Twisted Takes: Should the Penguins trade Sidney Crosby?

The Pittsburgh Penguins are comfortably in the Eastern Conference playoff picture despite a slow start, but they're not winning games the way they have in the past. Pittsburgh's employed a more team-oriented style rather than playing an open game and relying heavily on its offense to light up the scoreboard. That raises the question:

Should the Penguins trade Sidney Crosby?

Gino Bottero: Crosby is the best player in hockey, and the Penguins would be wise to move him while he still carries that mantle. He's only got one more full season before he turns 30, and Pittsburgh would be wise to sell him at a premium while they can.

Navin Vaswani: You don't trade the best player in hockey, especially when he's the second-highest paid player on your team. The Penguins should never refuse to listen to an offer, but the key to dealing - no pun intended - with Crosby's slow start is not panicking. As the Penguins find their groove, so too will Crosby. The team's too talented to score only 2.3 goals per game. That'll change, and Crosby will play a part.

Bottero: The team's decline in scoring can directly be tied to the system implemented by head coach Mike Johnston. If the team's not going to allow Crosby the opportunity to flourish, why hold onto him while the window for a fair trade return closes.

Vaswani: The system argument doesn't fly. Mike Johnston doesn't seem to be holding Evgeni Malkin back. Geno's flourishing. Crosby's allowed a dry spell, and it would help if he got some new linemates. Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis aren't cutting it.

Bottero: Knock Malkin up to the top line where he belongs, and let Phil Kessel run the show on the second line. That leaves the team with two potent scoring lines, and allows them the opportunity to improve elsewhere.

Vaswani: Malkin and Kessel seem to have found some chemistry, and while I'm the first to say Crosby needs new linemates, it's important to go back to the previous message: don't panic. Crosby makes his linemates better. That remains the case, and will be the case when the regular season's over.

Bottero: Six Stanley Cups have been handed out since the Penguins last won one in 2009. Their top-heavy system doesn't fly in today's NHL. Making Crosby available gives the front office an opportunity to bring back pieces that can give the team the depth it needs.

Vaswani: The last four Stanley Cups were won by the Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings, two teams with a lot of depth up front. Chicago's got Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane (and Duncan Keith), and the Kings have Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter (and Drew Doughty). Crosby, Malkin, Kris Letang, and Marc-Andre Fleury are a core you build around, not break up.

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