Happy Belated Birthday to 87 Sidney Crosby, celebrating his 35th!
Today we are celebrating a belated birthday to Sidney �Sid the kid' Crosby, his 35th birthday fell on August seventh, two days ago. On this day 35 years ago, Crosby was born in Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia.
Crosby started skating on his backyard rink, which his dad Troy, would build every winter for his son, and eventually his daughter to learn to play the game on. Well, Troy's ice rink is where a future �Hall of Famer' would take his first skating strides - setting into motion a legendary NHL career, for the Nova Scotia boy who grew up cheering for the Montrral Canadiens. The �Sidney Crosby' sweepstakes - lottery in 2005 determined which team secured the number one overall selection for June's draft - ultimately getting to draft the Rimouski Oceanic star Sidney Crosby.
The Pittsburgh Penguins ended up winning the draft lottery, and went on to pick the consensus number one ranked prospect in the 2005 NHL Draft - out of the QMJHL's Rimouski Oceanic, centre Sidney Crosby.
Crosby had a phenomenal junior career in Rimouski, playing 121 games, scoring 120 goals, 183 assists for 303 points - he also won these individual junior hockey awards:
between 2003-04 to 2004-05 Crosby was on the CHL's All-Rookie team, a member of the first all-star team x2, player of the year x2 , rookie of the year, and top scorer award x2 (135 points and 168 points), Memorial Cup - most points (11 - Ed Chynoweth Award) and Memorial Cup all-star team (2004-05).
As for QMJHL awards and honours, Crosby won or was a part of: The QMJHL all-rookie team, QMJHL - CHL Subway Super Series, first all-star team x2, most assists x2 (81 and 102), QMJHL most points x2 (135 and 168), most valuable player (Michel Briere trophy) x2, offensive player of the year x2, offensive rookie of the year (Michel Bergeron Trophy), personality of the year (Paul Dumont Trophy) x2 and QMJHL rookie of the year. He was also awarded the following during his second and final season in the �Q' with the Oceanic: best plus/minus, best professional prospect (Mike Bossy Award), champion, most goals (66), most playoff goals (14) and points (31), as well as playoff MVP honours (Guy Lafleur Trophy). Internationally Crosby won a gold and silver medal at the World Junior Hockey Championship.
The following October Crosby made his NHL debut, playing on the same team as NHL superstar Mario Lemieux - who would end up becoming Sid's mentor, and even his roommate, as Lemieux invited Crosby to stay in his Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania home during the hockey season.
In Crosby's rookie season, the narrative was Sidney Crosby vs. Alexander Ovechkin, Canadian vs. Russian, the dynamic number one centre vs. The power-forward sniper, and the pair did not disappoint - Crosby played 81 games in his rookie season, scoring 39 goals, 63 assists for 102 points. Ovechkin suited up for 81 games with the Washington Capitals in his postponed, highly-anticipated NHL debut, scoring 52 goals, 54 assists for 106 points. Ultimately the Calder Memorial Trophy was awarded to Alex Ovechkin, while Crosby and Dion Phaneuf were runner-ups.
Crosby has suited up for 1,108 career games, a number that would be significantly higher, if not for Crosby's injury history, however, Crosby's stake for the Hall of Fame and Hockey royalty is still concrete. Crosby has produced 517 goals, 892 assists for 1,409 points through 18 seasons of play.
Among Crosby's individual awards, he has won:
2005-06
Calder Trophy Finalist, NHL all-rookie team, rookie of the month (October), most assists by a rookie (63).
2006-07
Art Ross and Hart Trophy winner, and Ted Lindsay Award.
2007-08
NHL playoffs - most assists (21) and points (27).
2008-09
NHL Stanley Cup champion, NHL playoffs most goals (15) and NHL all-star game selection, although he didn't play.
2009-10
Canadian Press Male Athlete of the year, Mark Messier leadership Award, Maurice Richard Trophy (51 goals), Hart Trophy finalist and NHL second all-star team honours.
2010-11
NHL all-star (he didn't play)
2012-13
NHL first all-star team, Hart Trophy and Bill Masterton Trophy finalist and Ted Lindsay Award winner.
2013-14
NHL first all-star team, NHL most points (104) and assists (68), Hart Trophy and Ted Lindsay Award winner.
2014-15
Triple Golf Club, NHL all-star game (selected, but didn't play) and NHL second all-star team.
2015-16
NHL first all-star team, Hart Trophy finalist, NHL Stanley Cup champion and Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
2016-17
NHL Stanley Cup champion and Conn Smythe Trophy winner, NHL playoffs most assists (19), Maurice Richard Trophy (44 goals), Hart Trophy finalist, Second all-star team and NHL all-star game captain.
2017-18
NHL all-star game.
2018-19
NHL all-star game, NHL all-star game MVP, Hart Trophy finalist and NHL second all-star team.
Internationally Crosby has played 49 games, scoring 28 goals, 33 assists for 61 points while representing and captaining, or assistant captaining five of the seven Canadian squads he's played for, including: The Olympics (2010 and 2014), World Championships (2005 and 2014), World Cup of Hockey (2015) and the World Juniors (2003 and 2004). Crosby has accumulated two Olympic gold medals, a silver and gold medal at the World Championships, a gold medal at the World Cup of Hockey, and a silver and gold medal respectively at the U20 World Junior Hockey Championships. He has earned the following honours.
2005-06 -
World Championship - All-star team, best forward, most goals (8), points (16), most points by a U20 junior (16) Top-three player on his team.
2016-17 -
World Cup MVP
Crosby's playoff statistics are also impressive, as the Peguins captain has eclipsed 71 goals, 130 assists for 201 points, through 180 NHL Stanley Cup playoff games, Crosby has won three Stanley Cups (2008-09, 2015-16, 2016-17) with the Penguins, earning Conn Smythe honours twice (2015-16 and 2016-17).
Crosby is a member of the triple-gold club, having won the Stanley Cup, Olympic gold and World Championship gold.
He's also won gold at both the World Cup of Hockey, and the World Hockey Championships.
Stay tuned for Crosby's 19th season with the Penguins, league-wide training camps start in late August to mid September.
| POLL | ||
Who would you rather start a franchise with? | ||
| Crosby | 63 | 25.9 % |
| McDavid | 70 | 28.8 % |
| Makar | 70 | 28.8 % |
| Other | 40 | 16.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
