Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin have been linked in the narrative of hockey since both were selected as the top overall picks in the 2005-06 season.
As Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals pursues Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record, Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins made headlines on Thursday by surpassing Gretzky in a different statistical category.
Crosby secured his 20th season of averaging at least one point per game, breaking the previous record of 19 that he held jointly with Gretzky. Despite missing two games this season, Crosby reached the milestone by netting a goal in the first period against the Buffalo Sabres, bringing his total to 80 points.
Crosby’s achievements are remarkable, especially considering he faced significant concussion-related setbacks early in his career. In the 2010-11 season, he recorded 66 points in just 41 games, which included an impressive 25-game point streak, before a season-ending injury sidelined him in January. The following season, he played only 22 games but still managed to score 37 points.
While Gretzky, the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, boasted an average of 1.92 points per game compared to Crosby’s 1.25, he finished his 20th and final season in 1998-99 with 62 points in 70 games. Recently, Crosby surpassed Gretzky to claim fourth place for the most points scored with a single franchise.
At 37 years old, Crosby is leading the Penguins with 54 assists and a total of 80 points in 72 games. Notably, his 53 points during 5-on-5 play are the highest in the NHL.
The captain of the Penguins, who secured a two-year contract extension in September, boasts an impressive resume that includes three Stanley Cup championships, two playoff MVP awards, two Hart Trophies (awarded to the most valuable player on his team), as well as two titles for both goal-scoring and points throughout his 20-year career.
He currently holds the top spot among active players and stands ninth in NHL history with a total of 1,676 points, comprising 618 goals and 1,058 assists over 1,334 games.
