Pittsburgh Penguins star center Sidney Crosby matched Wayne Gretzky's NHL record for the most point-per-game seasons, averaging a point per game for 19 consecutive campaigns with a three-point performance in a win against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
Crosby is on track to score 90 points for the eighth time with 82 points in 74 games.
From his rookie year in 2005-06 up to the current 2023-24 season, Crosby has maintained a point-per-game pace every season. Even during seasons when he faced injury-related absences, whenever he was on the ice, he scores.
In his 20-year NHL career, Gretzky's only season below a point per game was his final one in 1998-99, during which he still managed an impressive 62 points in 70 games.
Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky together at the summit
The 36-year-old Crosby and Gretzky stand together at the top in this statistic, 19 seasons with unparalleled consistency, achieving this milestone in consecutive seasons.
“Obviously (that record is) something I didn’t want to talk about. I knew it was getting closer,” Crosby said via The Athletic’s Rob Rossi.
“Any time you can be in that company, it’s pretty cool,” added Crosby who secured the history with an empty-net goal in the Penguins’ 5-2 win against the Rangers.
The remarkable consistency displayed by Crosby is a rarity in the NHL, and the Penguins have been fortunate to have such a dominant figure for an extended period. Across his 19-year career, Crosby has amassed an impressive total of 587 goals and 997 assists, totaling 1,584 points.
Milestones still ahead for Sidney Crosby
As the season enters its final stretch with eight games remaining, Crosby has multiple milestones within reach. He is three assists shy of becoming the 14th player in NHL history to achieve 1,000 assists. He also has a slim chance of surpassing his childhood idol Steve Yzerman, who holds the ninth spot with 1,063 assists.
Additionally, Crosby is just six points away from catching up with Phil Esposito, who holds the 10th spot on the all-time scoring list with 1,590 points. The Penguins star currently has 1,584 points to his name.
This season marks Sidney Crosby's 13th time achieving 80 points or more in a single season, placing him in elite company alongside Wayne Gretzky (17), Mark Messier (13), Dale Hawerchuk (13), and Marcel Dionne (13), the only players in NHL history with 13 or more 80-point campaigns.
Consistent Crosby
The Pittsburgh captain has been a constant presence, appearing in all 74 games and leading the team with impressive stats: 37 goals, 45 assists, and 82 points. Among those points, 63 have been earned at even strength, a feat that ties him for seventh place in the league. This season also marks his 12th time hitting the 30-goal mark, setting a new franchise record for the most 30-goal seasons.
Following his goals on Monday, Crosby's tally for the season stands at 37 goals, putting him on track to join an exclusive group of scorers who have netted 40 goals at 36 years or older, a club that includes Alex Ovechkin and Teemu Selanne.
Achieving the 40-goal mark would make Crosby just the sixth player to do so at his age. Additionally, he's already secured the seventh-highest number of goals in a season by a player over 36 years old.
The upcoming 2024-25 season holds significant goals for Crosby. He will approach the 600-career-goal mark and strive to surpass Gretzky, aiming to become the first player in NHL history to achieve 20 point-per-game seasons.
Follow Us
Subscribe