Another day, another Sidney Crosby top-list placement. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain just keeps making news—though not the news everyone’s really waiting for, like a contract extension.
This time, it’s about his spot on the NHL Network’s annual top 20 centers list. Last year, Crosby landed at #5 after recording 33 goals and 60 assists for a total of 93 points during the 2022-23 season.
So, after his 2023-24 performance, where he surpassed 40 goals for the first time since 2016, you’d think he would be ranked higher, right?
Nope. The NHL Network actually dropped him down a spot to #6.
One of the greatest players of his generation, Sidney Crosby became the 14th player in NHL history to record 1,000 assists in April. The @penguins captain is #⃣6⃣#NHLTopPlayers | #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/Pu3IagATvi
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) August 21, 2024
Here is who made it into this year's NHL top 5 centers based on the 2023-24 season.
- Connor McDavid
- Nathan MacKinnon
- Auston Matthews
- Leon Draisaitl
- Aleksander Barkov
So what's next for Sidney Crosby before the 2024-25 season?
The first order of business for Crosby will be securing that contract extension everyone’s been eagerly anticipating.
If it doesn’t happen between now and training camp, which kicks off in September before the Penguins' preseason, concern will quickly turn into panic.
Contract worries aside, Crosby will head into training camp preparing for his 20th NHL season.
He’s just 127 points away from tying his former landlord and linemate, Mario Lemieux, who holds the Pittsburgh Penguins’ club record with 1,723 points.
Surpassing that number might take more than one season, but Crosby has a good chance to put a chunk into that record.
He’s also likely to climb further up the all-time goals and assists lists before the end of 2024—that’s the expectation, at least. Not much could get in the way of that, regardless of who's next to him on that top line come September.
While the Penguins' outlook for the 2024-25 season isn’t the most promising, Crosby’s role this season is certainly the exception.