由 Melania Trump 
The Toronto Maple Leafs continue to manage injuries up front on offense, with the center position being the biggest challenge – as it was leading into the regular season. Given their circumstances, missing seven forwards due to injury or suspension, it led to speculation about potential moves to bolster their center depth.
Related: Report: Maple Leafs Among Teams Looking For A Center In The Trade Market To Address Depth Concerns
One name that has been thrown out by Bryan Hayes, Jamie McLennan, and Jeff O’Neill on
OverDrive
on Monday was
Pittsburgh Penguins
star Sidney Crosby. Although far-fetched, the three discussed hypotheticals of the idea that he could somehow find his way to Toronto.
The Penguins, off to a disappointing 7-12-4 start and sitting 27th in the NHL standings, have been underwhelming this season. Their two most recent losses, dropping 4-1 to the
Winnipeg Jets
and a humiliating 6-1 defeat to the
Utah Hockey Club
on home ice have led to questions about their direction. Even Crosby has shown signs of frustration, including an uncharacteristic fight with Jets forward Kyle Connor – his first in five years.
“If you just sat down with him man to man and asked, ‘Do you really want to stay no matter how bad you guys are?’ I’d have a hard time believing he’d say yes,” O’Neill said.
After missing the playoffs last year and starting poorly this season, it begs the question of whether the Penguins might consider a shake-up. Could Crosby, who has spent his entire 20-year career in Pittsburgh and won three Stanley Cups with the franchise, entertain the idea of moving on?
Crosby signed a two-year, $17.4 million contract extension in the offseason, carrying an $8.7 million cap hit. That alone makes any trade scenario daunting for cap-strapped teams like Toronto. For a deal to happen, Pittsburgh would almost certainly need to retain a significant portion of Crosby’s salary.
Hypothetically speaking, the price to acquire Crosby would be steep. The Penguins, now under the leadership of former Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas, would likely be looking for multiple first-round draft picks, at least one quality player, and a prospect in return – and that’s if he’d even consider shipping him to his former place of employment.
Related: Former Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas To Hold Dual President and General Manager Role With Penguins This Season
“The Leafs need someone up the middle of the ice to put them over the top,” Hayes explained before McLennan added, “One hundred percent. I don’t think it’s a question, they need depth.”
Realistically, the Leafs would be trading for three years of Crosby. While the cost is high, it’s undeniable the idea of adding Crosby – a proven winner and one of the game’s greatest centers – could be appealing.
The hurdles to such a deal are immense. Crosby has a full no-movement clause, and it’s unclear whether he would even entertain leaving Pittsburgh. His legacy is tied to the Penguins, and after two decades with the franchise, the idea of finishing his career elsewhere may not appeal to him – hence the extension, thus the no-movement clause.
Would the Leafs even justify such a gamble? They’d need to maneuver their already tight salary cap and sacrifice significant future assets, making this a fantasy. Regardless, it’s an intriguing “what if” scenario considering each side’s wants and needs.