Top 5 teams that would be epic landing spots for Sidney Crosby if he leaves the Penguins

Crosby mentoring Connor Bedard and a young core in Chicago would be epic

While the Chicago Blackhawks have a plan in place to build a team with its young core, starting with Connor Bedard, imagine a three-time Stanley Cup Champion landing in the Windy City and showing this young team how to win. If Crosby indeed leaves Pittsburgh via trade, the Blackhawks have enough space to keep brewing their young core while simultaneously welcoming the future Hall of Famer. 

Of course, this would be a feel-good story with Hollywood tropes, as Crosby’s presence in Bedard’s second (or third, if Crosby leaves via free agency in 2025) season with the team would consist of one of the league’s older faces teaming up with its newer faces, plus youngsters who will make leaps and bounds in their respective development. 

When you currently think of the Blackhawks, you often think of a team whose best days will arrive a few seasons down the road. Crosby’s presence would speed up that process, regardless of whether it ends with the team winning a Stanley Cup for the first time since the Patrick Kane era. 

Even if such a situation occurred where Crosby left, the Blackhawks landed him, and they didn’t win a Cup with the aging veteran on the team, they would give him plenty of credit if Bedard and company won it all shortly after Crosby’s time with the team.