Why is everyone talking about Sidney Crosby to Toronto?

Good morning Toronto Maple Leafs fans!

Nothing like waking up to a morning without a Leafs loss. Granted they didn’t play last night but it’s still the same.

Now that American Thanksgiving is over, we can move on to rushing around to nab the best sales we possibly can. Will the Leafs do the same?

They have a lot of players on IR right now, and will have to deal with the possibility of losing players on waivers if they can’t avoid them entirely when people are healthy.

I’m no psychic, but there has to be something coming. My sources are quiet (they don’t exist) but I am hearing one weird name on the socials: Sidney Crosby?

So, I’ve this in passing but I had to finally look it up. And the source was…not dumb?

Okay. If wasn’t the fever dream or a random person. Brian Hayes of TSN says the Leafs are the best fit. While I agree that of course every great player should be a Maple Leaf, I don’t see this happening and all I have are questions.

*Would Kyle Dubas trade with the team that just fired him?

We’ve heard the Flames don’t want to deal with Toronto because of Brads move, there may still be bad blood on the water.

*Would Crosby want to come to Toronto?

It’s hard to move on after almost 20 years with one team. He’s won multiple cups there. He’s a competitor but it’s not worth uprooting everything?

Crosby also grew up a Canadiens fan, and sometimes that rivalry stays in your blood. Josh Gorges refused a trade to Toronto because of it and went to the Sabres instead.

*Would the Maple Leafs want him?

What? Yes. Of course. This could be the deal to make up for rejecting Wayne Gretzky becoming a Leaf. Crosby may not out more butts in the seats but think of all the merch that will move.

*Can the Leafs afford it?
No.

Not with out a big move. Puckpedia has the Leafs $4.4M over the cap due to their injuries and call ups.

Crosby is making $8.7M this season and the next two. After this year John Tavares’ contract is up, so there’s room right there if you want to swap them out after this season, but Mitch Marner is also becoming a UFA and needs to be re-signed. Could the lure of the choice of playing with either Crosby or Matthews help keep him in town?

There would be a surplus of centres so Kämpf, Domi, or Tavares could be moved, though no move clauses can get in the way.

Overall I would love it. I think it would absolutely be a good for it move, and Crosby isn’t slowing down much, he’s almost a point per game with the dilapidated Pittsburgh Penguins. Imagine our wingers feeding him passes.

Let’s make this happen!

Also, while we’re dreaming, I would like a powder blue 1955 Corvette convertible.

Now, onto things that actually happened.

It seems Chris Johnson is hearing that the Leafs and Tavares are discussing creative accounting for his next contract.