Sidney Crosby's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Sidney Crosby. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

Sidney Crosby is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL. Drafted first overall in 2005, he was nicknamed "Sid the Kid" and dubbed "The Next One" due to his exceptional talent. He is considered one of the greatest ice hockey players of all time.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

1974: Bernie Parent wins Conn Smythe

In 1974, Bernie Parent won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

1975: Bernie Parent wins Conn Smythe for the second time

In 1975, Bernie Parent won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

1980: Wayne Gretzky leads the NHL in scoring

In 1980, Wayne Gretzky was the last teenager before Sidney Crosby to lead the NHL in scoring.

1991: Mario Lemieux wins Conn Smythe

In 1991, Mario Lemieux won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

1992: Mario Lemieux wins Conn Smythe for the second time

In 1992, Mario Lemieux won the Conn Smythe Trophy.

1997: Red Wings' Stanley Cup Repeat

In 1997, the Detroit Red Wings were the reigning Stanley Cup champions.

2003: QMJHL Draft and Rookie Season

In 2003, Sidney Crosby was selected first overall in the Midget Draft by the Rimouski Océanic of the QMJHL and had a remarkable rookie season, capturing the Jean Béliveau Trophy and other major awards.

2005: Crosby Drafted First Overall

In 2005, Sidney Crosby was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL entry draft, marking the start of his professional hockey career.

2005: Gold at World Junior Championships

In 2005, Sidney Crosby won gold at the World Junior Championships, marking an early international triumph in his career.

2005: Memorial Cup Appearance

In 2005, after winning the President's Cup, Sidney Crosby and the Océanic qualified for the Memorial Cup, where Crosby earned Tournament All-Star honors and the Ed Chynoweth Trophy.

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.

January 2007: Mark Messier Leadership Award

In January 2007, Sidney Crosby received the Mark Messier Leadership Award for the first time. The award recognizes a player 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.

May 31, 2007: Named Team Captain

On May 31, 2007, Sidney Crosby was named the team captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins, becoming the youngest team captain in NHL history at 19 years, 9 months, and 24 days old.

June 2007: Wins Hart Memorial Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award

In June 2007, Sidney Crosby won the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Lester B. Pearson Award, in addition to the Art Ross Trophy, becoming the youngest player in NHL history to win the Lester B. Pearson.

2007: NHL All-Star Game Participation

In 2007, Crosby participated in the NHL All-Star Game, winning the shooting accuracy segment of the Skills Competition.

March 27, 2008: Returns from Ankle Injury

On March 27, 2008, Sidney Crosby returned to the Penguins' lineup after recovering from an ankle injury, helping the team defeat the New York Islanders 3–1.

October 18, 2008: Reaches 300 Career Points

On October 18, 2008, Sidney Crosby recorded a goal and three assists against the Toronto Maple Leafs, surpassing 100 goals, 200 assists, and 300 points for his career.

2008: Stanley Cup Finals Defeat

In 2008, Sidney Crosby led the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they were defeated by the Detroit Red Wings.

2009: Wins First Stanley Cup

In 2009, Sidney Crosby won his first Stanley Cup title in seven games against the Detroit Red Wings, becoming the youngest NHL captain to win the Stanley Cup since 1895 at 21 years, 10 months, and 5 days old.

2009: Mark Messier Leadership Award and Maurice Richard Trophy

In 2009–10, Sidney Crosby received the Mark Messier Leadership Award and scored 51 goals, winning the Maurice Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal scorer.

November 5, 2010: 25-game point streak begins

On November 5, 2010, Sidney Crosby began a 25-game point streak against the Anaheim Ducks.

December 28, 2010: 25-game point streak ends

On December 28, 2010, Sidney Crosby's 25-game point streak ended against the New York Islanders.

2010: Olympic Gold Medal

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: Hart Memorial Trophy Finalist

In 2009-2010 Sidney Crosby was a finalist for the Hart Memorial Trophy.

January 3, 2011: Selection as a 2011 All-Star

On January 3, 2011, Sidney Crosby was selected as a 2011 NHL All-Star, along with teammates Evgeni Malkin, Marc-André Fleury and Kris Letang.

November 21, 2011: Return to play after concussion

On November 21, 2011, Sidney Crosby returned to play after missing the first 20 games of the season due to concussion effects, scoring two goals and two assists against the New York Islanders.

March 15, 2012: Return to action after concussion symptoms recurred

On March 15, 2012, Sidney Crosby returned to action after experiencing a recurrence of concussion-like symptoms, recording two assists in a game against the New York Rangers.

2013: Ted Lindsay Award

In 2013, Sidney Crosby won his second career Ted Lindsay Award.

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: Hart Memorial Trophy and Art Ross Trophy

In 2014, Sidney Crosby won the Hart Memorial Trophy and his second career Art Ross Trophy (104 points).

2014: Second Olympic Gold Medal

Sidney Crosby captained Team Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics, winning his second consecutive Olympic gold medal.

April 1, 2015: 300th career goal

On April 1, 2015, Sidney Crosby scored his 300th career NHL goal against Steve Mason of the Philadelphia Flyers.

September 2016: Won 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.

Loading Video...

2016: World Cup of Hockey Gold

In 2016, Sidney Crosby captained Canada to gold in the World Cup of Hockey and was elected MVP by a unanimous vote, adding to his international accolades.

2016: Penguins Clinch Playoff Berth

On April 2, 2016, Crosby recorded his 600th NHL assist as the Penguins clinched their berth in the 2016 playoffs.

2016: Stanley Cup Championship

Sidney Crosby led Pittsburgh to a Stanley Cup championship in 2016.

January 27, 2017: Named One of 100 Greatest NHL Players

On January 27, 2017, Sidney Crosby was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history during a ceremony at the All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.

February 16, 2017: Crosby reaches 1,000 NHL points

On February 16, 2017, Crosby reached 1,000 NHL points with an assist on a Chris Kunitz goal against the Winnipeg Jets, achieving the milestone in his 757th game.

June 2017: Voted Greatest Athlete of the 21st Century by Canadians

In June 2017, Sidney Crosby was voted by Canadians as the greatest athlete of the 21st century in a survey conducted by Sportsnet.

2017: Second Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy

In 2017, Sidney Crosby led Pittsburgh to another Stanley Cup championship and became the third player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy in consecutive years.

2017: Second Richard Trophy and Top 100 NHL Player

In 2017, Sidney Crosby won his second Richard Trophy and was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in history, solidifying his legacy.

February 11, 2018: Crosby scores 400th NHL goal

On February 11, 2018, Crosby scored his 400th NHL goal against Jake Allen of the St. Louis Blues, becoming the 95th player in NHL history to reach the milestone.

March 2018: NHLPA Poll Results

In March 2018, a poll conducted by the NHLPA of more than 500 players resulted in Sidney Crosby being voted the "most difficult to play against, best role model, best team player, the player you'd want to win one game, and the player who would be a great coach upon retirement".

April 2018: Chosen as Nova Scotia's Best Athlete Ever

In April 2018, Sidney Crosby was chosen as Nova Scotia's "Best athlete ever" by the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame.

December 31, 2018: Crosby plays 900th NHL game

On December 31, 2018, Crosby played his 900th NHL game in a 3–2 win over the Minnesota Wild, becoming the second player in Penguins history to reach the mark.

January 3, 2019: Crosby selected for NHL All-Star Game

On January 3, 2019, Crosby was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game for the eighth time in his career and won the All-Star MVP award.

March 2019: Regarded as Best All-Around NHL Player

In March 2019, an anonymous survey conducted by The Athletic showed that Sidney Crosby was regarded as the best all-around NHL player by his peers.

September 2019: Jersey Number Retirement

In September 2019, the Rimouski Océanic retired jersey number 87 in Sidney Crosby's honor, and the QMJHL also retired the number for all its teams.

2019: Jersey Retirement

In 2019, the Océanic and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League retired Sidney Crosby's jersey number 87.

January 2020: Crosby Selected to NHL All-Decade First Team

In January 2020, Crosby was selected to the NHL All-Decade First Team.

2020: Crosby named to IIHF All-Time Canada Team and Men's All-Decade Team

In 2020, Sidney Crosby received further recognition for his outstanding career when he was named to the IIHF All-Time Canada Team and the Men's All-Decade Team, cementing his status as one of the greatest Canadian hockey players of all time.

February 20, 2021: Crosby Plays 1,000th Game 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.

2021: Ted Lindsay Award Finalist

In 2021 Sidney Crosby was a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award.

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 during a power play against the Philadelphia Flyers. This accomplishment made him the 46th player in NHL history to reach this mark, and the 18th to have scored all 500 goals for a single team. Crosby became the second player in Penguins history 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 achievement, the Penguins lost the game 3-2. Crosby was the sixth-fastest player in NHL history to reach 900 assists.

November 4, 2023: Crosby plays in his 1,200th game

On November 4, 2023, Sidney Crosby participated in his 1,200th NHL game, marking a significant milestone in his career. During the game, which resulted in a 10-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks, Crosby contributed with an assist. Crosby reflected on his enduring love for the sport, emphasizing his dedication through both good and challenging times.

April 1, 2024: Crosby joins Gretzky in point-per-game average

On April 1, 2024, following a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers, Sidney Crosby became only the second player in NHL history to average a point per game for 19 consecutive seasons. He joined Wayne Gretzky in achieving this feat, highlighting his consistent high performance over nearly two decades.