This August 7th is different than others with some external expectations of a contract extension that was never promised and for all we know was never a consideration in the first place.

That little wrinkle not withstanding, every August 7th is special as Sidney Crosby’s birthday. Sometimes getting lost in the shuffle of the day-to-day troubles and turmoil of a late-stage or post-contender situation, Crosby has entered the top-10 of all-time NHL points.

If not for his era and missing a lot of time to injury, he would rank even higher.

The upcoming season should have several more milestones and impressive moments for Crosby. He’s six goals away from being the 21st player all-time to reach 600. He’s four points shy of 1,600.

There are only eight players in NHL history with 600G and 1,000 assists, and it’s a who’s who of the top offensive players to lace up the skates: Gretzky, Lemieux, Howe, Jagr, Messier, Yzerman, Sakic, Dionne…And soon, Crosby.

Crosby will likely pass Gordie Howe soon enough in career assists, once he notched 47 more. There’s also Sakic to over-take in career points (47 from passing) for ninth all-time.

Whether announcement of an extension comes today or not, it’s never a bad time to take a step back in appreciation and awe of the type of career that Crosby has put together. It’s been a magical ride and whether it ends in one year or five years or somewhere in between, it’s been a remarkable journey that we may not see again.