TSN Insiders Discussion Potential Sidney Crosby Trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs
TSN OverDrive is known for its sense of humor and unique insight into NHL news and rumors and their latest has Sid the Kid donning a Maple Leafs jersey.
The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the market for a trade, and while Brad Treliving wants to add to his defensive forward contingent, there's no denying he could use some offense as well.
There are several names on the market who are potential fits such as Brock Nelson, Yanni Gourde, and Chris Kreider. But there's one name that is so crazy it just might work.
TSN's OverDrive program is normally filled with jokes, ribs, and a lot of light-hearted moments mixed in with news, predictions, and opinion. Well, it's the latter that has caused quite a stir among them and hockey fans.
Their most recent show had quite an interesting trade proposal and it involves arguably the face of the NHL since he was drafted; none other than Sidney Crosby.
Bryan Hayes put out a question about where his co-hosts would want to see Crosby end up. They bandied around a few ideas before Hayes and fellow Leafs Jeff O'Neill kept harping McLennan about a trade:
Nobody knows the Leafs better than Dubas and Wes Clark and face it every game gets uglier in Pitt, he lost 6-1 to the 'hockey club'."
Jamie McLennan offered a pretty wild package for Hayes:
So how does this break down?
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh kickstarts their rebuild in a big way, starting from the back and working up. Woll gives them an instant starter with elite potential and there's no doubt Dubas would like to reunite with him.
He's better than Jarry, cheaper, and offers more potential down the line but it would be hard to see Toronto parting ways, although Anthony Stolarz might make that a bit easier.
Easton Cowan is the future of Pittsburgh and would be a lightning bolt of offense for years to come.
Yes, Toronto will lose out on one of their greatest prospects of the last 25 years, but it's what you have to pay for Crosby.
The two picks are sweeteners, and if Crosby needs to have money retained in the deal, the second pick is mandatory.
It's an offer that brings a lot of potential to the future of the clearly stagnant Penguins, and they need to kick things off in a big way in order to get back to their dominant ways.
Toronto Maple Leafs
What else is there to say? Toronto acquires the greatest player of the last 20 years, a sure-fire Hall of Famer, a Canadian hero, and the most iconic name in hockey since Wayne Gretzky.
The accolades for Crosby can fill a football stadium, and he will go down as one of the greatest ever.
But what Crosby offers Toronto is something incredible: A chance to play for a Canadian team. Crosby is not shy about his love for the nation, and he would be more than happy to not only play in Canada but win.
He instantly shoots to their top line and gives Toronto arguably the greatest 1-2 punch in the league with Crosby and Matthews. Crosby also checks all the boxes Toronto needs when it comes to their weaknesses:
Scoring? Check
Defense? Check
Centerman? Check
Playoff Production? Check
Crosby also isn't a one-and-done, and Toronto would have him around for this season and the next two; a huge opportunity given their window to win is slowly closing as each year passes.
Jarry gets thrown into a backup role, or Toronto could end up trading him somewhere else given they have a litany of pro-ready goaltenders who could take Woll's spot when Stolarz starts.
FAQ: TSN Insiders Want Sidney Crosby For Toronto Maple Leafs
Q1: What is the trade package for Sidney Crosby?
A1: The trade package for Sidney Crosby looks like this:
Toronto Acquires:
Sidney Crosby
Tristan Jarry
Pittsburgh Acquires:
Joseph Woll
Easton Cowan
2 First Round Picks
Q2: Why is this trade important?
A2: This trade is important for both teams because it gives the Maple Leafs not only the center and defensive forward they need, but the chance to bring in the greatest player of a generation and win.
Pittsburgh gets to start their rebuild with one of the league's most exciting prospects, a brand-new starter, and two picks in order to fast-track their rebuild through trade or drafting.
In closing, Toronto acquiring Sidney Crosby is going to take a lot of pieces to work, and Toronto would lose out on some very important pieces, but it's an opportunity to add an incredibly impactful and iconic player who can help them win.
