The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation (93rd season of play) of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Boston Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks in the Stanley Cup Final 4–3 to win the Stanley Cup. It was the sixth Cup win in Bruins' franchise history. For the fourth consecutive season, the season started with games in Europe. The 58th All-Star Game was held at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, home arena of the Carolina Hurricanes, on January 30, 2011.

This was the final season of operation for the Atlanta Thrashers, who were sold to True North Sports and Entertainment out of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and moved from Atlanta to Winnipeg to become the Winnipeg Jets. Winnipeg previously had lost its NHL team, also called the Winnipeg Jets, after the 1995-96 NHL season to Phoenix, Arizona, and were renamed "Phoenix Coyotes". This is the second time the city of Atlanta, Georgia, has lost an NHL franchise, previously losing the Atlanta Flames to Calgary, Alberta, after the 1979-80 NHL season.

League business[link]

US television deals[link]

The league's broadcast agreements with NBC and Versus, which were to expire at the end of the season were renewed. On April 19 NBC/Versus and the NHL agreed to a new ten-year deal worth a total US$2 billion.^[1]

New arena[link]

The Pittsburgh Penguins moved to the newly constructed Consol Energy Center. The arena replaced Mellon Arena, also known as "The Igloo", where the Penguins had played since their inception in 1967. The new arena has a seating capacity of 18,387, and was officially inaugurated with the continuation of the "Battle of the Keystone State" between the Penguins and their fellow Atlantic Division rivals and defending Eastern Conference champion, the Philadelphia Flyers, on October 7 as part of the NHL's Opening Face-Off. The Flyers defeated Pittsburgh 3–2 in the Penguins' debut in the Consol Energy Center.

Two existing arenas received a new name starting with the 2010–11 season. The Vancouver Canucks' home, previously known as General Motors Place, became Rogers Arena after the Canadian telecommunications company purchased the naming rights from General Motors Canada. The Calgary Flames' home arena name was also changed from the Pengrowth Saddledome to the Scotiabank Saddledome after the Canadian banking company.

Salary cap[link]

On June 23, 2010, the NHL announced that the salary cap would be increased by $2.6 million. As a result, the new salary cap ceiling is set at $59.4 million while the salary cap floor is $43.4 million.^[2]

Entry draft[link]

The 2010 NHL Entry Draft took place on June 25–26, 2010, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home arena of the Los Angeles Kings. Taylor Hall was selected first overall in the draft by the Edmonton Oilers. Tyler Seguin was picked second by the Boston Bruins. Erik Gudbranson was 3rd overall by the Florida Panthers.

Franchise sales[link]

Tom Golisano, Larry Quinn and Daniel DiPofi, owners of the Buffalo Sabres, sold their franchise to Terrence Pegula during the course of the 2010–11 season. The league approved the sale February 18, 2011.

Uniform changes[link]

Several teams announced plans to change their uniforms in the 2010–11 season.^[3]

The Buffalo Sabres, as part of their 40th Anniversary season, reverted to the classic crossed swords insignia (replacing the infamous "Buffaslug" logo) and a slightly updated uniform based upon the style they wore from 1970 through 1996, when they left Buffalo Memorial Auditorium and moved down the street to the HSBC Arena with blue and gold trim. The blue version was previously their third jersey for the past three seasons. A new third jersey (also in blue) will feature the city's name in white script on the chest, along with "quilted" numbers on the back and a gold nameplate with blue lettering fashioning the look of the AHL's former Buffalo Bisons.

The Columbus Blue Jackets unveiled a third jersey November 24^[4] as part of their 10th season celebration. The new jersey made its debut on November 26 when the Blue Jackets hosted the Detroit Red Wings.^[5]

The Philadelphia Flyers adopted their 2010 NHL Winter Classic white uniforms as their new road uniform and have dropped the black third jersey they have worn since changing to Reebok's "NHL Edge" template.

The New York Islanders reverted to the uniforms they made their debut back in 1972–73; their royal blue uniforms were their third jersey for the past two seasons. The road white unis are also from the 1972–73 season.

The New York Rangers inaugurated a new third jersey. The jersey resembed the one worn by the team in its early years, notably during their Stanley Cup championship years of 1928 and 1933, but with "NEW YORK" across the jersey, instead of "RANGERS".

The Toronto Maple Leafs unveiled new home and road jerseys on June 14, 2010, seeing the return of the horizontal stripes on the bottom of the jersey and the "veined leaf" logo on both shoulders. The jersey also includes a white collar with string lace-up instead of a V-shaped collar.^[6]

In third jersey items, the Calgary Flames will use the third jerseys they debuted in the 2009–10 season onto the Edge template in a retro style from the 1988–89 season. After a three-year hiatus, the Anaheim Ducks unveiled a new third jersey on November 26 against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Los Angeles Kings added a throwback purple and gold uniform, with the original 1967 style of purple, gold and white crown graphic on the jersey front for up to four games, and the Dallas Stars will swap designations on their two white jerseys. The Vancouver Canucks, like the Sabres, were celebrating their 40th anniversary and wore replicas of their original 1970–71 white jerseys for several home games as well. Despite the league rules stating that all team jerseys must have nameplates on the back, both the Canucks and Kings were granted permission to wear jerseys without nameplates. The Washington Capitals, the road team in the 2011 Winter Classic, wore their Winter Classic jerseys in a home game vs. the Montreal Canadians in honor of former Capital Dino Ciccarelli and his 2010 induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Rule changes[link]

Tie-breaking procedure[link]

Prior to the 2010–11 NHL season, the first tie-breaker to separate teams with equal number of points in a conference was the number of games won, no matter how the wins were obtained. For the 2010–11 NHL season the league made a modification to this rule. The new rule states that the team with the greater number of games won, excluding wins obtained in the shootout, will be ranked higher. The change was made to reward in-play team victories (regulation or overtime) instead of a win obtained via an individual skill contest. This figure will be tracked in an additional column in the official league standings called ROW (Regulation and overtime wins). In its first year, the tie-breaker would prove critical, giving the 106-point, 47-win (44-ROW) Philadelphia Flyers the Atlantic Division title over the 106-point, 49-win (39-ROW) Pittsburgh Penguins, who were seeded 4th rather than 2nd based on the new rule.

Illegal hits to the head[link]

Prior to the 2010–11 NHL season, the Board of Governors, General Managers and the Competition Committee unanimously agreed to implement the new penalty. An illegal hit to the head is a lateral or blind side hit to an opponent where the head is targeted and/or is the principal point of contact is not permitted. Any player who incurs a total of two game misconducts under this rule shall be suspended automatically for the next game his team plays. For each subsequent game misconduct penalty the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game. The commissioner of the league can increase the suspension longer due to his discretion.

Pre-season[link]

2010 Kraft Hockeyville[link]

Every year since 2006, Kraft Foods has sponsored a contest called Kraft Hockeyville, where small Canadian towns compete against each other for the title of Hockeyville. The winning town also gets to host an NHL preseason game in a local arena, as well as hosting an event called the 'Stanley Cup Jamboree'. Dundas, Ontario, a suburb of Hamilton (which itself has been the subject of numerous efforts at potential National Hockey League expansion) won the 2010 contest, and hosted the pre-season game between the Ottawa Senators and the Buffalo Sabres on September 28, 2010.

European exhibition games[link]

The six teams going to Europe to open their regular seasons there as part of the NHL Premiere games also played exhibition games against European teams under the banner of NHL Premiere Challenge to close out their pre-seasons, finishing with a 6–1–0 record.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Date	Venue	European team	NHL team	Score
October 2	SAP Arena, Mannheim	Adler	Sharks	2–3 (SO)
October 2	The Odyssey, Belfast	Giants Select	Bruins	1–5
October 4	Ice Palace, Saint Petersburg	SKA	Hurricanes	5–3
October 4	Tampereen jäähalli, Tampere	Ilves	Wild	1–5
October 5	Tipsport Arena, Liberec	Bílí Tygři	Bruins	1–7
October 5	Malmö Arena, Malmö	Redhawks	Blue Jackets	1–4
October 6	Arena Riga, Riga	Dinamo	Coyotes	1–3

Regular season[link]

Premiere games[link]

The first face off of the season, Hurricanes at Wild in Helsinki, Finland.

A record six teams opened the regular season in Europe, in a series branded the "2010 Compuware NHL Premiere Games."^[8] On October 7–8, 2010, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Minnesota Wild played two games at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland. The Hurricanes swept the Wild. On October 8–9, 2010, the Columbus Blue Jackets and the San Jose Sharks played two games at the Ericsson Globe in Stockholm, Sweden. The two teams split a two-game premiere. On October 9–10, 2010, the Boston Bruins and the Phoenix Coyotes played two games at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic. The two teams also split a two game premiere.^[8]

The first Premiere Games goal was scored by Minnesota Wild forward Guillaume Latendresse.

NHL face-off[link]

The regular season also began in North America on October 7 with four additional games. In Canada, CBC's Hockey Night in Canada broadcasted a double header featuring four Canadian teams. The first game saw the eastern Canadian Original Six-era rivalry rekindled, with the Toronto Maple Leafs hosting the Montreal Canadiens. This game was followed by the Battle of Alberta when the Calgary Flames visited the Edmonton Oilers. In the United States, both 2010 Stanley Cup Finalists were in action as well on Versus. Besides the previously mentioned Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins game to open Consol Energy Center, the Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks played against the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center in the nightcap.^[11] The Blackhawks had their home opener two nights later against their Central Division rivals, the Detroit Red Wings, and hoisted their first Stanley Cup championship banner in 49 years in a pre-game ceremony.

The first NHL Face-off games goal was scored by Tim Brent of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Outdoor games[link]

2011 Winter Classic[link]

The Pittsburgh Penguins hosted the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic playing the Washington Capitals at Heinz Field on January 1, 2011.^[8] The game was telecast on NBC in the USA and on CBC and RDS in Canada. The Washington Capitals won the game 3–1. The game was originally scheduled to be played at 1 pm. However inclement weather in Pittsburgh forced the NHL to move the game into prime-time at 8 pm.

The Heritage Classic returns[link]

A second outdoor game, the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic, was held in Canada at McMahon Stadium in Calgary, Alberta, on February 20, 2011, between the Calgary Flames and the Montreal Canadiens.^[8] CBC, RDS and Versus telecasted the game. This was the second outdoor game held in Canada following the Heritage Classic in 2003 when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4–3 at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta. The Heritage classic resulted in the Flames defeating the Canadiens 4–0. This event was recorded as the first shutout in any NHL outdoor game.

Hockey Days[link]

Canada[link]

CBC hosted its 11th annual Hockey Day in Canada event on February 12, 2011, in Whitehorse, Yukon. The network broadcasted a triple header of games featuring all six Canadian teams. The Edmonton Oilers hosted the Ottawa Senators, the Toronto Maple Leafs visited the Montreal Canadiens and the Vancouver Canucks welcomed the Calgary Flames.^[12]

USA[link]

For the first time ever, the NHL and NBC hosted a Hockey Day in America event on February 20, 2011, featuring eight of the most popular American NHL teams. The Philadelphia Flyers defeated the New York Rangers 4–2, the Washington Capitals defeated the Buffalo Sabres 2–1, the Red Wings defeated the Minnesota Wild 2–1, and the highlight game of the afternoon, a meeting of the last two Stanley Cup champions, as the Penguins were defeated by the Blackhawks 3–2. The event was part of the broader Hockey Weekend Across America organized by USA Hockey.^[11]

Highlights[link]

On October 30, 2010, four penalty shot goals were scored on one night for the first time in league history. David Booth, Frans Nielsen, Ryan Callahan and David Steckel were the scorers.^[13] The previous record was three penalty shot goals in one night. Four penalty shot attempts in one night had occurred previously.

On November 20, 2010, the 50,000th game in the NHL's history was played, counting all regular season and playoff games,^[14] going back to the league's inaugural season in 1917.

Standings[link]

The Vancouver Canucks placed first overall, winning the President's Trophy and home advantage throughout the playoffs. The Washington Capitals placed first in the Eastern Conference, earning home advantage in Eastern Conference playoffs.

Note: Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.

y – Won division; z – Placed first in conference (and division); ROW - Regulation and overtime wins, excluding shootouts
AT - Atlantic Division, NE - Northeast Division, SE - Southeast Division

y – Won division; p – Won President's Trophy (best record in NHL); ROW - Regulation and overtime wins, excluding shootouts;
CE - Central Division, NW - Northwest Division, PA - Pacific Division

Under NHL rules, first-place teams in each division receive a conference ranking between 1 and 3 regardless of overall points. The Pittsburgh Penguins placed fourth yet had more points than the Boston Bruins, but the Bruins placed first in the Northeast Division to get the third-place ranking.

Playoffs[link]

The Stanley Cup

The 2011 playoffs started on Wednesday, April 13, 2011, and ended with the seventh game of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday, June 15, 2011.^[8][15] The Boston briuns won three game sevens including a rare game seven in the 3rd round to win against the Vancouver Canucks, and win the franchise's first Stanley Cup . The game seven victory in the final was the Bruins' first ever game seven victory on the road. The Bruins also swept the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round to avenge their loss to the Flyers in the 2010 playoffs, when the Bruins held a three games to none lead, and lost the series.

Playoff bracket[link]

In each round, the highest remaining seed in each conference is matched against the lowest remaining seed. The higher-seeded team is awarded home ice advantage. In the Stanley Cup Final series, home ice is determined based on regular season points. Each best-of-seven series follows a 2–2–1–1–1 format: the higher-seeded team plays at home for games one and two (plus five and seven if necessary), and the lower-seeded team is at home for games three and four (and if necessary, game six).

• During the first three rounds home ice is determined by seeding number, not position on the bracket. In the Finals the team with the better regular season record has home ice.

NHL awards[link]

Player statistics[link]

Scoring leaders[link]

The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of the regular season.

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus-minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Source: NHL^[16]

Leading goaltenders[link]

The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average at the end of the regular season while playing at least 1800 minutes.^[17]

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

Milestones[link]

First games[link]

The following is a list of notable players who played their first NHL game in 2010–11, listed with their first team:

• Jordan Eberle, Edmonton Oilers
• Taylor Hall, Edmonton Oilers
• Jeff Skinner, Carolina Hurricanes
• Tyler Seguin, Boston Bruins
• Magnus Paajarvi, Edmonton Oilers
• Alexander Burmistrov, Atlanta Thrashers
• Cam Fowler, Anaheim Ducks

Last games[link]

The following is a list of players of note who played their last NHL game in 2010–11, listed with their team:

• Wade Belak, Nashville Predators (death)^[18]
• Derek Boogaard, New York Rangers (death)^[19]
• Mike Comrie, Pittsburgh Penguins^[20]
• Craig Conroy, Calgary Flames^[21]
• Kris Draper, Detroit Red Wings^[22]
• Chris Drury, New York Rangers
• Adam Foote, Colorado Avalanche (The last active player to have been a member of the Quebec Nordiques)^[23]
• Peter Forsberg, Colorado Avalanche^[24]
• Mike Grier, Buffalo Sabres^[25]
• Shane Hnidy, Boston Bruins^[26]
• Todd Marchant, Anaheim Ducks^[27]
• Bryan McCabe, New York Rangers^[28]
• Mike Modano, Detroit Red Wings^[29] (The last active player to have been a member of the Minnesota North Stars and the last player to have played in the 1980s.)
• Fredrik Modin, Calgary Flames^[30]
• Chris Osgood, Detroit Red Wings^[31]
• Brian Rafalski, Detroit Red Wings^[32]
• Mark Recchi, Boston Bruins^[33]
• Rick Rypien, Vancouver Canucks (death)^[34]
• Ruslan Salei, Detroit Red Wings (death)^[35]
• Karlis Skrastins, Dallas Stars (death)^[35]
• Cory Stillman, Carolina Hurricanes^[36]
• Alexander Vasyunov, New Jersey Devils (death)^[35]
• Doug Weight, New York Islanders^[37]

Major milestones reached[link]

• On October 22, 2010, Ottawa Senators forward Daniel Alfredsson recorded a hat trick, with the third goal being his 1,000th career NHL point. He became the 75th player in league history to record 1,000 points.
• On October 26, Colorado Avalanche defenseman John-Michael Liles recorded an assist in his 9th consecutive game to give him the franchise and NHL record for longest assist streak for a defenseman from the start of season.
• On October 26, Ottawa Senators defenseman Sergei Gonchar participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
• On October 28, Calgary Flames forward Craig Conroy participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
• On November 3, Buffalo Sabres forward Mike Grier participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
• On November 6, Los Angeles Kings forward Ryan Smyth participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
• On November 22, Ottawa Senators forward Alexei Kovalev recorded his 1,000th career NHL point with a goal. He became the 76th player in league history to record 1,000 points, and the third Russian born player to do so.
• On November 24, Boston Bruins forward Mark Recchi scored two goals, with the second being his 1,500th career NHL point. He became the 13th player in league history to reach this milestone.
• On December 26, Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Ed Jovanovski participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
• On December 27, Detroit Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood recorded his 400th NHL win. He became the 10th player in league history to reach this milestone.
• On January 11, 2011, Toronto Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson won his 600th game as an NHL coach. He became the seventh coach in league history to reach this milestone.
• On January 17, San Jose Sharks forward Patrick Marleau and Dallas Stars forward Jamie Langenbrunner both participated in their 1,000th NHL game in separate contests. Marleau was the third youngest player in NHL history to reach 1,000 games played.
• On February 1, Minnesota Wild forward Andrew Brunette participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
• On February 10, New Jersey Devils coach Jacques Lemaire won his 600th game as an NHL coach. He became the eighth coach in league history to reach this milestone.
• On February 16, Florida Panthers forward Cory Stillman participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
• On February 20, Detroit Red Wings forward Todd Bertuzzi participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
• On March 20, Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Adrian Aucoin participated in his 1,000th NHL game.
• On April 1, Calgary Flames forward Jarome Iginla scored 2 goals and added an assist to reach 1,000 career points. He became the 77th player in league history to do so.
• On April 2, Washington Capitals forward Jason Arnott recorded his 400th career NHL goal.
• On April 8, San Jose Sharks forward Joe Thornton recorded his 1,000th career NHL point with a goal. He became the 78th player to reach the milestone and the fourth this season.
• On April 9, Montreal Canadiens coach Jacques Martin won his 600th game as an NHL coach. He became the ninth coach in league history to reach this milestone.
• On April 9, Boston Bruins forward Mark Recchi played in his 1,652nd NHL game, surpassing Chris Chelios for sole possession of the fourth spot on the NHL's all-time games played list.

See also[link]

• 2010–11 NHL transactions
• 2010–11 NHL suspensions and fines
• 2010 NHL Entry Draft
• 2010 in sports
• 2011 in sports
• List of 2010–11 NHL Three Star Awards

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Dinger, Ralph, ed. (2011). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book 2012. Toronto, ON: Dan Diamond & Associates. ISBN 978-1-894801-22-5. 

External links[link]

• 2010–11 NHL season at Hockey Reference

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]