Pittsburgh Penguins veteran and star, Sydney Crosby was named to the top 100 greatest players in the NHL. That title rings true, as the veteran forward continues to break franchise records.
During Monday Night’s game where the Pittsburgh Penguins played the Philadelphia Flyers. Sydney Crosby tied Mario Lemieux for most assists in a team history.
Crosby assisted Philip Tomasino in a first-period goal against the Flyers, pushing him to tie with Lemieux. Crosby and Lemieux have 1,033 assists, ranking them 12th in NHL history.
Penguins head coach Mile Sullivan shared his thoughts on this achievement. “Mario’s one of the greatest players of all time, as is Sid. There’s very few players in the history of the game that have reached the milestones that Mario and Sid have reached.”
Mario Lemieux finished his career with 1,723 points. He led the Penguins to two Stanley Cup Wins in 1991 and 1992. He also shared the Cup win as an owner during 2009, 2016 and 2017 when Crosby captained the Penguins to the finals.
Crosby and Lemieux are connected by more records. They are two of three players to win the Conn Smythe Trophy in consecutive seasons. Crosby won the Conn Smythe Trophy during his 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.
Crosby has also checked off his 600th goal, another connection to Lemiuex. He recorded his 600th goal of his NHL career when they faced the Utah Hockey Club on November 23, 2024.
This goal came at 3:11 during a power play in the second period to become the 21st player all-time. He also joined Lemieux as the only player to reach this milestone for the Penguins.
Crosby was drafted as the number one pick in the 2005 draft by the Penguins. Already established as an extremely talented player, he proved just that, scoring 102 points (39 goals and 63 assists) within his first year in the NHL.
During his second season in the league, he led the NHL with 120 points (36 goals and 84 assists), helping the Penguins advance to the 2005-2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
During that same season, he won the Art Ross Trophy and Hart Trophy. He was also awarded the Lester B. Pearson Award, which was later changed to the Ted Lindsay Award.
At the age of 19, Crosby was given the Captaincy of the Pittsburgh Penguins. During that same season, he was injured, limiting his time on the ice, yet he still powered through the 2007-08 season, ending with 24 goals and 48 assists. This helped push the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1992.
Regardless of losing the Stanley Cup Finals to the Detroit Red Wings in 2008, Crosby continued to push his team, returning in 2009, and winning the Stanley Cup at the age of 21. He became the youngest player to be named captain of a cup-winning team.
Crosby has had multiple seasons where he has finished the season with the most goals in the NHL. He had 50 goals scored in the 2015-2016 season, and then 44 goals in the next season.
As of this season, he has played in 1,308 games. He holds the record for the most games played in the Penguins Franchise.
Sydney Crosby is in his 20th season in the NHL and is not slowing down. He is one of the most decorated players in the league. He has also proven to be a well rounded player and the longest reining captain in the league. He has worn the “C” on his chest for now 17 seasons.
The Penguins and Crosby will face the New York Islanders on Saturday December 28th.
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