The Toronto Maple Leafs have experienced an offseason of change under new general manager John Chayka, who has completely revamped their coaching staff and front office while also making several meaningful changes to the roster.
At the same time, Maple Leafs fans had to watch their bitter divisional and Original 6 rival Montreal Canadiens advanced to the Eastern Conference Final earlier this spring, where Toronto hasn’t been since 2002.
According to a prominent Toronto sports personality, the Canadiens should try and add to the nightmares of the Maple Leafs by making an aggressive push to acquire Sidney Crosby from the Pittsburgh Penguins to put their roster over the top.
Prominent Personality Wants Top Toronto Maple Leafs Rival To Acquire Sidney Crosby
According to prominent Toronto media personality Sid Seixeiro, the Canadiens need to consider a serious push to acquire Sidney Crosby from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Seixeiro suggests that the Canadiens package a first round draft selection along with forward Michael Hage (selected in the first round, 24th overall in 2024) in return for Crosby.
“Montreal Canadiens fans right now, Michael Hage and a 1st-round pick for Sidney Crosby. Do you do it? Anyone in Pittsburgh who doesn’t like this, you go to hell,” he said. “Kent Hughes, you’ve danced with Matthew Knies, you’ve danced with Marchenko, and you’ve danced with who knows?”
He continued:
“I don’t know. You gotta make one call, man,” he said. “Go get Crosby. You’ve got the prospects. You’ve got the picks. You’ve got a team ready to make a move. What Montreal Canadiens fan says no to that? Nobody. Come on… It’s a party if they get Sidney Crosby.”
Not only has Crosby been previously linked to the Canadiens, the club he grew up cheering for as a youth, but he’s also been linked to the Colorado Avalanche, who have his friend and fellow Nova Scotia native Nathan MacKinnon in their lineup.
The Penguins Have Acquired A Former Maple Leafs Forward
The Penguins, who are now run by former Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas and former assistant GM Jason Spezza, brought aboard a face that is familiar to Toronto fans as part of their offseason.
After six seasons with the Maple Leafs, forward Nicolas Robertson was signed by the Penguins to a two-year, $6.5 million contract, reuniting him with Dubas and Spezza.
Not long after signing the deal, he spoke about the importance of getting term on his next contract.
“For my full time playing in the NHL, I’ve yet to have another season under contract,” he said. “That was a really big focus for me, was to get some term and to settle in and give me time to get some runway in Pittsburgh. I’m happy the way it turned out. I’m really excited.”
Meanwhile, he said that in Toronto, he learned to always be ready to go and be at the top of his game.
“Always be ready,” Robertson said of what he learned. “Toronto had such a talented team… and I had to be on my game all the time, whether that was with (Craig Berube) or (Sheldon Keefe).”
Top Maple Leafs Rival Urged To Acquire Sidney Crosby From Penguins