Career Timeline of Sidney Crosby: Major Achievements and Milestones
Discover the career path of Sidney Crosby, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Sidney Crosby, nicknamed "Sid the Kid", is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Drafted first overall in 2005, Crosby was a highly touted prospect and is widely considered one of hockey's greatest players. He was born and raised in Halifax and has achieved considerable success in the NHL.
1992: Penguins Reach Stanley Cup Final
In 1992, the Penguins reached the final round for the first time since 1992
2001: MJAHL Draft
In 2001, Sidney Crosby was drafted by the Truro Bearcats in the MJAHL Draft as a 13-year-old.
2001: Penguins' Playoff Appearance
In 2001, the Penguins last made a playoff appearance before Crosby's arrival.
2002: Second-Place Finish at Air Canada Cup
In 2002, Sidney Crosby led the Dartmouth Subways to a second-place finish at the Air Canada Cup, scoring a combined 217 regular season and playoff points.
2003: Drafted by Rimouski Océanic
In 2003, Sidney Crosby was selected first overall in the Midget Draft by the Rimouski Océanic of the QMJHL.
July 17, 2004: Drafted by World Hockey Association
On July 17, 2004, Sidney Crosby was selected first overall by Toronto in the World Hockey Association entry draft.
2004: Alexander Ovechkin Drafted
In 2004, Alexander Ovechkin was the first-overall pick by the Washington Capitals, beginning a rivalry with Crosby that would define the league for over a decade.
2004: Return to the Océanic
In 2004, Sidney Crosby returned to the Océanic for the 2004-05 season.
2004: Auction of Crosby jersey raises funds for charity
In 2004, Sidney Crosby's white jersey from the World Junior Hockey Championship was auctioned to raise funds for youth hockey charities and Indian Ocean earthquake relief, eventually selling for CA$22,100.
July 30, 2005: Drafted by Pittsburgh Penguins
On July 30, 2005, Sidney Crosby was selected first overall in the NHL draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
September 2005: Crosby's Penguins jersey top seller
From September 2005 to February 2008, Sidney Crosby's number 87 Pittsburgh Penguins jersey was the top seller on the NHL's website.
October 5, 2005: NHL Debut
On October 5, 2005, Sidney Crosby made his NHL debut against the New Jersey Devils, recording an assist on Mark Recchi's goal in a 5–1 loss.
December 15, 2005: Michel Therrien Appointed Coach
On December 15, 2005, Michel Therrien replaced Ed Olczyk as head coach of the Penguins.
2005: Crosby's Rookie Year
In 2005, Sidney Crosby debuted as a rookie and was widely regarded as the NHL's best player.
2005: NHL Entry Draft
In 2005, Sidney Crosby entered the NHL entry draft and was listed first overall in the NHL Central Scouting Bureau and International Scouting Services' respective rankings of prospects.
2005: Memorial Cup Final
In 2005, Sidney Crosby led his club, the Rimouski Océanic, to the Memorial Cup final.
2005: Drafted by Pittsburgh Penguins
In 2005, Sidney Crosby was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL entry draft, marking the beginning of his NHL career.
2005: World Junior Championships Gold
In 2005, Sidney Crosby won gold at the World Junior Championships, representing Canada.
2005: Drafting Crosby changes fortunes of Pittsburgh Penguins
In 2005, drafting Sidney Crosby, considered a generational talent, changed the fortunes of the struggling Pittsburgh Penguins, helping to secure funding for a new arena and ending speculation that the franchise would relocate.
October 28, 2006: First NHL Hat-Trick
On October 28, 2006, Sidney Crosby scored his first NHL hat-trick in an 8–2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.
May 31, 2007: Named Team Captain
On May 31, 2007, Sidney Crosby was named the team captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, becoming the youngest team captain in NHL history at 19 years, 9 months, and 24 days old.
July 10, 2007: Contract Extension
On July 10, 2007, Sidney Crosby signed a five-year, $43.5 million contract extension with the Penguins, ensuring his stay with the team through the 2012-13 season.
2007: Crosby's All-Star Game jersey earns the most money in auction
During an online auction in 2007 held by the NHL and the NHL Players Association to benefit Hockey Fights Cancer, Sidney Crosby's game-worn jersey from the first period of the 2007 All-Star Game earned the most money, selling for US$47,520.
2007: All-Star Game Participation
In 2007, Crosby participated in his first NHL All-Star Game since 2007, winning the shooting accuracy segment of the Skills Competition.
2007: Team Captaincy
In 2007, Sidney Crosby started the season with the team's captaincy.
February 2008: Crosby's Penguins jersey top seller
From September 2005 to February 2008, Sidney Crosby's number 87 Pittsburgh Penguins jersey was the top seller on the NHL's website.
October 18, 2008: 300 Career Points
On October 18, 2008, Sidney Crosby recorded one goal and three assists against the Toronto Maple Leafs, surpassing 100 goals, 200 assists, and 300 points for his career.
2008: Stanley Cup Finals
In 2008, Sidney Crosby led the Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they were defeated by the Detroit Red Wings.
2009: Crosby Creates the Sidney Crosby Foundation
In 2009, Sidney Crosby created the Sidney Crosby Foundation, an organization committed to helping charities benefiting children.
2009: Stanley Cup Victory
In 2009, Sidney Crosby won his first Stanley Cup title with the Penguins in seven games against the Detroit Red Wings, becoming the youngest NHL captain to win the Stanley Cup since 1895.
May 29, 2010: Crosby Signs Richest Endorsement Contract with Reebok
On May 29, 2010, Sidney Crosby signed the richest endorsement contract in NHL history with Reebok, expected to pay Crosby $1.4 million per year for five to seven years.
November 5, 2010: Start of point streak against Anaheim Ducks
On November 5, 2010, Sidney Crosby began a 25-game point streak against the Anaheim Ducks.
December 28, 2010: End of point streak against New York Islanders
On December 28, 2010, Sidney Crosby's 25-game point streak ended against the New York Islanders.
2010: Vancouver Winter Olympics Gold
At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Sidney Crosby scored the game-winning goal in overtime against the United States, securing the gold medal for Canada.
2010: Crosby at the 2010 Winter Olympics
At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, as captain and first-line centre for Canada, Sidney Crosby played with different line mates in almost every game due to the coaching staff's difficulty in finding players who could keep up with him.
June 28, 2012: Contract extension with the Penguins
On June 28, 2012, the Penguins announced that Sidney Crosby agreed to a 12-year, $104.4 million contract extension to stay in Pittsburgh through the end of the 2024–25 NHL season.
2012: Contract with Penguins through 2012-13 Season
Sidney Crosby's contract extension on July 10, 2007 ensured his stay with the Penguins through the 2012-13 season.
2013: Conference Finals
In 2013, the Penguins advanced to their first conference finals since 2013.
2013: Reaching 100-point mark
In the 2018-19 season Crosby reached the 100-point mark for the first time since scoring 104 points in 2013–14.
November 26, 2014: 800th Career Point
On November 26, 2014, Sidney Crosby scored his 800th career point against the Toronto Maple Leafs, becoming the sixth-fastest player in NHL history to reach that milestone.
2014: Crosby at the 2014 Winter Olympics
At the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Sidney Crosby, serving as captain and first-line centre for Canada, faced similar line mate challenges as in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, struggling to find players to match his pace.
2014: Sochi Winter Olympics Gold
In 2014, Sidney Crosby captained Team Canada to win his second consecutive Olympic gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
April 1, 2015: 300th Career NHL Goal
On April 1, 2015, Sidney Crosby scored his 300th career NHL goal against Steve Mason of the Philadelphia Flyers.
July 2015: Jonathan Quick Praises Crosby's Backhand Shot
In July 2015, Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings praised Sidney Crosby for having "the best backhand shot" in the NHL in his column for The Players' Tribune, noting his unique technique and forearm strength.
December 12, 2015: Johnston fired as head coach
On December 12, 2015, Mike Johnston was fired as head coach of the Penguins after posting a 15–10–3 record through 28 games, which led some media outlets to speculate that Sidney Crosby's prime scoring years were behind him.
2015: Crosby Signs Endorsement Contract with Adidas
In 2015, Sidney Crosby signed a six-year endorsement contract with Adidas.
2015: Crosby Starts Hockey School and Little Penguins Program
In 2015, Sidney Crosby started a hockey school in Cole Harbour. His "Little Penguins Program" has provided free equipment and lessons to more than ten thousand local youngsters in Pittsburgh.
September 2016: Crosby wins an Emmy Award
In September 2016, Sidney Crosby won an Emmy Award for his role in There's No Place Like Home With Sidney Crosby. He also won for his participation in the Merci Sidney video.
2016: Stanley Cup Championship
In 2016, Sidney Crosby led Pittsburgh to a Stanley Cup championship.
2016: Playoff Berth Secured
On April 2, 2016, Crosby recorded his 600th NHL assist as the Penguins clinched their berth in the 2016 playoffs.
January 27, 2017: Crosby Named One of 100 Greatest NHL Players
On January 27, 2017, during the All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, Sidney Crosby was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history.
February 16, 2017: Crosby reaches 1,000 NHL points
On February 16, 2017, Sidney Crosby registered an assist on a Chris Kunitz goal against the Winnipeg Jets to reach 1,000 NHL points in his 757th game.
2017: Stanley Cup Championship
In 2017, Sidney Crosby led Pittsburgh to another Stanley Cup championship, becoming the third player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy in consecutive years.
2017: Regular Season Games
In the 2017–18 season, Crosby appeared in all 82 of Pittsburgh's regular season games for the first time in his career.
February 11, 2018: Crosby scores his 400th NHL goal
On February 11, 2018, Sidney Crosby scored his 400th NHL goal against Jake Allen of the St. Louis Blues, as the Penguins defeated the Blues 4–1.
December 31, 2018: 900th NHL Game
On December 31, 2018, Crosby played his 900th NHL game in a 3–2 win over the Minnesota Wild.
January 3, 2019: All-Star MVP Award
On January 3, 2019, Crosby was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game for the eighth time and won his first All-Star MVP award.
2019: Season
In the 2019–20 season, the Penguins finished fifth in the Eastern Conference in the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened.
January 2020: NHL All-Decade First Team Selection
In January 2020, Sidney Crosby was selected to the NHL All-Decade First Team.
2020: Season
In the 2020–21 season, Crosby led the team in scoring with 62 points (24 goals and 38 assists), and was the recipient of the team's MVP Award and the Players' Player Award.
February 20, 2021: 1,000 Games with Penguins
On February 20, 2021, Crosby became the first player in Penguins history to play 1,000 games with the franchise in a 3–2 win over the New York Islanders.
February 15, 2022: Crosby Scores 500th Career Goal
On February 15, 2022, Sidney Crosby achieved a significant career milestone by scoring his 500th career goal against the Philadelphia Flyers. This goal, scored on a power play, made him the 46th player in NHL history to reach this mark and the 18th to score all of them for a single team. He became the second Penguin to score 500 goals, following Mario Lemieux.
November 5, 2022: Crosby Records 900th Career Assist
On November 5, 2022, Sidney Crosby achieved another milestone by recording his 900th career assist on a goal by Jake Guentzel during a game against the Seattle Kraken. Despite the Penguins losing the game 3-2, Crosby became the sixth-fastest player in NHL history to reach 900 assists.
November 4, 2023: Crosby skates in his 1,200th game
On November 4, 2023, Sidney Crosby played in his 1,200th NHL game, marking a significant milestone in his career. During the game, he recorded an assist in a 10–2 victory over the San Jose Sharks. Crosby reflected on his enduring passion for the sport, noting that his love for hockey extends to both the triumphs and the challenges.
April 1, 2024: Crosby Averages Point Per Game for 19th Consecutive Season
On April 1, 2024, following a 5–2 win over the New York Rangers, Sidney Crosby became only the second player in NHL history, joining Wayne Gretzky, to average at least a point per game for 19 consecutive seasons, highlighting his consistent performance and contribution to his team.
June 28, 2024: Crosby Selected for Team Canada in 2025 4 Nations Face-Off
On June 28, 2024, Sidney Crosby was among the first six players chosen to represent Team Canada in the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. This marked the return of full NHL participation in international tournaments since 2016. Subsequently, Crosby was named captain of the team.
September 16, 2024: Crosby signs a two-year extension with the Penguins
On September 16, 2024, Sidney Crosby signed a two-year contract extension worth $17.4 million ($8.7 million average per year) to continue playing with the Penguins, securing his place with the team for the near future.
2025: Inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off Win
In 2025, Sidney Crosby captained Canada to a championship win in the inaugural 4 Nations Face-Off.
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