I suppose many hockey writers have chosen to turn their biased eyes away from "the next one" by ignoring the tremendous accomplishments of one of it's brightest stars. As an 18-year-old, Sidney Crosby has achieved many things in his NHL rookie campaign. So far he is the youngest player in NHL history to record 90+ points. His 36 goals and 55 assists make him the leading scorer as well as marking 16 goals coming on the powerplay.Last night in the Penguins win against the Florida Panthers, Sid Crosby put up a 1-3 spot to keep pace for a 100 point season. Certainly, this is the overall goal, an amazing feat for just a young kid.
Of course, Crosby is already being talked about and compared to some of the NHL legends. He's had more points before turning 19 than Gretzky and Yzerman and may overtake Dale Hawerchuk before the seasons end.
If this isn't a case for the Rookie of the year honors, I don't know what is. On top of all the personal accolades, Crosby is also a young leader on the ice. He brandishes the alternate captain "A" on his sweater. I can't think of many players besides Joe Thorton's days in Boston that would have the same impact on a franchise the way that Crosby has become.
The product on the ice has mostly gotten better under the new Crosby era. They might not have made the playoffs this year, but they have successfully melded a young core of players for the future and escaped the bottom of the standings.
Crosby has also swallowed a lot of the hateorade from other teams, players, coaches, and referees this season. But as a brave young warrior, he fights back. In the Florida game, Crosby was disrespect by a cheapshot fasewash move, but undaunted, Sidney Crosby stood his ground.
Even before Crosby was to take the ice for the first time on the NHL level, he was thought of as a shoe-in for rookie of the year. The record levels he is setting for himself at the young age is phenomenal and can't go overlooked or ignored as credentials. Crosby will be the future of the Penguins franchise for a long long long time to come.
[Via: Pittsburgh Penguins Official Website]
1 comment:
Of course, Crosby is already being talked about and compared to some of the NHL legends. He's had more points before turning 19 than Gretzky and Yzerman and may overtake Dale Hawerchuk before the seasons end.
Hey, anyone who can finally knock Gretzky off some of his numerous records is pretty danged cool in my book. The only records I really don't want to see topped? The assists and most games played...because, well, if Cros tops those, then he tops Ronnie Francis too. And as you should know good and well, we simply can't have that, even if Ron doesn't possess first in those, unfortunately >;)
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