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.
🎂 On his 37th(!) birthday, #LetsGoPens SIDNEY CROSBY has continued to mystify Father Time — a human metronome of excellence for 19 years.
I wrote about Sid’s hockey life & place among the greatest to ever do it @DailyFaceoff earlier this year. Enjoy:https://t.co/RZtzdD8o1T https://t.co/PWdfnsDHRe pic.twitter.com/bhFEg0WDSB
— Paul Pidutti (@AdjustedHockey) August 7, 2024
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.
Our captain.
Our role model.
Our ultimate competitor.Happy birthday, Sid! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/IxMer48Mc1
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) August 7, 2024