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

Crosby’s presence on the Sabres would end the NHL’s longest playoff drought

Last season, the Buffalo Sabres looked like they were about to end what eventually became a 12-year playoff drought. Now, Year 13 of that drought is drawing nearer, and sooner than later, Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams must do something to maintain what’s left of the fans’ interest and bring hordes of it back. 

Adams’ conservative approach, however, means the Sabres have a good deal of cap space to work with to more than cover Crosby’s contract. And that would be the case whether the Penguins would look to deal Crosby in the offseason, next season, or if he leaves should they not reach a new agreement. 

Wouldn’t it be great to see Adams pull off a blockbuster move that involved bringing arguably the NHL’s best player of the 21st century to the City of Good Neighbors? Yeah, it’s one of the league’s smallest markets, and Sabres hockey has been miserable for years, but that would make Crosby’s presence in Western New York such a great story. 

We already know this Sabres team can contend as they showed it last year, and if they figure out how to win consistently and add a player of Crosby’s caliber, interest in hockey will quickly return to a place it has been dormant for over a decade. Crosby wouldn’t just be the missing piece in finally making the Sabres relevant, his lasting impact would likely keep them relevant.