Sidney Crosby

At 36 years old, Sidney Crosby has this physical status:

Sidney Patrick Crosby (born August 7, 1987) is a professional ice hockey player who plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. (NHL) is a national Hockey League team.

Crosby, nicknamed "Sid the Kid" and "The Next One") in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, was voted first overall by the Penguins and widely recognized as one of the best hockey players of all time. Crosby debuted in the NHL during the 2005-2006 season, scoring 102 points and finishing second overall for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL Rookie of the Year.

He led the NHL with 120 points to win the Art Ross Trophy in his second season, becoming the youngest player and the first teenager to win a scoring title in any major North American sports league.

Crosby earned the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) and the Lester B. Pearson Award for most outstanding player as judged by his peers in the same year.

He began the 2007–08 season as the team's captain and then led them to the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals, where they were thrashes by the Detroit Red Wings in six games.

The Penguins returned to the Finals against Detroit the following year and won in seven games; Crosby became the youngest captain in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup. He received the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2009-2010 and scored 51 goals, winning the Maurice Richard Trophy as the NHL's top goal scorer.

Early life

Crosby was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on August 7, 1987, to Troy and Trina (née Forbes). Crosby's jersey number (87) and 2007 contract signing ($8.7 million per year) correspond to his birthdate (8/7/87). Crosby grew up in Cole Harbour and has a younger sister named Taylor. Troy's father, who competed for the Verdun Junior Canadiens in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), was a goaltender. He was instrumental in the team's triumph of the 1985 President's Cup and later in 1985, which culminated in the 1985 Memorial Cup. Troy was drafted 240th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 1984, but never played at the NHL level. Crosby adored Steve Yzerman as a youth, and he, as his father, was a Canadiens fan. Crosby began playing hockey by himself in his basement at the age of two, firing pucks in a net with the family's dryer behind it, contributing to a longstanding belief that he was actually playing with the dryer; he learned to skate at the age three.

Crosby attended Astral Drive Junior High School from age 12 to 15. He was a straight-A student and, "an amazing role model" who was really helpful to students in the learning center and to special needs students, according to the vice president. Crosby, 15, moved to Shattuck-Saint Mary's in Faribault, Minnesota, to participate in the school's hockey program. Crosby attended Harrison Trimble High School in Moncton, New Brunswick, where he graduated in 2005 while playing for the Rimouski Océanic of the QMJHL.

Personal life

Crosby rarely speaks about his personal life and avoids social media. "He [Crosby] wants to be one of the guys, not really want to distinguish himself or get special attention in any way," Crosby's fitness coach Andy O'Brien said. He finds a lot of joy in life's regular, basic activities, as well as a healthy, daily routine. As he lived with Lemieux's family in Sewickley, Pennsylvania from 2005 to 2010, Greg Powers described Crosby as basically the brother of Lemieux's son Austin. Crosby bought his own house in the same neighborhood in the spring of 2010. He bought his first house on Grand Lake in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in June 2006.

Crosby will have the richest endorsement deal in NHL history with Reebok, according to the pay, who will pay Crosby $1.4 million per year for five to seven years. He signed a six-year endorsement deal with Adidas in 2015. Crosby has also signed Bell, Tim Hortons, and Gatorade to represent them. Crosby, one of Canada's "legendary goal-scorers and storied figures," was included in Canada's NHL Great Canadian Forwards stamp series, alongside Phil Esposito, Guy Lafleur, Darryl Sittler, Mark Messier, and Steve Yzerman. He received an Emmy Award in 2016 for his role in Sidney Crosby's "There's No Place Like Home." He was also recognized for his role in the Merci Sidney video that followed his return to Rimouski for his QMJHL jersey retirement ceremony.

Taylor, Crosby's younger sister, is a hockey goaltender. She attended high school at Shattuck-Saint Mary's in Faribault, Minnesota, as her brother, to participate in the school's hockey program. Taylor joined the Northeastern Huskies women's ice hockey team as a freshman at Northeastern University in Boston in 2014. She moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, in 2015. Cloud State University and the St. John Paul Gymnasium. The women's ice hockey team for the Cloud State Huskies will graduate at the end of the 2017-18 school year.

Crosby continues to be involved in the Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, community. In 2009, He founded the Sidney Crosby Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping charities benefiting children. In 2015, he founded a hockey school in Cole Harbour. More than ten thousand local youth in Pittsburgh have been provided with free equipment and lessons.

Crosby tested positive for COVID-19 in 2021 with "mild signs" on November 3, 2021.

Source

Playing career

Crosby's early in his minor hockey career, he began drawing media attention for his work, culminating in his first newspaper interview at the age of seven. When Crosby was 13 years old, Nova Scotia's Minor Hockey Council refused to encourage him to play midget, a level of minor hockey designated for 15- to 17-year-olds. His family filed a lawsuit but lost. He joined the triple-A Dartmouth Subways in the midgets and went on to score a total 217 regular season and playoff points, leading Dartmouth to a second-place finish at the 2002 Air Canada Cup. He was named MVP and Top Scorer at the national tournament after the preliminary round, and he finished the tournament with 24 points (11 goals and 13 assists) in seven games. Crosby was selected as a 14-year-old boy to play two games with the Truro Bearcats in the Maritime Junior A Hockey League. Crosby was drafted by the Bearcats in the 2001 MJAHL Draft as a 13-year-old.

Crosby appeared on the CBC's Hockey Day in Canada telecast during his midget season. He has recalled several instances in which opposing players intend to hurt him intentionally, as well as regular verbal abuse from parents on and off the ice. During practice, parents teased and shamed Crosby so harshly that he refused to wear his jersey between tournament games so he wouldn't be identified. He accepted the American hockey team at Shattuck-Saint Mary's Boarding School, Minnesota, for the 2002–03 hockey season due to this illness. He scored 72 goals and 162 points in 57 games with the Sabres, leading the team to the U18 AAA national championship.

The Rimouski Océanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League named Crosby first overall in the 2003 Midget Draft (QMJHL). He scored eight points in his first exhibition game, causing his teammates to call him "Darryl" (referring to Darryl Sittler's ten-point NHL game in 1976). In his first regular season game in the QMJHL, he scored one goal and two assists. At the start of the season, he was named QMJHL Player of the Week for two weeks in a row, and he has been voted Player of the Week four times. He was voted QMJHL Player of the Month and Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Player of the Week three times each. Crosby earned the Jean Béliveau Trophy as the league's top point scorer after his rookie QMJHL seasons with 54 goals and 81 assists over 59 games. He was also honoured with the RDS/JVC Trophy (overall rookie of the year) and the Michel Brière Memorial Trophy (most valuable player) as the first QMJHL player to win all three major awards at once. The following were among Crosby's awards for the 2003–04 season: All-Rookie and first All-Star team awards, Offensive Rookie, Offensive Player, and Personality of the Year were among QMJHL's most coveted awards for the 2003–04 regular season. The Océanic led the Eastern Division as a team, winning 34 victories and 76 points. They defeated the Shawinigan Cataractes in the quarterfinals and then were eliminated by the Moncton Wildcats in the semi-finals after being first-round bye in the 2003 QMJHL playoffs. In nine playoff games, Crosby scored 16 points (7 goals and 9 assists) and had nine assists.

The World Hockey Association, a major professional league that had a plan to rival the NHL, held an Entry Draft on July 17, 2004. Toronto selected Crosby from the first overall picks. Crosby turned down a US$7.5 million deal over three years to play for Hamilton in the following month. Crosby told reporters that although "it took a lot to say no to that much money," he "worked" hard enough to play in the NHL for the majority of his life. Whether the WHA was recognized as a legitimate league or not, the WHA would have paid him $2.5 million annually and an additional $2 million payout. However, it was not clear how Hamilton might have signed Crosby if Toronto retained his WHA playing rights. However, the WHA never appeared.

Crosby, who returned to the Océanic for the second straight season, continued dominating the competition, with 66 goals, 102 assists, and 168 points over 62 games. Dany Roussin and Marc-Antoine Pouliot, who finished second and third in league scoring with 116 and 114 points respectively, were among Crosby's top line on Rimouski's top line. Crosby was named Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player, and Personality of the Year once more, while still ranking as a QMJHL First All-Star. The Océanic ended the regular season with a 59 wins and 98 points, including a record-breaking 28-game undefeated streak. The QMJHL champions advanced to the President's Cup by defeating the Halifax Mooseheads in the finals. Crosby led the playoffs with 31 points (14 goals and 17 assists) over 13 games, winning him the Guy Lafleur Trophy as the post-season MVP. The Océanic has qualified for the 2005 Memorial Cup, Canada's national big junior tournament, after winning the QMJHL championship. The Océanic were defeated 4–0 when meeting the London Knights in the final. Despite the loss, Crosby was named to the Tournament All-Star team and received the Ed Chynoweth Trophy as the competition's top scorer with 11 goals and 5 assists) over 5 games. Corey Perry, a Knights forward, was named MVP of the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy. He arrived in the NHL prospect combine in 2005, only later.

In 2019, Rimouski Océanic retired jersey number 87 in Crosby's honour, and the QMJHL also renamed the number for all of its clubs.

Crosby was ranked first overall in the NHL Central Scout Bureau and International Scouting Services' respective rankings of prospects when entering the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He was also the QMJHL's top prospect when winning the Mike Bossy Trophy. The Pittsburgh Penguins selected Crosby first overall in the draft on July 30, 2005. Positioning for the 2005 draft was determined based on each team's playoff appearances and draft lottery victories in the last four years, owing to the labour lockout that ended the entire 2004-05 NHL season. This lottery system resulted in the draft being widely referred to as the "Sidney Crosby Lottery" or the "Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes."

In a 5–1 loss, "Sid the Kid," a nickname given to him by the media early in his career, made his NHL debut against the New Jersey Devils on October 5, 2005, and recorded an assist on the team's first goal of the season. In the Penguins' home opener against goaltender Hannu Toivonen of the Boston Bruins, he scored his first NHL goal. Despite having two assists for a three-point night, the Penguins were defeated 7–6 in overtime. Crosby began his rookie season playing alongside Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux. Lemieux was forced to leave due to an irregular heartbeat after only playing just 26 games this season. Ed Olczyk, the Penguins' head coach, was fired and replaced by Michel Therrien on December 15, 2005, just around the midway point of the season. Therrien named Crosby as an alternate captain for the Penguins the following day. Any hockey pundits, including Don Cherry, said that Crosby did not have the necessary experience for the role, condemned the move. "An 18-year-old boy says he's going to give us advice," Cherry said. What is he going to give them? Come on. That's ridiculous. Despite high hopes in Pittsburgh for the team's success, most in part due to Sergei Gonchar, gmund Pálffy, and Mark Recchi's signings, the Penguins also finished with the lowest record in the Eastern Conference.

Nonetheless, Crosby's first NHL campaign was a commercial success, as he established franchise records in assists (63) and points (102) for a rookie, both of which were previously held by Mario Lemieux. He was also the youngest player in NHL history to reach 100 points in a single season, and only the seventh rookie to meet the benchmark. Crosby finished sixth in the NHL scoring rankings and seventh in assists, and seventh in the NHL. Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley were the only two Canadian NHL players behind him. Crosby had fought with Washington Capitals forward and 2004 first-overall pick Alexander Ovechkin for the rookie scoring lead throughout the season. He came in second second second behind Ovechkin's 106 points and then lost to the Capitals forward for the Calder Memorial Trophy as the year's rookie of the year. It was the start of a feud that would help "define the league" for more than a decade. Crosby was accused of taking dives and complaining to authorities, which was often traced to his youth during his first season. He was the first rookie to earn 100 penalty minutes and 100 points in the same season, which heightened his reputation for expressing insurgently to NHL officials. Kelly Hrudey, a hockey analyst, likened Crosby to Wayne Gretzky, who had a similar reputation as a "whiner" in his youth, predicted that as Crosby matures, he'll mellow out and his image will fade.

Crosby continued his rookie success in his second season in the NHL. In an 8–2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on October 28, 2006, Crosby earned his first NHL hat-trick. His victory over the Flyers lasted just over six weeks after he played his first six-point game of his career on December 13, with one goal and five assists. Crosby was pushed into the NHL scoring lead, which he would keep for the remainder of the season. He played in 79 games from 2006-07 to become the first teenager to lead the NHL since Wayne Gretzky in 1980. He was the youngest player in NHL history to win the Art Ross Trophy and the youngest scoring champion in any major North American professional sport at the time, despite being 19 years old.

The Penguins' second season as a whole saw significant changes, as the arrival of Calder Trophy-winner Evgeni Malkin and runner-up Jordan Staal complemented the team's offence. As a result, the Penguins went from last place in the Eastern Conference to fifth for the club's first playoff appearance since 2001. Crosby scored a goal in his Stanley Cup playoff debut in a 6–3 loss to the Ottawa Senators in the first round. When the Penguins were ousted by the eventual Stanley Cup runner-up, he ended the series with five points in five games. Crosby was named Pittsburgh's team captain on May 31, 2007, making him (at 19 years, 9 months, and 24 days) the youngest team captain in NHL history. The Penguins had been offering him the captaincy during the season, but he turned it down. He explained in the press conference that he had named him the team captain.

Crosby earned the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson Award in lieu of his previously-nominated Art Ross Trophy at the NHL's annual awards show later this year. He was the youngest player in NHL history to win the Lester B. Pearson and only the second youngest player to win the Hart (after Gretzky). He was the youngest player to be named to the NHL's first All-Star team.

Crosby's initial three-year entry-level contract with the Penguins expiring at the end of the following season, the Penguins announced on July 10, 2007, extending his contract with the Penguins through the 2012–2013 season. In a game against the Boston Bruins, Crosby earned a Gordie Howe hat-trick midway through the season. His first assist came 55 seconds into the first period. Crosby scored at 8:26 of the same time to put the Penguins up by a 2–0 lead. Crosby fought ex-Penguin defenceman Andrew Ference to end the hat-trick in the second frame, five minutes and nine seconds into the second frame. This was Crosby's first appearance in the NHL. Crosby scored the shootout champion in heavy snowfall to defeat the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL's first Winter Classic (with a record crowd of 71,217 fans). In a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Crosby suffered a leg-first sprain in January 18, 2008. As a result, he missed the 2008 All-Star Game, in which he was designated as a starter. After missing 21 games, he returned against the Lightning on March 4 and received an assist. However, two games after his return, he felt his ankle was not up to date and decided that he needed more time for it to heal. Crosby was therefore ruled out of the Penguins' next seven games and returned on March 27, 2008 to assist the Penguins in beating the New York Islanders 3-1. Despite his injury-shortened season, Crosby obtained 72 points in just 53 games.

Crosby's departure from the Penguins' lineup served as a stepping stone for teammate Evgeni Malkin, who is now in his second season, who is also a superstar in his own right. Malkin finished second in league scoring to Alexander Ovechkin, and he was also a Hart Memorial Trophy nominee, with MVP awards going to Ovechkin. In addition to Crosby's return to the lineup late in the regular season, the Penguins acquired winger Marián Hossa from the Atlanta Thrashers at the trade deadline, putting the team in a good spot to make a deep playoff run. Pittsburgh finished the regular season as the Atlantic Division champions, but just two points shy of the first-seeded Montreal Canadiens. The Penguins opened the 2008 playoffs against the Ottawa Senators, who promptly swept in four games in a rematch of the previous year's opening round. The Penguins advanced to the final round for the first time since 1992, defeating the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers, each in five games. Crosby scored the first two goals of game three as the sequence went from Pittsburgh to a 3–2 win. The Penguins lost the next game, and after losing in game five, the Red Wings were able to defeat the Red Wings in six games. Crosby finished the playoffs with 27 points (6 goals and 21 assists in 20 games), tying Conn Smythe-winner Henrik Zetterberg (13 goals and 14 assists in 22 games) for the playoff scoring lead.

Crosby's first season, he scored one goal and three assists on October 18, 2008, to beat records of 100 goals, 200 assists, and 300 points for his career. On the play in which Crosby scored, teammate Evgeni Malkin assisted in scoring his own 200th point. As a result, Crosby's team trainer cut the puck in half, so both players and coaches could celebrate the achievement. Crosby missed five games early in the season due to minor injuries, but he was able to recover from the previous injury-riddled season and remain healthy. As Evgeni Malkin claimed his first career Art Ross Trophy, he scored 33 goals and 70 assists to finish third in league scoring. The Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the 2009 playoffs before meeting the Washington Capitals for a highly fought second-round matchup. Both Crosby and Malkin, the league's top three scorers of the season, were closely followed during the series. In a 4–3 Capitals victory, Crosby and Ovechkin made matching three-goal attempts for their first two playoff hat tricks in their second game. Despite being down 2–0 in the series, Crosby and the Penguins won the next three games and then defeated the Capitals in a seventh and deciding game in which Crosby added two goals. Following a rash of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, Crosby turned against current NHL tradition and picked up the Prince of Wales Trophy, which had been untouched the previous year. "We didn't touch the trophy last year, and obviously we didn't get the desired result," Crosby said in an explanation of the change of heart. Although we haven't achieved what we want, we can still enjoy it."

For the second year in a row, the Penguins met the Detroit Red Wings, and Crosby claimed his first Stanley Cup title in seven games. Crosby, the youngest NHL captain to win the Stanley Cup since 1895, after 21 years, ten months, and five days. (Mike Grant, the 1895 Montreal Victorias, who was 21 years and 2 months at the time, was the youngest captain to lead his team to the Stanley Cup in the history of the tournament.) After suffering a knee injury less than halfway through the second period due to a Johan Franzén's hit, Crosby was forced to watch all but 32 seconds from the bench in the third period. Crosby was chastised by Detroit forward Kris Draper for failing to shake hands with some of Detroit's players, most notably captain Nicklas Lidström. "Nick was up and waiting," an irate Draper was quoted as saying, and Crosby didn't appear to shake his hand. That's ridiculous, particularly as their captain." "I just won the Stanley Cup," Crosby said afterward. I believe I have the right to celebrate with my colleagues. I know it isn't fun to wait around... If they don't feel like waiting around, I'm sure they don't feel like waiting around.

But you know what?

It's the quickest thing to do in the world to shake hands after you win. I had no intention of attempting to avoid guys and not shake their hands. "I think that was a bit of a stretch."

Crosby tied Tampa Bay Lightning centre Steven Stamkos for the top goals scored, winning the Rocket Richard Trophy in the 2009-2010 NHL season. He also earned 58 points for a total of 109 points, enough to tie Alexander Ovechkin for second place in league points, behind only Henrik Sedin of Vancouver. Crosby was also a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award. Crosby received the Mark Messier Leadership Award, being recognized as a "superior figure in the field," and for leading by example through on-ice success, coaching staff, and a dedication to the community. This was the second time he had been recognized, the other being in January 2007, during the first year, when it was awarded monthly. He was also named on the all-decade second team of the 2000s in the NHL.

In the second round of the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, Crosby's Penguins were defeated in the second round, losing in seven games to the Montreal Canadiens. Crosby had 19 points in 13 games in the playoffs, but he had only one goal and four assists in seven games against the Canadiens. Game 7 was also the last game to be played at Mellon Arena, the Penguins' home rink since the franchise's establishment. Crosby and his mentor Mario Lemieux were the first to skate on the Consol Energy Center's new ice on July 27, 2010. The two skated for about five minutes before being joined on the ice by a group of young hockey enthusiasts all wearing Lemieux's 66 or Crosby's 87 jerseys.

Crosby had a 25-game point streak in the 2010-11 season, starting on November 5, 2010 against the Anaheim Ducks and ending against the New York Islanders on December 28, 2010. He had 27 goals (including three hat-tricks) and 24 assists for 51 points during this stretch. In both November and December, the streak was tied for the 11th longest point streak in NHL history, and he was named First Star of the Month for both November and December. Crosby, along with teammates Evgeni Malkin, Marc-André Fleury, and Kris Letang were selected as a 2011 All-Star on January 3, 2011. However, neither Crosby nor Malkin were able to participate in the All-Star Game due to injuries, and rookie Jeff Skinner (along with Paul Stastny) was named as replacements. Crosby sustained head blows against the Washington Capitals and then the Tampa Bay Lightning on January 1, 2011. Crosby did not return for the remainder of the regular season, and he missed the 2011 playoffs due to multiple concusion issues. The Penguins were still crippled after Evgeni Malkin sustained a torn ACL and MCL injury, leaving the Penguins without their two top scorers. Despite Crosby's injury and subsequent absence for the final 41 games of the season, the Penguins' top scorer finished last season. His 66 points in 41 games were 16 points behind second-highest team scorer Kris Letang. Crosby also set a new NHL record for the fewest games played by an NHL team's points leader in so doing.

Due to the lingering effects of his concussion, Crosby missed the first 20 games of the 2011–12 season. In a 5–0 shutout for the Penguins, he played against the New York Islanders on November 21, 2011 scoring two goals and two assists. Crosby's concussion-like symptoms returned in December 2011, possibly following an elbow injury suffered by David Krej in his eighth game of the season. Despite passing a successful ImPACT test, Crosby decided not to return on the ice until he felt 100% fine, but that he also needs to "listen to [his] body." In a 5–2 victory over the New York Rangers on March 15, 2012, Crosby returned to action, scoring an assist. Despite only playing 22 games, Crosby was able to score 8 goals for 37 points, including his 600th appearance. Later, he credited neurologists at UPMC and chiropractic neurologist Ted Carrick with helping him return to hockey.

Many analysts had predicted that the Penguins would win their second Stanley Cup title in four years, but the Penguins had likewise chosen to oust the Philadelphia Flyers in their first-round match, but it was also acknowledged that it would be a difficult series for both teams. The Flyers stunned the Penguins by winning the first three games in a row, the third of which saw the teams team together for 158 penalty minutes. Crosby was largely chastised for his gameplay and his insufficient post-game interview after losing by 8–4 in Game 3. When asked about a situation where Flyer forward Jakub Vorá’s glove had fallen and Crosby swatted it away with his stick before Voráek could pick it up, Crosby replied, "I don't like any guy on their team," so his glove was near me, but I didn't like it." [...] I don't like them." Because I don't like them. I don't like... I don't like any guy on their team." Crosby replied, "Skate away?" after the interviewer said he could have skated away. Yeah, well, I didn't have to worry about it." The Penguins went on to win the next two games, but they lost in Game 6 of the series. In the six games, Crosby will finish with three goals and five assists. The Penguins reported on June 28, 2012 that Crosby has committed to a 12-year, $104.4 million contract extension that will keep Crosby in Pittsburgh through the 2024–25 NHL season.

The 2012–2013 season was postponed until January 2013 due to the players' lockout as talks to create a new collective agreement were reached. Crosby, a regular attendee of meetings between National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) representatives and NHL owners, was a regular attendee. The lockout began on September 15, 2012, and concluded on January 6, 2013, with the NHL regular season starting on January 19. Crosby was often asked about his future if the lockout persists, and on more than one occasion, he said he was considering contract offers from various clubs in European leagues (where many NHL players went so far that they could continue playing in a professional capacity while waiting for the lockout to end or the NHL season to be officially cancelled) during the 119-day lockout. Crosby continued to practice and played with other NHL players who did not travel outside of the United States in several exhibition games open to the public.

Crosby set the pace for scoring, scoring 31 points (9 goals and 22 assists) in the first 21 games as the season officially begins in late January. In 15 games, he stayed hot through March, scoring another 25 points (6 goals and 19 assists) in 15 games. However, his regular season came to an end on March 30 in a home game against the New York Islanders. Brooks Orpik, Crosby's coworker, unleashed a slapshot that put Crosby in the mouth, causing the centreman to loosen several teeth. Crosby was slumped on the ice for several minutes before the medical staff was able to assist him with a towel over his face. Initially, the prognosis was not serious, but a little while later Crosby fractured his jaw and would require several rounds of reconstructive dental surgery. He missed the final 12 games of the regular season and finished fourth in the scoring competition, losing by four points to Martin St. Louis of Tampa Bay.

On May 5, Crosby returned to the ice for the Penguins' second game against their first-round playoff opponents, the New York Islanders. Interestingly, the team had been playing when Crosby was injured. Despite two goals from Crosby, Pittsburgh lost the game 3–2, tying the series at one game apiece. In the five games in which he played, the Penguins would eventually win 4–2 in a series over the Isles, with Crosby scoring nine points (three goals and six assists) in the series. In Game 2 of the series, Crosby and the Penguins advanced to face the Ottawa Senators in the second round, with Crosby scoring a hat-trick. Pittsburgh dominated Ottawa four games to one in the series with a still-hot Crosby scoring the series for the first time and two assists. Many believed to be the two best teams in the conference: Pittsburgh and Boston. Tuukka Rask, the Bruins' goaltender, put on an excellent showing, shutting down Pittsburgh's burgeoning defensive effort. The Penguins were limited to two goals in the series, with Rask stopping 134 of 136 shots on target (.98 percent). Crosby, a strong for the Penguins in the regular season and into the first two rounds of the playoffs, was left off the score sheet completely, ending the series with no goals and no assists on 13 shots. In four straight games, the Bruins defeated the Penguins, effectively ending Crosby's quest for their second Stanley Cup championship. Crosby received his second Ted Lindsay Award and finished as runner-up to the Hart Memorial Trophy and Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in the off-season.

Crosby's 2013-14 season was a fruitful and enjoyable campaign, with 80 games played for the first time since the 2009-2010 season. Crosby finished the season with 36 goals and a record-tying 68 assists, marking his first appearance in his career in which he led the league in assists. He also earned the Art Ross Trophy for the second time in his career, finishing with a league-high 104 points. He also went on to win the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award. In the first round of the 2014 playoffs, the Penguins were matched up against a new division foe, the Columbus Blue Jackets. Despite a back-and-forth sequence and not a single goal by Crosby, the Penguins defeated the Jackets in six games to advance to their second-round match against the New York Rangers. Crosby was hoping to bring an end to a long playoff drought that dates back to the 2013 Conference Finals against the Boston Bruins. Crosby ended his goal drought in Game 2 as the Pens tied the series 1-1 and headed back to Madison Square Garden after losing Game 1 at home. The Penguins will profit from their Game 2 victory, winning the next two games and removing the Rangers home-ice advantage. However, the Rangers would rebound quickly, winning Game 5, 6, 7, leaving the Penguins without a trophy for the fifth straight season. Because of the team's demise, Penguins general manager Ray Shero was fired, replacing him with Jim Rutherford, the former general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes. Rutherford's first move as GM was to dismiss Dan Bylsma as head coach, and Mike Johnston announced on June 25 that he was the new head coach.

Crosby finished the 2014-2015 season with the highest point-per-game average and a total of 84 points, behind only John Tavares (86 points) and Art Ross winner Jamie Benn (87 points). Crosby scored his 800th career point on November 26, 2014, becoming the sixth-fastest player in NHL history to reach that record. Crosby scored his 300th NHL goal in a game against Philadelphia on January 4, 2015. Despite a good start to the season, the Penguins, who suffered from injury, entered the playoffs as the Eastern Conference's second wild card. Faced with the New York Rangers, Crosby helped with two goals in Game 2. Despite this, the Penguins were defeated in five games and then booted out in the first round for the first time since the 2012 playoffs.

The Penguins went through a major overhaul of their roster, including right winger Phil Kessel, beginning in the 2015-16 season. Despite a line-up featuring some of the world's best offensive talents, Crosby and the team were struggling to score points during a lengthy Johnston period. Some media outlets started speculating that Crosby had aged out of his prime scoring years by the time Johnston was dismissed on December 12, 2015, after posting a 15-0-3 record in 28 games. "Sidney Crosby has long been known as the NHL's best player since he burst on the scene as a rookie in 2005," The Washington Post wrote on December 16, "Sidney Crosby has been widely regarded as the NHL's finest player since he burst on the scene as a rookie." However, Crosby hasn't been himself this season, scoring just six goals in 29 games and sitting with a plus/minus of minus seven. Both players suffer during downs, but it is clear that the Crosby we knew has been on the decline for some time. His bad start was capped off by not being selected as a starter for the 2016 NHL All-Star Game.

However, under new head coach Mike Sullivan, the 28-year-old turned his season around, outscoring all NHL players from December 12 to the end of the season. Crosby's first natural hat-trick in more than five years occurred on February 2, his first natural hat-trick in more than five years. Crosby's 900th, 901st, and 902nd NBA points helped fuel a 3–2 overtime victory over the Florida Panthers four days later. In 15 of Pittsburgh's 16 games in March, including six multi-point efforts, he earned at least one point and was voted the NFL's First Star of the Month. Crosby, the Penguins' 600th NHL player, earned his 600th assist in the 2016 playoffs on April 2, his 600th appearance in the NHL. In the first round of the playoffs, he scored in overtime against Washington Capitals to guarantee home-ice advantage. Crosby finished the season with 36 goals and 85 points in 80 games, including a career-high nine game-winning goals, and was named Team MVP for the sixth time in his career. His two-way game earned national attention, with Hockey Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman confirming that Crosby will be a good candidate for the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward. "He had a rough start, but a strong star is a guy who fights through it," Crosby's comeback, said. He didn't point any fingers, he just fought through it, and I don't believe there is any doubt about the last 40 or so games, but rather than argue for the MVP. He was so sweet. He went from there to another level. Crosby was named a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy on May 7. With 800 points and 11 first-place votes, he came in first runner-up.

The Penguins beat the Rangers in the first round after losing by the same amount of points in the first round last year, after losing by the same series margin in the first round. With three goals and eight points, Crosby led the team in scoring. In six games, the Penguins then eliminated the Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington Capitals, but there was no offensive effort from either Crosby (two assists) or Malkin (one goal and one assist). In Game 2, Advancing to their first Conference Final since 2013. Crosby was the overtime champion against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 2. The goal was scored 40 seconds into overtime for a 3–2 victory, the first overtime goal in Penguins' playoff history, and the first in his career in the playoffs. He scored the game-winning goal in a 4–2 win. Crosby scored his third game-winning goal of the season in Game 6, resulting in a final game in Pittsburgh after losing the next two games. In Game 7, Crosby defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 2–1 for Game 7, winning the Eastern Conference championship and advancing to the Stanley Cup Final against the San Jose Sharks. The Penguins earned Crosby his second Stanley Cup title in six games in a series. He was the ninth player to win the Stanley Cup twice as well as two Olympic gold medals. Despite 19 points (6 goals and 13 assists), as the primary assister on Kris Letang's Cup-winning goal was named MVP of the playoffs, Crosby was named as the MVP of the playoffs.

Crosby missed the first six games of the 2016-2017 season after being diagnosed with a concussion just a few days before the season opener against the Washington Capitals. He scored 30 goals in his first 45 games, and on February 16, 2017, he scored an assist on a Chris Kunitz goal against the Winnipeg Jets to reach 1,000 NHL points, making it his 757th game appearance (and 11th-newest) player to reach that milestone. He also appeared in his first NHL All-Star Game since 2007, winning the Shooting Skills Competition's shooting accuracy segment. He was named team MVP and finished the season as the runner-up for the Art Ross Trophy with 44 goals and 89 points in 75 games. It was his eighth appearance in the top-three in NHL scoring, tying Mario Lemieux, Stan Mikita, and Phil Esposito for the third-most cases in history behind only Wayne Gretzky (15 times) and Gordie Howe (12 times). Crosby claimed the Rocket Richard Trophy for the second time in his career, thanks to his 44 goals. Crosby was also selected a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award.

The Penguins defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets in five games before meeting the Washington Capitals in the second round of the 2017 Stanley Cup championships. Crosby sustained a concussion after winning the first two games on the road, after suffering an injury from Alexander Ovechkin and Matt Niskanen's slash and cross-check in Game 3. He missed Game 4 but returned to practice the next day and participated in Game 5. In Game 7, the Penguins would eventually lose the Capitals, with Crosby assisting with the series's win. The Penguins then defeated the Ottawa Senators in a thrilling seven-game series to win their second straight Stanley Cup Final appearance. On the series-clinching goal, Crosby had the primary assist, scored by Chris Kunitz in double overtime. Pittsburgh jumped out to a two-game lead over the Nashville Predators in the Finals, despite being outplayed for lengthy stretches in both games. Game 3 and 4 at home were tying up the series, with the Predators winning Game 3 and 4 at home. The Penguins' captain put on a stellar show in Game 5, scoring three points and advancing Lemieux for the most Stanley Cup Final points (20) in franchise history. The Penguins became the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champions since the 1997-98 Detroit Red Wings, and the first team to do so in the salary cap era. Crosby won his second straight Conn Smythe Trophy as the league's most valuable player, only the third player to do so after Bernie Parent (1974, 1975) and Mario Lemieux (1991, 1992). In 24 games, he came in second in scoring behind Evgeni Malkin with 27 points (8 goals and 19 assists).

Crosby appeared in all 82 of Pittsburgh's regular season games for the first time in his career, scoring 29 goals and 60 assists for 89 points. He scored his 400th NHL goal on February 12, 2018, becoming the 95th player to reach the milestone. He made his 700th appearance in a row on March 21, his 700th appearance in the NHL. The Penguins started their 2018 playoff season against the Philadelphia Flyers. Crosby won by 7–0 in Game 1 of the Battle of Pennsylvania, with a natural hat-trick. Crosby defeated Mario Lemieux as the Penguins' all-time playoff points leader with 173. The Penguins ultimately defeated the Flyers in six games, with Crosby scoring 6 goals and 13 points. "Sid has a wonderful gift to keep his focus and not get rattled," Crosby said of him. He has the same emotion as you do. "I think he fires his troops, and that's why he's wearing the 'C' [for captain]. The Penguins were eventually disqualified in Game 6 of the second round by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals, effectively ending the Penguins' bid for a three-peat. Crosby's career playoff total reached 185 points (9 goals and 12 assists) in 12 games, tied for tenth-most all-time.

Crosby was selected to participate in the NHL All-Star Game for the eighth time in his career on January 3, 2019. He scored four goals and four assists, assisting the Metropolitan Division in winning his first All-Star Trophy, making him the sixth in NHL history to have been named in honor after winning the Conn Smythe Trophy and Hart Memorial Trophy. Crosby defeated Mario Lemieux on Monday to become the Penguins' all-time scoring leader in games played (916), earning second place on the Pens' all-time scoring list with his 440th career goal in a 5–1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on March 3, 2019. He became the 48th player in NHL history to score at least 1,200 points in a row two days later. He had 100 points (35 goals and 65 assists), the first time he has cracked 100 points since scoring 104 points in 2013–14. Crosby finished 4th in voting for the Selke Trophy for the seventh time in his career, becoming a Hart Trophy finalist. He was also elected team-MVP. In January 2020, Crosby was selected to the NHL All-Decade First Team for the first time. In the Eastern Conference, the Penguins finished fifth in the COVID-19-shortened 2019-20 season, facing the Montreal Canadiens in the 12th round of the Eastern Conference qualifying round. In four games, the Canadiens shocked Pittsburgh by defeating Pittsburgh on August 7, 2020, Crosby's 33rd birthday.

Crosby led the team in scoring with 62 points (24 goals and 38 assists), was the recipient of the team's MVP Award and the Players' Player Award in the short run of 2020-21. He was also a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award. Crosby made history by becoming the first Penguins player to play 1,000 games. The team won a playoff spot for the 15th straight season under Crosby's captaincy, the longest active postseason streak in North American professional sports leagues. However, the Penguins were disqualified in the first round of the playoffs by the New York Islanders for the second time in three seasons.

Crosby scored his 500th goal on a power play against the Philadelphia Flyers on February 15, 2022, becoming the 46th player to have scored more goals in NHL history and the 18th to have scored them all for a single team. After Lemieux, he was the second Penguin to score 500 goals. In a game against the Nashville Predators on April 10, the narrator and an assist were able to play, before scoring the overtime goal, his 1400th goal in the NHL. In 69 games played, Crosby scored 31 goals and 53 assists, while the Penguins were third in the Metropolitan Division. The New York Rangers defeated the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs to advance to the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs. With both Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang's contracts up in the summer, there was some doubt that this would be the final outing for the Penguins brand in Crosby's history. Crosby scored his 197th career playoff point, defeating Paul Coffey for sixth position in all-time playoff point standings in Game 3 of the series against the Rangers. In Game 4's 7–2 victory, he scored a goal and two assists, becoming the sixth player to reach 200 career points in the playoffs. Crosby took an elbow against the head from Rangers defenceman Jacob Trouba as the Penguins led the game to a conclusion midway through Game 5 in Madison Square Garden, with the Penguins up 2–0. In his absence, the Rangers rallied to victory 5–3 and stave off elimination, while Crosby's departure was widely cited as the game's turning point. Crosby was being tested, according to Coach Mike Sullivan. Crosby, missing Game 6, was back for Game 7 with the absence of team goaltender Tristan Jarry and winger Rickard Rakell. However, the Penguins lost in overtime to the Rangers and were eliminated.

Crosby was known to have played a key role in a recent contract between the Penguins and Malkin in the 2022 offseason, after the latter had previously announced that he would not have a test free agency. Crosby started his 2022–23 season by scoring 2 goals and four assists in his first two games, earning the first player of the first week while leading the league in scoring.

Career statistics

From NHL.com, Eliteprospects.com, Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database, Career and Career Stats from NHL.com.

Bold indicates led league

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