A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he was presented with a hat bought with the proceeds.^[1] The term was used in print for the first time in 1878.^[2]

The term was eventually adopted by many other sports including association football, water polo, and team handball, but did not become popular in North America until the mid-1940s (in the National Hockey League and then baseball (three strikeouts or hits)).

Origin[link]

According to the Extended Oxford English Dictionary 1999 Edition, the term "came into use after HH Stephenson took three wickets in three balls for the all-England eleven against the twenty-two of Hallam at the Hyde Park ground, Sheffield in 1858. A collection was held for Stephenson (as was customary for outstanding feats by professionals) and he was presented with a cap or hat bought with the proceeds."

Cricket[link]

A hat-trick occurs in cricket when a bowler dismisses three batsmen with consecutive deliveries. The deliveries may be interrupted by an over bowled by another bowler from the other end of the pitch or the other team's innings, but must be three consecutive deliveries by the individual bowler. Only wickets attributed to the bowler count towards a hat-trick; run outs do not count.

Hat-tricks are very rare and as such are treasured by bowlers. In Test cricket history there have been just 39 hat-tricks, the first achieved by Fred Spofforth for Australia against England in 1879. In 1912, Australian Jimmy Matthews achieved the feat twice in one game against South Africa. The only other players to achieve two hat-tricks are Australia's Hugh Trumble, against England in 1902 and 1904, and Pakistan's Wasim Akram, in separate games against Sri Lanka in 1999.

In One Day International cricket there have been 28 hat-tricks up to 2 March 2012, the first by Jalal-ud-Din for Pakistan against Australia in 1982, and the most recent by Lasith Malinga for Sri Lanka cricket team against Australia on 22 August 2011 in the last match of the five-ODI series played in Colombo. With this last hat-trick Lasith Malinga became the first and only bowler to take three hat-tricks in any form of international cricket. Four players have taken at least two One Day International hat-tricks in their careers: Wasim Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq of Pakistan and Chaminda Vaas and Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka. (Akram therefore has four international hat-tricks in total).

In Twenty20 International Cricket, Brett Lee of Australia had a hat-trick against Bangladesh in the Super Eight of the Twenty20 World Cup on 16 September 2007 in South Africa. Jacob Oram of New Zealand made a hat-trick against Sri Lanka on 2 September 2009 in Colombo, And Tim Southee, also from New Zealand, made a hat-trick against Pakistan, and ended up with a 5-For at the end of the match.^[3]

Taking two wickets in two consecutive deliveries is occasionally known as a brace, or (more commonly) being on a hat-trick. Four wickets in four balls is referred to in cricket literature and record books as four in four but the term double hat-trick has also been used in the media, as it will contain two different, overlapping sets of three consecutively dismissed batsmen. It has occurred only once in international one-day cricket, in the 2007 World Cup, when Sri Lanka's Lasith Malinga managed the feat against South Africa by dismissing Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis and Makhaya Ntini, though it has occurred on other occasions in first-class cricket. Kevan James of Hampshire took four wickets in four balls and scored a century in the same county game against India in 1996. The Cricinfo report on the game claimed that this was unique in cricket.^[4][5]

Nuwan Zoysa of Sri Lanka is the only bowlers to achieve a hat-trick in the first three balls in test cricket dismissing Murray Goodwin,Neil Johnson and Trevor Gripper of England, in 1999, while Irfan Pathan of India also holds the distinction of achieving a hat-trick in the very first over of the test match but of the 4,5,6 deliveries when he dismissed Salman Butt, Younis Khan and Mohammad Yousuf of Pakistan in 2006, Karachi. Chaminda Vaas being the only one to achieve a hat-trick of the very first deliveries in one day internationals, against Bangladesh in 2003. He got Hannan Sarkar, Mohammad Ashraful and Ehsanul Haque out in 10th match of ICC World Cup 2003, played at City Oval, Pietermaritzburg

Albert Trott and Joginder Rao are the only two bowlers credited with two hat-tricks in the same innings in first class cricket. One of Trott's two hat-tricks, for Middlesex against Somerset at Lords in 1907, was a four in four.

While all hat-tricks are rare and prized, some examples are particularly extraordinary. On 2 December 1988, Merv Hughes, playing for Australia, dismissing Curtly Ambrose with the last ball of his penultimate over and Patrick Patterson with the first ball of his next over, wrapping up the West Indies first innings. When Hughes returned to bowl in the West Indies second innings, he trapped Gordon Greenidge lbw with his first ball, completing a hat-trick over two different innings and becoming the only player in Test cricket history to achieve the three wickets of a hat-trick in three different overs.

In 1844, underarm bowler William Clark, playing for "England" against Kent, achieved a hat-trick spread over two innings, dismissing Kent batsman John Fagge twice within the hat-trick. Fagge batted at number 11 in the first innings and at number 3 in the second. This event is believed to be unique in first-class cricket.^[6]

The most involved hat-trick was perhaps when Melbourne club cricketer Stephen Hickman, playing for Power House, achieved a hat-trick spread over three overs, two days, two innings, involving the same batsman twice, and observed by the same non-striker, with the hat-trick ball being bowled from the opposite end to the first two. In the Mercantile Cricket Association C Grade semi-final at Fawkner Park South Yarra in Melbourne, Gunbower United Cricket Club were 8 for 109 when Hickman came on to bowl his off spin. He took a wicket with the last ball of his third over and then bowled number 11 batsman Richard Higgins with the first ball of his next over to complete the Gunbower innings, leaving Chris Taylor the not out batsman. Power House scored 361 putting the game out of reach of Gunbower. In the second innings opener Taylor was joined by Higgins at the fall of the fourth wicket as Hickman returned to the attack. With his first ball, observed by an incredulous Taylor at the non-striker's end, he clean bowled Higgins leaving Higgins with a pair of golden ducks.^[7]

One of the most unlikely of hat-tricks occurred in 2009. Representing City Eagles in Christchurch, New Zealand, David Crocker (a former wicket-keeper/batsman turned surprise bowler) took 3 wickets to secure a hat-trick with the first 3 deliveries he bowled in Suburban Cricket. It is unknown if this has occurred before with the very first deliveries a bowler would bowl in a competition claiming wickets. David also scored 118 against the same team.

At least two triple hat-tricks have been achieved. The first was by Scott Babot of Wainuiomata Cricket Club playing in the Senior 3 competition in New Zealand in 2008. It consisted of five wickets in five balls, across two innings and separated by seven days, as the match took place on consecutive Saturdays.^[8] The second was in an Ireland club U13 youth game in 2011,^{[citation needed]} achieved by David Delany of Clontarf Cricket Club playing in an All-Ireland final against Bready Cricket Club. Bready needed 19 runs to win with 6 wickets in hand, when Delany took five wickets in five balls, with all five batsmen being dismissed bowled. Clontarf won the game.

Association football[link]

A hat-trick occurs in association football when a player scores three goals in a single game. In common with other official record-keeping rules, goals in a penalty shootout are excluded from the tally.^[9] Players achieving hat-tricks are usually rewarded by being given the match ball to keep. The fastest time to score a hat-trick is 90 seconds, a record set by Tommy Ross playing for Ross County against Nairn County on 28 November 1964.^[10] Only one hat-trick has been scored in the FIFA World Cup Final, by Geoff Hurst for England in the 1966 final, after extra time.^[11]

A rare variation of the hat-trick, commonly referred to in Britain as the perfect hat-trick, is when a player completes a hat-trick by scoring one goal with the right foot, one goal with the left foot and one goal via a header within ten minutes of playing time.

Hockey[link]

It has been suggested that this section be split into a new article titled Hat-trick (hockey). (Discuss) Proposed since March 2012.

In both field hockey and ice hockey, a hat trick occurs when a player scores three goals in a single match. A hat trick, as it is known in its current form, culminates with fans throwing hats onto the ice from the stands. The tradition is said to have begun among fans in the National Hockey League around the 1950s.^[12]

Origins in hockey[link]

There are several conflicting legends of how the "hat trick" was popularized in professional hockey. In the 1940s, a Toronto haberdasher used to give Maple Leaf hockey players free hats when they scored three goals in a game, which brought the "Hat Trick" expression into the world of hockey.^{[citation needed]} The list of winners includes legendary players such as Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull from the Chicago Blackhawks, Syl Apps and Charlie Conacher from the home-town Toronto Maple Leafs, Norm Ullman from the Detroit Red Wings, and many others.

In another account, the origins of a hat being awarded for scoring three goals occurred in Toronto when a local businessman, Sammy Taft, was approached by the Chicago Blackhawks forward Alex Kaleta. According to legend, Kaleta entered Taft's shop to purchase a new hat but did not have enough money. Taft arranged a deal with Kaleta stipulating that if Kaleta scored three goals as he played the Toronto Maple Leafs that night, he would give him a free hat. That night, on 26 January 1946, Kaleta scored four goals against the Maple Leafs and Taft made good on his offer.^[12]

While this account is credited by the Hockey Hall of Fame as the hat trick's origin in the NHL,^[12] there exists yet another competing story in Guelph, Ontario. In the 1950s, the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), who were then a farm team of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s New York Rangers, were sponsored by Guelph-based Biltmore Hats, a leading manufacturer of hats with North American dominance. The sponsor would award any Madhatters player who scored three goals in a game with a new fedora.^[12]

Henri Henri, a hatter in Montreal, claims that between 1950 and 1970, they would reward any NHL player to score three or more goals in a game at the Montreal Forum with a hat, thus originating the term "Hat Trick".^[13]

NHL Record[link]

Wayne Gretzky holds the NHL record for the most hat tricks in a career with 50.

Variations[link]

Natural hat trick[link]

A natural hat trick is when a player scores three consecutive goals in the same game, uninterrupted by any other scoring.^[14]

The NHL record for fastest natural hat trick is 21 seconds, set by Bill Mosienko in 1952 for the Chicago Blackhawks.^[15]

The junior hockey record is believed to be held by Cody Stettin of the Duluth Clydesdales, scoring 3 goals in 29 seconds on Feb. 21, 2012 against the Iron Range Ironheads in a Superior International Junior Hockey League regular season game.^[16]

Double hat trick[link]

Occurs when the player scores six goals in a game (or four; see the cricket section above for an explanation of this alternative usage).

Other variations[link]

A player accomplishes a Gordie Howe hat trick by scoring a goal, getting an assist, and getting in a fight, all in the same game (Howe himself only recorded two in his career). While this description has remained popular, it does not satisfy the conditions of a hat trick.^[17]

In December 1995, Florida Panthers captain Scott Mellanby scored a rat trick, the term coined by teammate John Vanbiesbrouck, after ridding the locker room of an unwanted rat with his stick, and scoring a pair of goals later that night.^[18] When Mellanby scored a hat trick in a later game, some fans threw plastic rats on the ice, a tradition that continued for all Panthers' goals throughout the 1996 playoffs. Because of the resulting game delays, the league eventually banned this activity and modified Rule 63 to impose a minor penalty against the home team for a violation.^[19]

Scoring five goals in a game is an unique feat. Some call this feat "The Mario" in reference to the even rarer accomplishment where a player scores a goal in every possible way (regulation play, power-play, short-handed, penalty shot and empty net) during the same game. To date, Mario Lemieux is the only NHL player to accomplish this feat.

There are numerous other potential variations not in common usage, that are usually created to refer to memorable incidents or different players' particular playing styles.

Rugby[link]

In both codes of rugby football (rugby union and rugby league) a hat-trick is scored if a player scores three or more tries in a game. In rugby union, a related concept is that of a "full house" (scoring a try, conversion, penalty goal, and drop goal) in a single game. When a player scored two tries, this is often referred to as a "brace".

As with association football, it is common for the player to be awarded the match ball after scoring a hat-trick.

Lacrosse[link]

A hat-trick in lacrosse is when a player scores three goals in one game. However, since lacrosse is more of a high-scoring game than hockey or soccer, the accomplishment is not as rare as in hockey or soccer, and good players may pick up hat-tricks easily.

In 2004, Colorado Mammoth public address announcer Steve Meade (a local radio broadcaster known as "Willie B") used the phrase "sock-trick" to describe a player scoring six goals in a game. When Mammoth superstar Gary Gait scored six in a game against the Anaheim Storm, fans threw socks onto the playing surface, earning a delay of game penalty to Colorado (served by Gait himself).^[20]

Darts[link]

A hat-trick in darts is a score of three consecutive bullseyes, also known as the "Alan Evans Shot", after Alan Evans scored three bulleyes during a match on numerous occasions.

Poker[link]

Eliminating three players from a table with one hand in live poker play is sometimes referred to as a hat-trick and is incredibly rare. It is a much more frequent occurrence in online poker games, given the faster and greater number of hands played in online tournaments and the continuing presence of multiple "all-in" players during the early stages of tournament play as players look to build large chip stacks quickly and early.

Motor racing[link]

A hat trick in motor racing is deemed as three successive race wins, winning the same event three times in a row, or when a driver secures pole position, sets the fastest lap and wins the race. In Formula One, a 'Grand Chelem' or perfect weekend is pole, fastest lap, win and also leading every lap.

Marbles[link]

In marbles, a hat-trick occurs when a player hits all marbles in a single turn.

Scrabble[link]

In Scrabble, a hat-trick occurs when a player plays three consecutive bingos.

See also[link]

Look up hat trick in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Hitting for the cycle
• Nap hand
• Trifecta
• Triple Crown
• Turkey (bowling)

References[link]

Sidney Crosby
Crosby pictured during the 2009-10 NHL Season.
Born	(1987-08-07) August 7, 1987 (age 24) Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada[1]
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Left
NHL team	Pittsburgh Penguins
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	1st overall, 2005 Pittsburgh Penguins[2]
Playing career	2005–present

Sidney Patrick Crosby, ONS (born August 7, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Crosby was drafted first overall by the Penguins out of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). During his two-year major junior career with the Rimouski Océanic, he earned back-to-back CHL Player of the Year awards and led his club to the 2005 Memorial Cup final. Nicknamed "The Next One",^[3][4] 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".^[5]

In his first NHL season, Crosby finished sixth in league scoring with 102 points (39 goals, 63 assists) and was a runner-up for the Calder Memorial Trophy (won by Alexander Ovechkin). 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.^[6] That same season, Crosby also won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the Professional Hockey Writers Association's choice for most valuable player and the Lester B. Pearson Award as the NHL Players Association's choice for most outstanding player, becoming the seventh player in NHL history to earn all three awards in one year.^[7] Crosby started the 2007–08 season with the team's captaincy and subsequently led them to the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals, where they were defeated 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.^[8] In the 2009–10 season, Crosby scored a career-high 51 goals, tying him with Steven Stamkos for the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league-leader; with 58 assists, he totaled 109 points, second in the NHL. During the off-season, Crosby received the Mark Messier Leadership Award. In 2010–11, Crosby sustained a concussion as a result of hits to the head in back-to-back games. The injury left him sidelined for ten and a half months. However, after playing eight games in the 2011–12 season, Crosby's concussion-like symptoms returned in December 2011, and he did not return until mid-March 2012.

Internationally, Crosby has represented Canada in numerous tournaments for the country's junior and men's teams. After competing in the 2003 U-18 Junior World Cup, he represented Canada in back-to-back IIHF World U20 Championships, winning silver in 2004 and gold in 2005. At the 2006 IIHF World Championship, he led the tournament in scoring, while also earning Top Forward and All-Star Team honours. Four years later, Crosby was named to Team Canada for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Playing the United States in the gold medal game, he scored the game-winning goal in overtime.^[9]

Early life[link]

Crosby was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia,^[1] on August 7, 1987, to Troy Crosby and Trina Forbes-Crosby. Crosby's jersey number (87) and 2007 contract signing ($8.7 million per year) reflect his birthdate (8/7/87).^[10] Crosby grew up in nearby Cole Harbour, and has a younger sister, Taylor.^[11] His father was a goaltender who played for the Verdun Junior Canadiens in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Troy played in the 1985 Memorial Cup and had been drafted 240th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 1984, but never played at the NHL level.^[12] Growing up, Crosby admired Steve Yzerman and, like his father, was a Canadiens fan.^[13]

Crosby began playing hockey by himself in his basement at two years old, shooting pucks against the family's clothes dryer;^[14] he learned to skate at three.^[12]

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."^[15] When he was fifteen, Crosby transferred to Shattuck-Saint Mary's in Faribault, Minnesota, to play with the school's hockey program. While playing for the Rimouski Océanic of the QMJHL, Crosby attended and graduated in 2005 from Harrison Trimble High School, in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Playing career[link]

Minor hockey[link]

Early in his minor hockey years, Crosby began attracting media attention for his play and gave his first newspaper interview at age seven.^[16] At thirteen, the Nova Scotia Minor Hockey Council refused to allow him to play midget, a level of minor hockey designated for fifteen- to seventeen-year-olds. His family sued and lost.^[17] The following year, he entered the midget level with the triple-A Dartmouth Subways. Crosby went on to score a combined 217 regular season and playoff points, leading Dartmouth to a second-place finish at the 2002 Air Canada Cup.^[18] He won the MVP and Top Scorer awards at the national tournament after recording 18 points in 5 games. In addition to his accomplishments, Crosby was called up as a 14-year-old to play two games with the Maritime Junior A Hockey League's Truro Bearcats that season.^[19] Crosby had been drafted by the Bearcats in the 2001 MJAHL Draft as a 13-year-old.^[20][21][22]

During his midget season, he appeared on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's Hockey Day in Canada telecast.^[12] Throughout Crosby's minor career, he was also negatively targeted for his talent, however. He has recalled numerous instances in which opposing players intentionally attempted to injure him, as well as constant verbal abuse from parents on and off the ice. Parents taunted and threatened Crosby so harshly, he took to not wearing his jersey between tournament games while he waited to play so that he would not be recognized.^[23] Partly because of this mistreatment, Crosby chose to leave the country to play for the renowned hockey program at Shattuck-Saint Mary's Boarding School in Minnesota for the 2002–03 hockey season.^[23] In 57 games with the Sabres, he recorded 72 goals and 162 points, leading the team to a U18 AAA national championship.

Junior career[link]

Crosby was selected first overall in the 2003 Midget Draft by the Rimouski Océanic of the QMJHL. In his first exhibition game, he scored eight points, leading his teammates to nickname him "Darryl" (in reference to Darryl Sittler's ten-point in the NHL in 1976).^[24] In his first regular season game in the QMJHL, he scored one goal and added two assists.^[25] He was named QMJHL 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 QMJHL Player of the Month and Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Player of the Week three times each.^[26] Crosby finished his rookie QMJHL season with 54 goals and 81 assists over 59 games to capture the Jean Beliveau Trophy as the league's leading point-scorer. He was further recognized with the RDS/JVC Trophy (overall rookie of the year) and Michel Brière Memorial Trophy (most valuable player), becoming the first QMJHL player to win all three major awards at once.^[26] Rounding out Crosby's accolades for the 2003–04 regular season were QMJHL All-Rookie and First All-Star Team honours, as well as Offensive Rookie, Offensive Player and Personality of the Year Awards. As a team, the Océanic led the Eastern Division with 34 wins and 76 points. After receiving a first-round bye in the 2003 QMJHL playoffs, they defeated the Shawinigan Cataractes in the quarterfinals, then were eliminated by the Moncton Wildcats in the semifinals. Crosby recorded 16 points (7 goals and 9 assists) over 9 post-season games.

During the off-season, the World Hockey Association, a major professional league proposed to rival the NHL, held an Entry Draft on July 17, 2004. Holding the first overall selection, Toronto chose Crosby. The following month, it was reported that Crosby turned down a US$7.5 million deal over three years to play for Hamilton. Crosby told reporters that while "it took a lot to say no to that much money", he "work[ed] hard most of his life to play in the NHL." The deal would have paid him $2.5 million annually and an additional $2 million payout regardless of whether the WHA was realized as a legitimate league or not. It was not clarified, however, how Hamilton could have signed Crosby, as Toronto held his WHA rights.^[27] Nevertheless, the WHA never materialized.

Returning to the Océanic for the 2004–05 season, Crosby continued dominating the league, leading the league with 66 goals, 102 assists and 168 points over 62 games to capture his second consecutive Beliveau Trophy. Joining Crosby on Rimouski's top line were wingers Dany Roussin and Marc-Antoine Pouliot, who finished second and third in league-scoring with 116 and 114 points, respectively. In addition to his scoring title, Crosby was once again named Most Valuable Player, Offensive Player and Personality of the Year honours, while repeating as a QMJHL First All-Star. The Océanic finished with the regular season with the best record in the league, registering 45 wins and 98 points, including a league record-setting 28-game undefeated streak. They went on to capture the President's Cup as QMJHL playoff champions, defeating the Halifax Mooseheads in the finals. Crosby led the playoffs with 31 points (14 goals and 17 assists) over 13 games, earning him the Guy Lafleur Trophy as post-season MVP. With their QMJHL championship, the Océanic qualified for the 2005 Memorial Cup, Canada's national major junior tournament. Meeting the London Knights in the final, the Océanic were shutout 4–0. Despite the loss, Crosby was named to the Tournament All-Star Team and captured the Ed Chynoweth Trophy as the competition's leading scorer 11 points (6 goals and 5 assists) over 5 games. Knights forward Corey Perry was awarded the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as the MVP.

Soon thereafter, Crosby attended the NHL prospect combine in preparation of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. In addition to his fitness and strength, teams were reportedly also impressed by his personality and self-assurance.^[28] During Crosby's amateur years, Wayne Gretzky was asked if he thought anyone could break his records. He answered that Crosby could, while adding that he was the best player he had seen since Mario Lemieux.^[29]

NHL career[link]

2005–06[link]

Crosby in 2006, after being designated an alternate captain

Entering the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, Crosby was listed first overall in the NHL Central Scouting Bureau and International Scouting Services' respective rankings of prospects.^{[notes 1]} He had also won the Mike Bossy Trophy as the QMJHL's best prospect. Crosby went on to be selected first overall in the draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 30, 2005. Due to the labour stoppage that suspended the entire 2004–05 NHL season, positioning for 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.^[5]

Crosby made his NHL debut 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.^[30] He scored his first NHL goal in the Penguins' home opener on October 8 against the Boston Bruins. Despite also having registered two assists for a three-point night, the Penguins were defeated 7–6 in overtime.^[31] Crosby began his rookie season playing alongside Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux. Unfortunately, Lemieux was forced to retire due to an irregular heartbeat after having played just 26 games of the season.^[32]

Near the midway point of the season, Penguins head coach Ed Olczyk was fired and replaced by Michel Therrien on December 15, 2005. The following day, Therrien designated 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".^[33] Although hopes were high in Pittsburgh for the club to succeed, largely in part to the beginning of Crosby's NHL career and bolstered by the acquisitions of Sergei Gonchar, Zigmund Palffy and Mark Recchi, the Penguins still finished with the worst record in the Eastern Conference.

Nevertheless, Crosby's first NHL campaign was a personal success as he established franchise records in assists (63) and points (102) for a rookie, both of which had been previously held by Mario Lemieux. He additionally became the youngest player in NHL history to score 100 points in a single season, and only the seventh rookie ever to hit the benchmark.^[34] 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. Throughout the season, Crosby had battled with Washington Capitals forward and 2004 first-overall pick Alexander Ovechkin for the rookie scoring lead. He would finish second to Ovechkin's 106 points and also lose out to the Capitals forward for the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL rookie of the year.^[35]

Throughout his first season, Crosby was accused by opposing players and coaches of taking dives and complaining to officials, which was typically attributed to his youth.^[36] 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.^[34] Hockey analyst Kelly Hrudey compared Crosby to Wayne 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.^[34]

2006–07[link]

Crosby during the 2007 Stanley Cup 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.^[37] His success against the Flyers continued as just over six weeks later, on December 13, he recorded the first six-point game of his career (one goal, five assists).^[38] The multi-point effort vaulted Crosby into the NHL scoring lead, which he would retain for the remainder of the season. He finished the 2006–07 NHL season with 36 goals and 84 assists in 79 games to become the first teenager to lead the NHL in scoring since Wayne Gretzky in 1980. 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.^[6]

Crosby's second NHL season also saw significant improvements for the Penguins franchise as a whole, as the emergence of Calder Trophy-winner Evgeni Malkin and runner-up Jordan Staal complemented the club's offence. As a result, the Penguins jumped from last place in the Eastern Conference the previous season to fifth for the club's first playoff appearance since 2001. Playing the Ottawa Senators in the opening round, Crosby scored a goal in his Stanley Cup playoff debut in a 6–3 losing effort.^[39] He finished the series with 5 points in 5 games as the Penguins were ousted by the eventual Stanley Cup runner-up.

Following the Penguins defeat, 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.^[40][41] 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."^[42]

At the NHL's annual awards show later 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 clinched Art Ross Trophy. He became the youngest player in NHL history to win the Lester B. Pearson,^[43] and only the second youngest player ever to win the Hart (after Gretzky).^[44] He also became the youngest player ever to be named to the NHL's First All-Star Team.^[45]

2007–08[link]

Crosby with the Penguins against Washington, March 9, 2008.

With Crosby's initial three-year, entry-level contract set to expire at the end of the following season, the Penguins signed him to a five-year, $43.5 million dollar contract extension on July 10, 2007, ensuring his stay with the Penguins through the 2012–13 season.^[46] Midway through the subsequent season, Crosby recorded a 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. Then, five minutes and nine seconds into the second frame, Crosby fought defenceman Andrew Ference to complete the hat trick.^[47] Nearly a month later, however, on January 18, 2008, Crosby suffered a high ankle sprain crashing leg-first into the boards in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. As a result, he missed the 2008 All-Star Game, to which he was named a starter.^[48] After missing 21 games, he returned on March 4 against the Lightning and earned an assist.^[49] Two games after his return, however, he felt his ankle was not up to shape and decided that he needed more time for it to heal.^[50] Crosby consequently 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.^[51] In spite of the injury-shortened campaign, Crosby still managed 72 points in just 53 games.

His absence from the Penguins' lineup served as a stepping stone for teammate Evgeni Malkin, who, now in his second season, was developing into a superstar in his own right. Picking up the offensive slack, Malkin finished second in league scoring to Alexander Ovechkin and was also a Hart Trophy nominee as MVP honours also went to Ovechkin. In addition to Crosby's return to the lineup late in the regular season, the Penguins acquired star winger Marian Hossa from the Atlanta Thrashers at the trade deadline, placing the club in a strong position to make a deep playoff run. Pittsburgh finished the regular season as Atlantic Division champions and just two points shy of the first-seeded Montreal Canadiens. In a rematch of the previous year's opening round, the Penguins began the 2008 playoffs facing the Ottawa Senators, whom they quickly swept in four games. After then defeating the New York Rangers and hated Philadelphia Flyers, each in five games, the Penguins reached the final round for the first time since 1992, to face the Detroit Red Wings. After being shutout as a team for the first two games of the series, Crosby scored the first two goals of game three as the series shifted to Pittsburgh to fuel a 3–2 win.^[52] The Penguins, however, lost the next game and despite staving off defeat in game five, they were overcome by the Red Wings in six games. Crosby finished the playoffs with 27 points (6g, 21a in 20 games), tying Conn Smythe-winner Henrik Zetterberg (13g, 14a in 22 games) for the playoff scoring lead.

2008–09[link]

Early in the following season, on October 18, 2008, Crosby scored one goal and three assists to surpass benchmarks of 100 goals, 200 assists, and 300 points for his career.^[53] On the scoring play in which Crosby scored, teammate Malkin assisted to record his own 200th point. As a result, Crosby had a team trainer cut the puck in half so both players could commemorate the achievement.^[54] Minor injury troubles kept Crosby from five games early in the season as he was listed day-to-day,^[55] but he was, for the most part, able to bounce back from the previous injury-riddled season and stay healthy. He recorded 33 goals and 70 assists to finish third in league scoring, as Evgeni Malkin captured his first career Art Ross Trophy.

Crosby with Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz, 2009 Stanley Cup Finals Game 6.

Entering the 2009 playoffs as the defending Prince of Wales Trophy winners, the Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers in the opening round before meeting the Washington Capitals for a highly publicized second-round matchup. The series was heavily followed as it pitted Ovechkin of the Capitals against both Crosby and Malkin, who together finished as the league's top three scorers that season. In the second game, Crosby and Ovechkin recorded matching three-goal efforts for their first career playoff hat tricks in a 4–3 losing cause for the Penguins.^[56] Despite being down 2–0 in the series, Crosby and the Penguins took the next three games and eventually defeated the Capitals in a seventh and deciding game, in which Crosby added another two goals.^[57] Following a sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Final, Crosby opted against recent NHL tradition and picked up the Prince of Wales Trophy, which he had left untouched the previous year. In explanation of the change of heart, Crosby said, "We didn't touch the trophy last year, and obviously we didn't have the result we wanted ... Although we haven't accomplished exactly what we want ... we can still enjoy it."^[58]

Crosby with Marc-Andre Fleury (left) and the Stanley Cup during the Penguins victory parade.

Meeting the Detroit Red Wings for the second straight year in the Finals, Crosby won his first Stanley Cup with the Penguins in seven games. At 21 years, 10 months, and 5 days, Crosby became the youngest NHL captain to hoist the Cup.^[8] (The youngest captain to lead his team to the Stanley Cup in the history of the trophy is Mike Grant of the 1895 Montreal Victorias, who was 21 years and 2 months at the time.) In the deciding game seven, Crosby was forced to watch all but 32 seconds of the third period from the bench after suffering a knee injury less than halfway through the second period due to a hit from Johan Franzen.^[59] Following the game, Crosby was criticized by Detroit forward Kris Draper for neglecting to shake hands with some of Detroit's players, most notably captain Nicklas Lidstrom. An irate Draper was quoted as saying "Nick was waiting and waiting, and Crosby didn't come over to shake his hand. That's ridiculous, especially as their captain."^[60] Crosby replied afterward, saying, "I just won the Stanley Cup. I think I have the right to celebrate with my teammates. I know it's not easy waiting around...I understand if they don't feel like waiting around. But you know what? It's the easiest thing to do in the world, to shake hands after you win. I had no intentions of trying to skip guys and not shake their hands. I think that was a pretty unreasonable comment."^[61]

2009–10[link]

In the 2009–10 NHL season, Crosby tied Tampa Bay Lightning centre Steven Stamkos for the lead in goals scored, with 51 goals, earning the Rocket Richard Trophy.^[62] He also garnered 58 assists for a total of 109 points, good enough to tie with Alex Ovechkin for second in league points, trailing only the Vancouver Canucks' Henrik Sedin's 112. Additionally, Crosby won the Mark Messier Leadership Award, getting recognized as a 'superior leader within the sport, setting a positive example through on-ice performance, motivation of team members and a dedication to the community'. This was the second time he had received this honor, the other being in January 2007, during the award's first year when it was presented monthly.

Crosby's Penguins were defeated in the second round of the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, losing to the Montreal Canadiens in seven games. Crosby had 19 points in 13 games in the playoffs, though through seven games against the Canadiens he had only 1 goal and 4 assists for a total of 5 points. This was due in part to the Canadiens putting focus on defending against Crosby during the series, and Canadiens' goaltender Jaroslav Halak's solid play was also considered a factor.

2010–11[link]

Crosby's 200th NHL goal, November 27, 2010.

Crosby had a 25 game point streak, which began November 5, 2010, against the Anaheim Ducks, and ended December 28, 2010 against the New York Islanders. During this streak he had 27 goals (including three hat-tricks), 24 assists, and 51 points. This streak is tied for 11th longest point streak in NHL history.^[63]

On January 3, 2011, Crosby was selected as a 2011 All-Star, along with teammates Evgeni Malkin, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Kris Letang, as well as the Chicago Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith, in an online fan vote.^[64] However, neither Crosby nor Malkin were available to play in the All-Star Game due to injuries and rookie Jeff Skinner along with Paul Stastny were named as replacements.

In consecutive games, the 2011 NHL Winter Classic on January 1, 2011 against the Washington Capitals and January 5 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Crosby suffered hits to his head from Dave Steckel and Victor Hedman, respectively.^[65] After experiencing several concussion symptoms, Crosby did not return for the rest of the regular season, and he missed the 2010–11 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Penguins were further crippled when Evgeni Malkin suffered a torn ACL and MCL, taking him out for the rest of the season. This left the Penguins without the services of their two highest scoring players.^[66] Despite Crosby's injury and subsequent absence for the final 41 games of the season, he finished as the Penguins' leading scorer. His 66 points in 41 games were 16 points ahead of the second highest team scorer, defenceman Kris Letang.^[67] In doing this, Crosby set an NHL record for fewest games played by an NHL team's points leader.^[68]

2011–12[link]

Crosby missed the first 20 games of the 2011–12 season due to the lingering effects of his concussion. He returned on November 21, 2011 against the New York Islanders, scoring two goals and two assists in a 5–0 shutout win for the Penguins.^[69] However, after playing another seven games, for a total of 12 points in 8 games, Crosby's concussion-like symptoms returned in December 2011, possibly following an elbow hit by David Krejci in his eighth game of the season. Despite passing a successful ImPACT test, Crosby decided not to return on the ice until he felt perfectly fine, stating that he also needs to "listen to [his] body".^[70] Crosby returned to action on March 15, scoring an assist in a 5–2 win against the New York Rangers.^[71] Despite only playing 22 games, Crosby tallied 29 assists to go with 8 goals for 37 points, including his 600th career point.

International play[link]

Medal record
Crosby after winning the gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Competitor for  Canada
Ice hockey
Winter Olympics
Gold	2010 Vancouver
World Junior Championships
Gold	2005 Grand Forks
Silver	2004 Helsinki

Junior[link]

Crosby debuted internationally for Team Canada at the 2003 U-18 Junior World Cup in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He was the youngest player on the under-18 team, having turned 16 shortly before the beginning of the tournament.^[72] After seven consecutive gold medals at the tournament, Team Canada lost in the bronze medal game to the Czech Republic 8–2.^[73] Crosby scored four goals and six points over five tournament games.^[74]

Crosby went on to compete in two World Junior Championships with Team Canada's under-20 team. When he was named to the team in December 2003, he became the fifth sixteen-year-old to represent Canada at the tournamen, following Jay Bouwmeester, Jason Spezza, Eric Lindros, and Wayne Gretzky. Competing in the 2004 World Junior Championships in Helsinki, he then became the youngest player to score a goal in the history of the tournament at 16 years, 4 months, and 21 days when he scored against Switzerland in a 7–2 win;^[75] This record would last until the 2012 World Juniors, when Aleksander Barkov of Finland scored a goal aged 16 years, 4 months.^[76] Crosby finished the tournament with 2 goals and 3 assists in 6 games, helping Canada to a silver medal finish. The following year, he returned for Team Canada at the 2005 World Junior Championships in Grand Forks. He improved to 6 goals and 3 assists as Canada earned gold. Crosby stated the following year that his most memorable hockey moment was winning his World Junior gold medal.^[13]

Men's[link]

Crosby (against glass) celebrates moments after scoring the gold-medal winning goal at the 2010 Winter Olympics over the United States.

After completing his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Crosby competed in the 2006 World Championships as an alternate captain for Team Canada. Tallying a tournament-best 8 goals and 8 assists in 9 games, he became the youngest player ever to win a World Championship scoring title.^[77] Despite his performance, Canada failed to medal, being shutout by Finland 5–0 in the bronze medal game. Crosby was named the tournament's top forward and to the competition's all-star team.^[77]

After having been left off the Olympic team in 2006, Crosby was named to Team Canada on December 30, 2009, as an alternate captain for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.^[78] He scored the game-winning shootout goal for Canada in the second game of the preliminary round against Switzerland. After going pointless in the quarter- and semi-final against Russia and Slovakia, respectively, Crosby scored the winning goal seven minutes and forty seconds into overtime against the United States in the gold medal game.^[79]

Following the Penguins' second-round elimination in the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, Crosby declined an invitation to join Team Canada midway through the 2010 IIHF World Championship in Germany.^[80]

Jerseys[link]

Crosby's 87 Pittsburgh Penguins jersey was the top seller on the NHL's website from September 2005 to February 2008.^[81] 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.^[82] 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.^[83]

Less than a year later, one of Crosby's game-worn sweaters disappeared. The jersey he wore in his first NHL game, played against the New Jersey Devils, disappeared 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.^[84] 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.^[85]

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.^[86]

Following Crosby's Olympic gold medal victory with Canada in 2010, it was announced that his stick and glove were missing. It was initially suspected that they might have been stolen; Reebok Canada offered a reward of CAD$10,000 for their return—no questions asked.^[87] On March 10, the items were found; Crosby's stick had been placed in a shipment bound for the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in St. Petersburg, Russia (the shipment was intercepted in Toronto) and his glove was found in a hockey bag belonging to Patrice Bergeron whose stall was beside Crosby's in the locker room.^[88]

Personal life[link]

Crosby lived with the Lemieux family in Sewickley, Pennsylvania from 2005 until 2010. In the spring of 2010, Crosby purchased his own home in the same area.^[89] In the summer of 2006 he bought his first house in Halifax, Nova Scotia.^[90]

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.^[91] In 2007, Crosby was nominated for Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People list.^[92] Crosby holds an endorsement deal with Reebok and designed a fashion line in 2007.^[13] On May 29, 2010, it was announced that Sidney Crosby will sign the richest endorsement deal in National Hockey League history with Reebok. The deal is expected to pay Crosby $1.4 million a year for five to seven years. Crosby also has endorsement deals with Bell, Tim Hortons and Gatorade.^[93]

In 2008, Crosby appeared in the documentary film Pond Hockey, where he discusses his experiences of playing pond hockey.^[94]

Awards[link]

Records[link]

IIHF[link]

• Youngest player to win a World Championship scoring title^[77]

Pittsburgh Penguins[link]

• Assists (63) and points (102) in a season by a rookie^[98]

NHL[link]

• First rookie to record 100 points and 100 penalty minutes in a season^[99]
• Youngest player to record 100 points in a season (18 years, 253 days) ^[34]
• Youngest player to record 200 career points (19 years and 207 days)^[100]
• Youngest player to record 2 consecutive 100 point seasons (19 years, 215 days).^[101]
• Youngest player voted to the starting lineup in an All-Star Game^[102]
• Youngest Art Ross Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award winner^[6][43]
• Youngest player to be named to the First All-Star Team^[45]
• Youngest 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)
• Youngest Player to Lead NHL Playoffs in scoring (20 years, 9 months, and 28 days)
• Youngest NHL captain to win Stanley Cup (21 years, 10 months, and 5 days)
• Fewest games played by an NHL team's leading scorer (His 66 points in 41 games were the most of any player on the 2010-11 Penguins squad)^[68]

Career statistics[link]

Crosby in 2010

Regular season and playoffs[link]

Bolded numbers indicate league leader.

• 1999–2000 stats are from: "Age-old question: Cole Harbour hockey association bars peewee player from bantam tourney". The Halifax Daily News. April 5, 2000. 

International statistics[link]

See also[link]

Nova Scotia portal

• List of Pittsburgh Penguins players

Notes[link]

References[link]