Guide Note

National Hockey League All-Star center Sidney Crosby currently plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Fast Facts

1. Full name: Sidney Patrick Crosby
2. Born: August 7, 1987
3. Birthplace: Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, Canada
4. Drafted in 2005
5. 2007 NHL All-Star
6. Second youngest ever to win the Hart Trophy

Crosby began skating at age three, working his way up through the junior leagues in Canada as a child. In 2003 he was drafted into the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League by the Rimouski Océanic. He immediately made his mark, earning player of the year, rookie of the year and the award for the scoring leader in the league. Crosby continued with Rimouski Océanic for the 2004-05 season, leading them to a 28 game consecutive winning streak. The team reached the league championships, but were defeated in the finals.

Several teams had taken notice of his superior junior career and were looking to draft him. On July 30, 2005, he was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL Draft. His 2005 rookie season with the Penguins was one for the record books, scoring a Penguins rookie record 102 points, being selected for the NHL All-Rookie Team and finishing second in the Rookie of the Year award just behind Alexander Ovechkin.

Crosby set numerous NHL records during his second season in the league. He was the youngest player ever selected for the NHL All-Star Game and won the Art Ross Trophy for being the league's leading scorer, and the Hart Memorial Trophy for being NHL MVP.

Prior to the 2007-08 season and the departure of NHL legend Mario Lemieux, Crosby was named captain of the Penguins. At just 19 years old he became the youngest full time captain of a team in the history of the league.