Penguins GM Kyle Dubas gets 100% honest about team's focus amid Sidney Crosby to Canadiens trade noise

Sidney Crosby’s future with the Pittsburgh Penguins has been a major topic this offseason, with some reports linking him to the Montreal Canadiens. Others suggested the Colorado Avalanche as a possible fit with Nathan MacKinnon.

Crosby has two years left on his contract, and Pittsburgh is in a rebuilding phase. He is expected to decide his future with help from his agent, Pat Brisson.

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas spoke about the rumors on Monday. He mentioned that Crosby is still the captain and the team cannot focus on outside talk.

"Sidney Crosby is the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins," Dubas said, via "The Sheet with Jeff Marek." "He is one of the all-time, best players in the history of the league. "And so for us, having discourse around transactions or responding to what different things that are said in the media, or where different media members would like to move to, or different things of that nature, is a distraction from the task at hand."

Dubas reiterated that it should't be a distraction to the organization.

"Knowing what that task was when I came to Pittsburgh in 2023, we just can't get distracted with it," Dubas said. "So I don't spend any time thinking about it or worrying about it at all,"

Crosby continues to play at a high level, but Pittsburgh is struggling after missing three straight playoffs. He has scored 90 or more points in each of the last three seasons.

Dubas explained that the Penguins must stay focused on their goals, and the priority is building the next wave of contending teams.

"He's Syd, and he's extremely special and means a lot to everybody in hockey," Dubas said. "But our full focus goes back to how are we going to build the next wave of Pittsburgh Penguins, teams that can contend for championships and do so perennially."

Dubas made it clear that rumors will not distract the team, adding that focusing on speculation only takes time away from progress.

Sidney Crosby's main goal is to return to playoffs

Sidney Crosby scored 91 points last season and said he doesn't like going home when other teams head into the playoffs. His agent, Pat Brisson, highlighted that Crosby's main goal is returning to the postseason.

"It’s been three years they haven’t made the playoffs," Brisson said on Sept. 8, via The Athletic. "It all depends on how Sid is going to be and how the team is going to do."

However, Pittsburgh wants to have a team that's ready to compete again. Like what Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas said, Crosby remains their captain and centerpiece.

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Edited by Victor Ramon Galvez