Pros and Cons of Sidney Crosby Getting Traded by the Penguins

There has been considerable chatter over the past few seasons regarding whether Sidney Crosby will stay or go as the Penguins undergo a retooling. Crosby leaving the Penguins once seemed unthinkable; it was vehemently shut down by the man himself and his camp.

Crosby has been extremely loyal to the club that drafted him, and it's hard to imagine that changing as he enters the twilight of his career. Things seem more ambiguous heading into his 21st season, though, as his agent Pat Brisson went on record with The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun earlier this month.

"Let's put it this way, [a trade] is always a possibility… It all depends on how Sid is going to be and how the team is going to do," he said. "I maintain the same position that I do believe that he should be playing playoff hockey every year."

We've been so caught up in whether this will happen or not -- and which teams are involved in discussions -- that we haven't really thought past the will-they-won't-they. Now that training camp is upon us, why don't we look at the actual pros and cons of a Crosby trade?

Crosby remains the most effective player on the Penguins and one of the best first-line centers in the league, despite being 38 years old. He's also one of the most competitive players to have graced the NHL, and he'll go down as a permanent ambassador of hockey, given the respect he exudes for the game in everything he does.

You know what that means? It's going to be extremely difficult for him to even slightly punt on a season, especially when he's still one of the best players on the ice on any given night. A trade helps both sides reach their respective goals: Crosby gets a fair crack at competing for a Cup this season, and the Penguins get a crack at drafting the most exciting prospect coming through the draft in years.

Gavin McKenna has been touted as the next NHL generational talent, following Connor Bedard. What better way to cushion the blow of losing Crosby than getting the next NHL superstar in Pittsburgh?

Fans will rightfully go through a range of emotions if Crosby gets traded. This man has been the face of the entire sport of hockey for decades, bringing three Stanley Cups to Pittsburgh and ushering in relevance for the Penguins from the moment "the kid" was drafted.

It's hard to find the words to adequately convey Crosby's legacy with the Penguins. It's even harder to imagine it could all end just like that, without a proper ending (until he does the one-day contract to retire a Penguin thing). It might (or might not!) be the right decision for both parties to move on, but ripping the rug from under the fans is going to sting regardless in a situation like this.

We can imagine Penguins fans would spend the rest of the season reminiscing on Crosby highlights and processing their emotions before moving on to the next era.

Penguins GM Kyle Dubas has been somewhat conservative in this retooling era, holding onto players like Erik Karlsson and Rickard Rakell in pursuit of better returns than what had been offered.

A legend like Crosby, who still leads his team on and off the ice -- and only carries an $8.7 million cap hit -- is going to reap some serious assets. You'd think a team hungry for a Cup would offer at least a top young NHL player and two high draft picks.

We've all heard the stories of Mario Lemieux taking Crosby under his wing, housing him, and preparing him to be the next franchise cornerstone of the Penguins. The passing of the torch from one legend to another worked out perfectly as the Crosby era was starting out.

Now, someone like Kris Letang will be a fantastic mentor for the next generation of Penguins, don't get us wrong. But just like there is only one Lemieux, there's only one Crosby. These are generational players, and their wisdom and guidance when it comes to being a Penguin is unmatched.

If Pittsburgh is in for a long rebuild, then what better way to usher in the next set of stars by having Sidney freaking Crosby as the team captain? It'd be Sid's final parting gift to a franchise he's helped carry since he got to the Steel City.

Not having Crosby wouldn't make it impossible to develop younger talent and show them the ropes. But it would make it a lot harder.

Crosby deserves another crack at the Stanley Cup. The Penguins deserve to undergo a proper rebuild. If these interests don't align, perhaps a mutual decision to part ways is better for everyone involved?

In a perfect world, Crosby stays in Pittsburgh and chases one final Stanley Cup, then it's happily ever after. In our actual world, he's 38 years old and this team is just beginning to rebuild.

Let's be realistic, here.

The NHL has never been more competitive, and it's even optimistic to assume that this team will endure one more season of missing the playoffs, then a few years of making the playoffs, before re-entering the Cup conversation.

Do the Penguins want to risk a rushed rebuild just to fall short of the ultimate goal? Does Crosby want to risk sticking around with such uncertainty?

Between the Stanley Cups, the decades of playoffs and relevancy, the off-ice good guy lore, and the ridiculously modest contracts, Crosby has given the Penguins his all. He's one of the two most iconic franchise players of all time, and he deserves to go out on his own terms.

We have no way to know what he's really thinking deep down, and there's a good chance he's still trying to figure that out for himself with such a major decision. If he wants to stay a Penguin, though, it would be tough to swallow if the Penguins end up shipping him off to expedite their rebuild.

You hope, however this plays out, both sides can walk away with good memories and dignity intact.