Crosby said replacing Kessel's offense won't be easy. Kessel had 303 points (110 goals, 193 assists) during his four seasons in Pittsburgh and helped the Penguins win the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017 with 45 points (18 goals, 27 assists).
"There was a lot of talk at different points about [Phil being traded]," Crosby said. "It's tough to lose Phil. We won a couple of Stanley Cups together, we had some great memories together. He obviously had a big impact on our team too. He put up a lot of points year after year. It's not easy to fill that. We'll have to find a way to do it.
"I know that [Galchenyuk] is excited to come to Pittsburgh and have an opportunity. Either way, [trades] are something that happen. But they're never easy to see, especially when it involves someone you've played that long with and had success with."