Another day, another Sidney Crosby rumor. The three-time Stanley Cup winner has only ever played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and has shown interest in retiring as a Penguin. In fact, at 37, the Penguins captain’s contract will still keep him at the PPG Paints Arena until the end of the 2026-27 season. Yet, recent developments have once again sparked the rumor mill.

With Crosby’s teammate Evgeni Malkin’s 4-year, $24.4 million contract entering its final year, there’s speculation that the Penguins won’t offer the future Hall of Famer an extension. “If this team wants new blood and young guys and they say to me to move on, we will see,” Malkin had said back in 2022. Then came ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski’s take on what happens if the Penguins can’t turn things around this upcoming season.

“If the Penguins get off to the start that we assume they’re going to get off to…I think he moves on before the end of the season, that’s my prediction,” he said on The Sheet. All this and more has only amplified the rumors. However, things may not be as bad as the rumors indicate. NHL insider Frank Seravalli revealed how Sidney Crosby has responded to some teams showing interest.

“I think there’s been some teams, or a short list, Montreal, LA Kings, Avalanche, those are the teams have been talked about, but he hasn’t shown any interest… in moving,” Seravalli told Bleacher Report on July 15 as per NHL Rumour Report on X. Well, that seems on brand with the 37-year-old Hart Memorial Trophy winner, because this is far from the first time.

Sidney Crosby is no stranger to such rumors, and this past season, reporters asked the hockey icon about age, bringing him closer to retirement. The Penguins’ captain explained that his focus is on playing. “I don’t think about it a whole lot. I just try to prepare for the next one,” said the Canadian NHL star. However, two of the teams Frank Seravalli named have created more buzz than others.

The standouts among the Sidney Crosby contenders

Of the multiple teams reportedly bidding to get the Team Canada captain, the experts have given the edge to two teams. First up? The Colorado Avalanche. Why, you ask? Well, it’s thanks to the Avs having Crosby’s friend and national teammate Nathan MacKinnon on the squad. The pair have known one another for years and enjoy their time playing on the national team.

Even if you put the chemistry aside, Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon recently proved that they make quite the duo. Earlier this year, in February, the duo helped Canada beat rivals USA to bring home the 4 Nations Face-Off trophy. Then again, MacKinnon recently denied a claim that the 37-year-old had signed with his team as “fake news.”

So that leaves us with the Montreal Canadiens. “I’ve long believed he’ll end his career in Montreal,” Wyshynski also said on The Sheet.“I always assumed if it wasn’t Pittsburgh, it was going to be Montreal, that’s kind of where I’m at with it; the Colorado thing is sort of like a pipedream,” the ESPN analyst explained. What’s more? He wasn’t the only one.

NHL insider Nick Kypreos confidently proclaimed that Sidney Crosby will ultimately end up with the Canadiens even if it takes a bit more time. Wait till they [Montreal Canadiens] get Sid Crosby after the [2026 Milan Cortina] Olympics. I’m liking the odds a little better than I did maybe a few weeks ago,” the insider told Justin Bourne and Sam MacKee. Despite all this speculation, for now, Crosby is staying put, just like Frank Seravalli said.