Sidney Crosby

Position	Centre
Shoots	Left
Height Weight	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 200 lb (91 kg/14 st 4 lb)
NHL Team	Pittsburgh Penguins
Nationality	Canada
Born	August 7, 1987 (1987-08-07) (age 22), Cole Harbour, NS, CAN
NHL Draft	1st overall, 2005 Pittsburgh Penguins
Pro career	2005 – present
Website	http://crosby87.com

Sidney Patrick Crosby ONS (born August 7, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "The Next One",^[1][2] he was one of the most highly regarded draft picks in hockey history, leading many to refer to the 2005 Draft Lottery as the "Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes."^[3]

In his first season, he finished sixth in scoring with 102 points (39 goals, 63 assists). By his second season, he led the NHL with 120 points (36 goals, 84 assists) to capture the Art Ross Trophy, becoming the youngest player and the only teenager to win a scoring title in any major North American sports league.^[4] That same season, Crosby won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the most valuable player as determined by the Professional Hockey Writers Association, and the Lester B. Pearson Award as the most valuable player as determined by the NHL Players Association. He is the seventh player in NHL history to earn the three highest honours, which are the highest individual awards for an NHL forward.^[5]

Playing career

Early career and junior hockey

Sidney Crosby began playing hockey on his own in his basement at two years old, where he badly damaged the family's clothes dryer by constantly shooting pucks at it.^[6] He learned to skate at three.^[7] At the age of seven, he gave his first newspaper interview.^[8] At thirteen, the Nova Scotia Minor Hockey Council refused to allow him to play Midget hockey, alongside seventeen year olds. His family sued and lost.^[9] At fourteen, he appeared on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Hockey Day in Canada,^[7] and scored 217 regular season points to lead his Midget AAA team, the Dartmouth Subways, to second place in the Air Canada Cup.^[10] He won both the MVP Award and the Top Scorer Award after scoring 18 points in five games. Sidney attended Shattuck-Saint Mary's Boarding School in Minnesota for the 2002–2003 hockey season. While there, he led the Sabres to the U.S. National Championship.

Crosby was selected first overall in the midget draft by the Rimouski Océanic of the QMJHL.^[8] In his first exhibition game he scored eight points, leading his teammates to nickname him "Darryl" (in reference to Darryl Sittler and his ten point game).^[11] In his first game in the QMJHL, he scored one goal and added two assists.^[12] He was named Player of the Week for two consecutive weeks at the start of the season, and won the honour four more times as the season progressed. He was named Player of the Month three times, and Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Player of the Week three times.^[13] By the end of the season, he had been named Player of the Year, Top Rookie, and Top Scorer — the first QMJHL player to earn all three honours at once.^[13] He led the QMJHL with 54 goals and 81 assists in 59 regular season games.^[13]

In August 2004, Crosby turned down $7.5 million over three years to play for the Hamilton franchise of the World Hockey Association, claiming that he was not ready to leave the junior league yet.^[14]

In 2004–05, the Oceanic, led by their top line of Crosby, Marc Pouliot, and Dany Roussin dominated the QMJHL, setting the record for the longest undefeated streak (28 games) and losing only two games in the entire playoffs. The team went to the Memorial Cup finals, but fell in the last game to the London Knights. Despite the physical wear of the tournament, and the certainty of his first overall selection, Crosby attended the NHL prospect combine and impressed scouts, particularly with his personality and self-assurance.^[15]

During his amateur years, Crosby caught the attention of several journalists and other players, including Wayne Gretzky. When Gretzky was asked if he thought anyone could break his records, he answered that Sidney Crosby could, and added that Crosby was the best player he had seen since Mario Lemieux.^[16]

Crosby is the fifth player to represent Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships as a sixteen year old (in 2003). This feat was previously accomplished by Jay Bouwmeester, Jason Spezza, Eric Lindros, and Wayne Gretzky. Crosby stated that his most memorable hockey moment was winning the 2005 World Junior Championship.^[17]

NHL career

Sidney Crosby was selected first overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 30, 2005. Due to the labour stoppage in the previous season, the 2005 draft was conducted via a weighted lottery based on each team's playoff appearances and draft lottery victories in the last four years. This lottery system led to the draft being popularly referred to as the Sidney Crosby Lottery or the Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes.^[3]

Crosby played his first professional NHL game on October 5, 2005 against the New Jersey Devils, and registered an assist on the team's first goal of the season, scored by Mark Recchi in a 5–1 loss.^[18] Upon entering the NHL, Crosby played alongside Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux. Unfortunately, Lemieux was forced to retire after being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat.^[19] On December 16, 2005, Michel Therrien named Crosby as an alternate captain for the Penguins. The move drew criticism from some hockey pundits, including Don Cherry, who claimed that Crosby did not have the experience for the position. He stated, "An 18-year-old kid says he's going to give us ideas. What, from the Quebec League, he's going to give them ideas? Come on. That's ridiculous."^[20]

Crosby finished his rookie season with the franchise record in assists (63) and points (102) for a rookie, both of which had been previously held by Mario Lemieux. Crosby is the youngest player in NHL history to score 100 points in a single season, and only the seventh rookie ever to hit the benchmark.^[21] Overall, Crosby finished sixth in the NHL scoring race and seventh in the NHL in assists. Among Canadian NHL players, he trailed only Joe Thornton and Dany Heatley. While both Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals had solid rookie campaigns, Crosby finished second behind Ovechkin for the Calder Memorial Trophy.

Through his first season, Crosby was accused by opposing players and coaches of taking dives and complaining to officials, which has been attributed to his youth.^[22] He became the first rookie to earn 100 penalty minutes and 100 points in the same season, which magnified his reputation for complaining to NHL officials.^[21] Hockey analyst Kelly Hrudey compared Crosby to Gretzky, who had a similar reputation as a "whiner" in his youth, and suggested that as Crosby matured, he would mellow out and his reputation would fade.^[21]

Crosby during the 2007 playoffs

In his second NHL season, Crosby built on his rookie success. On October 28, 2006, Crosby scored his first NHL hat trick in an 8–2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.^[23] His success against the Flyers continued as just over six weeks later, on December 13, he recorded his first six point game of his career (one goal, five assists).^[24] After that game, he led the NHL in scoring for the remainder of the season, becoming the first teenager to lead the NHL in scoring since Wayne Gretzky in 1980. Crosby finished the 2006–07 NHL season with 36 goals and 84 assists in 79 games. Being only nineteen years old at the time, he became the youngest player in NHL history to win the Art Ross Trophy and the youngest scoring champion in any major North American professional sport.^[4]

On May 31, 2007, he was named Pittsburgh's team captain, making him the youngest captain in NHL history.^[25][26] During the season, the Penguins had offered him the captaincy, but he had turned it down. In the press conference naming him the team captain, he explained:

“I just thought it wasn't right for me. As a team, we were playing great and you don't want to disrupt things like that. Individually, I was not ready to accept that responsibility quite yet. Going through the playoffs and having that experience has probably given me more confidence. I understand there is going to be a lot more responsibility on my shoulders with this, but it's something I'm ready for, I feel very comfortable with it and I'm just excited to get things going.”^[27]

At the NHL's annual awards show in June 2007, Crosby completed a rare off-season hat trick, winning the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson Award in addition to his previously awarded Art Ross Trophy. He became the youngest player in NHL history to win the Lester B. Pearson,^[28] and only the second youngest player ever to win the Hart (after Gretzky).^[29] Crosby also became the youngest player ever to be named to the NHL's First All-Star Team.^[30] Crosby signed a five-year $43.5 million dollar contract extension with the Penguins on July 10, 2007, ensuring he will stay with the Penguins through the 2012–13 season.^[31]

Crosby recorded his first Gordie Howe hat trick on December 20, 2007 in a game against the Boston Bruins. His first assist came 55 seconds into the first period. At 8:26 of the same period, Crosby scored to give the Penguins a 2–0 lead. Five minutes and nine seconds into the second period, Crosby fought Andrew Ference to complete the hat trick.^[32]

On January 18, 2008, he suffered a high ankle sprain crashing leg-first into the boards in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He missed the 2008 All-Star Game.^[33] After missing 21 games, he returned on March 4 against the Lightning and earned an assist.^[34] He also played in the two games following the win over the Lightning. After these games, he felt his ankle was not up to shape and decided that he needed more time for it to heal.^[35] Crosby sat out of the Penguins' next seven games and returned on March 27, 2008 to help the Penguins defeat the New York Islanders 3–1.^[36] In the 2008 playoffs, the Penguins reached the final round for the first time since 1992, but lost in six games to the Detroit Red Wings. Crosby finished the playoffs with 27 points (6g, 21a in 20 games), tying Henrik Zetterberg (13g, 14a in 22 games) for first place.

On October 18, 2008, Crosby scored one goal in addition to three assists to surpass benchmarks of 100 goals, 200 assists, and 300 total points for his career.^[37]

International play

Medal record
Competitor for  Canada
Men's Ice Hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold	2005 Grand Forks	Ice Hockey
Silver	2004 Helsinki	Ice Hockey

Crosby represents Team Canada internationally. He has played in the 2004 and 2005 World Junior Championships, and the 2006 World Championships. On December 28, 2003, Crosby became the youngest player to score a goal at the Ice Hockey World Junior Championships. He was 16 years, 4 months, and 21 days at the time.^[38]

From May 5 to May 21, 2006, Crosby was an alternate captain in the 2006 World Championships, where he became the youngest player ever to win a World Championship scoring title.^[39] He tallied a tournament-best eight goals and eight assists in nine games. Crosby was named the tournament's top forward and to the competition's all-star team.^[39]

Jerseys

Crosby's 87 Pittsburgh Penguins jersey was the top seller on the NHL's website from September 2005 to February 2008.^[40] In January 2005, an Air Canada baggage handler in Montreal stole Crosby's red Canada jersey from the World Junior Hockey Championship. It was recovered later in a mailbox.^[41] His white jersey from the tournament was temporarily delisted from an auction while the red one was missing. It eventually sold for $22,100, which went to youth hockey charities and 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake relief.^[42]

Less than a year later, one of Crosby's game-worn sweaters went missing. The jersey he wore in his first NHL game, played against the New Jersey Devils, went missing from his father's luggage during a flight from Pittsburgh to Buffalo. The jersey was later found at the Pittsburgh International Airport between a piece of equipment and a stairwell.^[43] Crosby's jersey from his third NHL game was the highest-selling NHL jersey in an auction for Hurricane Katrina relief – it sold for $21,010.^[44]

During an online auction held by the NHL and the NHL Players Association to benefit Hockey Fights Cancer, Crosby's game-worn jersey from the first period of the 2007 All-Star Game earned the most money. Crosby's sold for $47,520, more than eight times the next highest price—$5,681 for the jersey worn by Brendan Shanahan of the New York Rangers.^[45]

Personal life

Sidney Crosby was born in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia in 1987 to Troy Crosby and Trina Forbes-Crosby. He has a younger sister, Taylor.^[46] During the season, Crosby lives with the Lemieux family in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. In the summer of 2006 he bought his first house in Halifax, Nova Scotia.^[47] His father was a goaltender who played for the Verdun Junior Canadiens in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and in the 1985 Memorial Cup. Troy was drafted 240th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 1984, but never played at the NHL level.^[7] Growing up, Sidney admired Steve Yzerman^[17] and, like his father, was a fan of the Montreal Canadiens. Crosby's number (87) and 2007 contract signing ($8.7 million per year) reflect his birthdate (8/7/87).^[48]

From age twelve to fifteen, Crosby attended Astral Drive Junior High School. He was a straight-A student and, according to the vice-principal, "an amazing role model who was really kind to students in the learning centre and to special needs kids."^[49] When he was fifteen, Crosby transferred to Shattuck-Saint Mary's in Faribault, Minnesota.

In time for Crosby's first season, Gare Joyce issued a biography, Sidney Crosby: Taking the Game by Storm. The November 2005 edition of GQ Magazine featured him in a series of shirt-less photos.^[50] In 2007, Crosby was nominated for Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People list.^[51] Crosby holds an endorsement deal with Reebok and designed a fashion line in 2007.^[17]

In 2008, Crosby appeared in the documentary film Pond Hockey, where he discusses his experiences of playing pond hockey. ^[52]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

• 1999-2000 stats are from: "Age-old question: Cole Harbour hockey association bars peewee player from bantam tourney", The Halifax Daily News (2000-04-05). 

International statistics

Records

• Pittsburgh Penguins' franchise record for assists in a season by a rookie (63)^[53]
• Pittsburgh Penguins' franchise record for points in a season by a rookie (102)^[53]
• First rookie to record 100 points and 100 penalty minutes in a season^[54]
• Youngest player in NHL history to record 100 points in a season^[21]
• Youngest player in NHL history to record 200 career points (19 years and 207 days)^[55]
• Youngest player in NHL history to have 2 consecutive 100 point seasons.^[56]
• Youngest player to be voted to the NHL All-Star Game^[57]
• Youngest player in NHL history to win the Art Ross Trophy^[4]
• Youngest player in NHL history to win the Lester B. Pearson Award^[28]
• Youngest player in NHL history to be named to the First All-Star Team^[30]
• Youngest player in NHL history to be named a full team captain (In January 1984, Brian Bellows of the Minnesota North Stars was made interim captain at 5 months younger than Crosby, but he only served the latter half of the 1983-84 season replacing injured captain Craig Hartsburg)

Awards

See also

• List of NHL players
• List of Pittsburgh Penguins players
• List of NHL seasons

References

External links

• Sidney Crosby's NHL player profile
• Sidney Crosby's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database