goal to win every game and lean on a hungry, younger locker room as the franchise rebuilds around him.

Penguins management signaled a shift at the deadline by moving veterans, with Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson among players floated as possible trades. Crosby’s presence—combined with potential moves—keeps Montreal and Colorado in the conversation given his ties and the league’s shifting dynamics. Crosby calls the noise part of the reality of losing, but his focus remains on performance and learning in a new era.