Canadiens Analyst Pushes Habs To Go For Crosby

With the shocking trade of Mikko Rantanen Friday night, it seems that the gloves are off for analysts and observers around the hockey world, urging teams to think big.

In Montreal, Canadiens analyst Jack Todd has jumped on the latest Sidney Crosby rumors, and is pushing the Habs to try to swing a deal for the Pittsburgh Penguins icon.

In the Montreal Gazette, he says that the Canadiens' revitalization this season (despite a moribund loss to the Detroit Red Wings Friday night) should lead the team to consider whether to take a run at the Nova Scotia-born three-time Stanley Cup champion whose favorite team from childhood were the Habs.

Kent Hughes has to figure out how to approach the trade deadline and decide whether it’s worth pursuing the biggest name among players who might be available in the coming weeks: one Sidney Crosby, one-time fan of the Montreal Canadiens.

Todd points to a column from Brian Wilde this past week, in which the latter wrote, “What tremendous excitement this particular acquisition would bring. The Montreal Canadiens acquire Sidney Crosby at the trading deadline...

"His experience up the middle, and in winning championships would be massive to youngsters in Montreal learning how to win. For GM Kent Hughes, there is no reason not to fight for Crosby. The club is playing like they are ready for him".

Wilde believes that the asking price from the Penguins would be two top-tier and two second-tier players, and as Todd notes, the Habs are "one of the few teams with stockpiled prospects and draft picks."

At the age of 37, Sid the Kid is still a point-per-game player, with 51 points in 50 games this season, and his Penguins are aging and going absolutely nowhere. Maybe he'd rather finish up his career playing for his childhood favorite team?

As we've already heard, however, after Crosby rumors to Colorado popped up after the Rantanen trade Friday night, there is "ZERO reason" to believe that the Pens have any interest in trading the future Hall of Famer, or that he has any desire to leave Pittsburgh.