Since getting drafted first overall in the 2005 NHL Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby has had sky-high expectations placed upon him. Throughout his 19 seasons in the NHL, he has been able to live up to and exceed those expectations while becoming one of the Penguins’ best players of all time and one of the league’s best players of all time.
After a career that has seen several injuries and ups and downs, Crosby could very easily be in the middle of the most impressive season of his career this season.
The Captain Leading the Way
Ever since being named the captain of the Penguins in 2007, Crosby has been looked to lead the way with his play and leadership. He has done just that and continues to do so in a big way this season. Whether it be in the form of big-time offensive plays or the little plays that may go unnoticed by the average fan, he has done this all season yet again. A prime example of this was when the Penguins played the Boston Bruins on Jan. 4 and Crosby beat out a Bruins defenseman to a puck that would’ve resulted in an icing in crunch time with the Penguins holding a slim one-goal lead at the time. In doing this, it limited the chance of the Bruins getting an offensive zone faceoff and allowed the Penguins to kill more time off the clock.
Related: 7 Cool Things About Sidney Crosby
Throughout the season, Crosby has endured a few bumps and bruises that he has fought through, but he’s appeared in all 39 games that the Penguins have played this season. His toughness and ability to stay in the lineup is yet another impressive part of the season for Crosby after having a long history of injuries throughout his time in the NHL.
Crosby’s play and leadership are showing the way for the younger group of players that the Penguins have on their roster that will be taking the reins whenever the “kid” decides to hang up his skates.
Crosby Earning Praise from His Peers
Throughout the 19 seasons that Crosby has played in the NHL, he has continuously earned praise from fellow teammates, opponents, and coaches. The way he has been able to perform this season has easily garnered even more praise, especially from his teammates. One of those is his linemate, Jake Guentzel.
While earning praise from his teammates, Crosby has earned recognition for his two-way game from one of his rivals, Brad Marchand of the Bruins. Marchand was asked his thoughts on Crosby after their matchup on Jan. 4 and was quoted as saying, “I think he’s still, I’ll say, one of the best in the world, but he’s not really getting the credit he deserves right now… A lot of the attention is on the younger guys. But if you look at the details of the game and full 200 feet, he’s by far the best player in the league.”
Possible Hart Trophy Candidate
While having a stellar career, Crosby has only won two Hart Trophies as the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), with the last coming in the 2013-14 season. On the pace that he is on this season and his all-around game, he could find himself right in the thick of the race for the award this season. But with players like Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov, and Nathan MacKinnon all having solid seasons yet again, it may be a long shot for Crosby to find himself at the top of the voting come year’s end.
Crosby is on pace to push for his second-ever 50-goal (2009-10 season) and 100-point season (the last was in the 2018-19 season) if he can stay healthy and play at a consistent level.
Milestone Season in Reach
Crosby has had a great start to the 2023-24 season, and it could add plenty more milestones for him.
- 572 career goals: two away from passing Mike Bossy for 22nd all-time, six away from passing Mark Recchi for 21st all-time.
- 971 career assists: 46 away from passing Joe Sakic for 13th all-time.
- 1543 career points: 36 away from passing Ray Bourque for 11th all-time.
The remainder of the season will be an exciting one for Penguins and Sidney Crosby fans to keep an eye on as he continues to look like one of the league’s most complete two-way players.
