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Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is entering the twilight of his career. And what a career it has been for the 35-year-old future Hall of Famer.
Drafted in 2005, Crosby immediately took the league by storm. He recorded 39 goals and 102 points in his rookie season, finishing second in Calder Memorial Trophy voting as the league’s best rookie.
It took just three years for Sid The Kid to lead the Penguins to the Stanley Cup final, and four years to actually win it. They faced the Detroit Red Wings both times, winning the Cup on Detroit’s home ice in 2009.
The Penguins would remain linked to the Red Wings with their next feat years later. Crosby, still the team’s captain, helped lead Pittsburgh to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2015-16 and 2016-17.
Since then, however, Pittsburgh has fallen behind a bit. Crosby, to an extent, has fallen behind himself. He did reach the 100 point plateau in 2018-19, but he’s fallen into the mid-80 point range as of late.
What’s in store for The Kid this season? Here are two bold predictions for Sidney Crosby in the 2022-23 NHL season.
Sidney Crosby: 2 bold predictions for Penguins star in 2022-23 NHL season
2) Crosby reaches 100+ points again
It is certainly a lot to ask of a player in his mid-30s to record 100 points over the course of an 82-game season. However, Crosby is no ordinary player in his mid-30s.
While the Penguins star has found himself within this mid-to-high 80-point mark, he’s never been too far from 100 points when playing a full season. He’s reached 89 points the two years prior to his last 100-point season. And he reached 84 points in the first full season following pandemic-era hockey.
One big factor many may not be considering when it comes to Crosby is Evgeni Malkin. While they don’t play on the same line, the two are close off the ice. With Malkin’s future with the team secure, the weight is off both their shoulders.
This reassurance will give the 35-year-old future Hall of Famer a much-needed spark. He finishes with over 100 points this season, and that’s not all the personal success Crosby will see.
1) Sidney Crosby: Hart Trophy Finalist
Here is a potentially surprising fun fact about Crosby: he has only won the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP twice. The first time came in 2006-07, his sophomore season. The second came in the 2013-14 season.
Crosby winning the Hart at this point in his career is definitely a long shot. Especially given the competition ahead of him. Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs is looking to win the honor for the second consecutive season.
The Edmonton Oilers possess a two-headed monster in this regard. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are two of the league’s best players, and both have won the trophy themselves. It’d be hard to imagine neither of those players in the running for the Hart.
Crosby was not a finalist for the Hart last season. However, the Penguins star did finish second in Hart voting in 2018-19, when he last scored 100 points. He also finished fourth in Hart voting in 2020-21.
Crosby will have to really turn the clock back in order to finish top three in Hart voting. He may not win it, but he will certainly be in the conversation. And he will remind everyone in the National Hockey League why he is one of the greatest to lace up a pair of skates.