Sidney Crosby has been playing professional hockey for nearly two decades now. Over the course of 16 years, the 33-year old Canadian has turned himself into a well-known hockey superstar. He has had his fair share of ups and downs in his career, however, it seems as if his ups have outweighed the downs. He is having a successful hockey career. One that he can look back on and be proud of. So, here is an analysis of Crosby’s NHL career.
During the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, a young 18-year old Crosby was drafted first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Once he hit the ice for his new team, he made sure to let the team know he was worth it. In his early years, Crosby was able to produce goals and assists and lots of them.
His rookie year was special At the conclusion of his first year on the team, Crosby registered 63 assists and a total of 102 points. This helped him create a franchise record early on. For a rookie, these statistics are impressive. This is by no means an easy task for a new guy to fulfill. Normally, it takes time to be able to reach those levels. In addition to achieving this, Crosby was now noted as the youngest hockey player to earn 100 points in one season. Crosby was already making a name for himself.
In mid-2007, Crosby’s hard work at the end of the season didn’t go unrecognized. He won the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson Award. This was something he could add to his personal accomplishments, alongside the Art Ross Trophy he won before that.
Crosby has worked hard for everything he has accomplished. The Pens know that. They also know they have one of the NHL’s finest players on their roster. That’s something they don’t want to lose. In the summer of 2012, the team decided that Crosby was worth a long-term contract with the team. It was during this time that the Pens decided to give Crosby a 12-year contract extension worth $104.4 million.
It is a nice deal that is worth signing, indeed. But make no mistake, Crosby hasn’t let his team down. At the end of the 2014-15 NHL season, Crosby finished off the season strong, as expected. He ended this season with the highest point-per-game.
Crosby’s biggest years were the 2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup Finals. During these back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals visits, the Pens won in both years. In each of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Pens had to face many tough challenges, but they were able to follow through with it and hoist the Stanley Cup Trophy.
In addition, Crosby has good player values and leadership ability. This is the perfect attribute for a captain to have. Also, his playing performance and style is consistent throughout every game. He hasn’t let the Pens down.
Crosby has only a few more years left on his contract with the Pens. Does that mean he will retire, since he will be 37 years old by then? No matter what the Pens and Crosby decide on, Crosby has a bright future. When he retires, he has many accomplishments to look back on and smile about. Not only that, but he has an overwhelming amount of love and support from his fans who will always be amazed by what Crosby has done.
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