Montreal Canadiens fans have been dreaming of Sidney Crosby returning to play with chiildhood team for years, but it has never seemed like a possibility. Crosby has been committed to sticking with the Pittsburgh Penguins, mostly due to his relationship with their core and head coach Mike Sullivan. However, after Kyle Dubas fired Sullivan on Monday, it seems like everything else is on the table for the rebuilding Penguins.
Dubas acknowledged that he informed Crosby of the news before the firing, but that doesn't mean he's happy about it. He could see the writing on the wall that this team is heading for a rebuild, and wants to make one more Stanley Cup run. Without Sullivan in Pittsburgh, staying with the Penguins might not be as appealing to Crosby, which leads us to an outrageous theory.
It isn't going to take long for Sullivan to find another job. He shouldn't have an appetite to join a rebuilding team, and would likely welcome the opportunity to take on a young team entering its competitive window. That's where the Canadiens come in, as Martin St. Louis has done a good job with the team but could head out the door in favor of an upgrade if Kent Hughes sees fit.
Call it fan fiction. Call me a genius. But don't sleep on Hughes making massive moves this offseason to make the Canadiens legitimate contenders.
Step 1: Hire Mike Sullivan
So, let's picture that the Canadiens hire Sullivan to carry the Canadiens into their contending window. He'd be a great fit, as he has already done it with the prime-Penguins in the mid-2010s that won back-to-back Stanley Cups. He could add to his legacy with another one or two cups before retiring, which would almost certainly cement his status as a Hall of Famer.
Sullivan has a bit more experience and could lead the bench in a better direction after St. Louis' work to develop the young players. It'd be an adjustment going from St. Louis to Sullivan, but it'd be one that makes sense for the franchise's future.
Step 2: Inquire about Sidney Crosby
How comfortable is Crosby with staying in Pittsburgh after Sullivan's departure? He could eventually look for a new home, and why not reunite with his old coach to maintain some semblance of familiarity. Crosby is a historically superstitious player, and keeping his routine and systems under Sullivan could be appealing to him. That isn't to mention finally finishing the story and returning home to his old favorite team.
Crosby immediately fixes the No. 2 center problem, and who wouldn't want to see him next to a possible future superstar like Ivan Demidov. It always seemed like the Canadiens had to find a center to play with Demidov and Patrik Laine, but Laine could be playing himself out of that role. So, Montreal might also want a short-term fix at left wing that can be a reliable linemate to Demidov.
Step 3: Finally reunite two Nova Scotians
One popular fan fiction theory is Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon uniting for a Stanley Cup run. We aren't going to go as far as to say that, but there is another Nova Scotian who could fit that left wing role perfectly. Brad Marchand will be a free agent in the offseason, and getting a chance to play his final years on a Cup contender near his home province might be appealing for the future Hall of Famer.
That isn't to mention the idea of uniting with Crosby as their careers wind down. They've won a World Cup and a 4 Nations Face-Off together, but winning a Stanley Cup might be the perfect way to end it off.