NHL insider weighs in on talks of Sidney Crosby trade, doesn't rule out move for Penguins legend in summer 

With the Pittsburgh Penguins floundering, all eyes are on what they'll do with Sidney Crosby. There's been talk of a Penguins fire sale and that it includes Crosby, but hockey insider Chris Johnston doesn't believe that's happening.

He said on "First Up" on Tuesday (7:05):

"I really don't think there's any way he's getting traded by this deadline. You know, the Penguins aren't going to initiate that move for my sense of talking to people around Sid, he's not going to shoot that move. I think for him to leave Pittsburgh would be a very, very difficult decision."

He said there is a better chance of Crosby moving teams in the summer when the season is done, although he's not certain that will happen, either:

"I'm not saying Colorado, it's probably happening in the summertime. I just can't see him leaving his team on Tuesday morning and playing Wednesday night at another city for another team. If it happens, it happens in the offseason. Let's face it, Sidney Crosby probably could be a UFA after this year."

Johnston believes there will be no talk of moving Crosby on his end or the team's until the season is over. It might metaphorically end sooner, but they won't consider a trade or anything until the offseason begins.

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NHL analyst rips Sidney Crosby rumors

There's rampant speculation about a Sidney Crosby trade. Even after the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes pulled off a true blockbuster deal involving Mikko Rantanen, the talk of the town was whether or not this meant Crosby would join Nathan MacKinnon in Colorado.

Sidney Crosby has been in so many trade rumors (Imagn)

Josh Yohe said on Monday via The Athletic:

"I get it: Seeing Crosby play with MacKinnon and Cale Makar would be entertaining. Seeing Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky play on the same NHL team would have been great fun, too. So, sure, I understand the fantasy of seeing an all-time great join one of hockey’s best and most entertaining teams. At some point, though, can’t we just let this go? It’s never going to happen."

He acknowledged that playing for the Penguins, even though they're bad, is what Crosby wanted. He signed the deal and he can handle some trade speculation. Yohe just doesn't see why this is such a talking point.

In his eyes, it's a non-starter, so why is everyone speculating? That speculation probably won't end until a deal is done or the deadline passes.