Crosby reaches 1,700 points with Penguins

Sidney Crosby became the ninth player in NHL history to reach 1,700 points by getting a goal and two assists for the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 6-3 win against the St. Louis Blues at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh on Monday.

In his 21st season, he is the only active player with at least 1,700 points.

Crosby joined Wayne Gretzky (2,857), Jaromir Jagr (1,921), Mark Messier (1,887), Gordie Howe (1,850), Ron Francis (1,798), Marcel Dionne (1,771), Steve Yzerman (1,755) and Mario Lemieux (1,723). Jagr was the last to get there with a goal and an assist in a 5-0 win for the New Jersey Devils against the Nashville Predators on Nov. 10, 2013.

“Joining that company, those are players I grew up idolizing,” Crosby said. “I didn’t ever think I’d be with them or near them. It’s something I’m grateful for, that I’ve been able to play this long and be part of that group.”

The 38-year-old center entered the game with 1,698 points.

Crosby got his first point of the night when he set up Parker Wotherspoon’s goal on a delayed penalty at 6:37 of the second period. He reached the milestone with an assist on Bryan Rust’s goal 42 seconds into the third period.

Crosby then sealed the win for the Penguins by scoring on a breakaway to make it 5-3 at 16:39.

“1,700 points is incredible,” Rust said. “To be part of I don’t know how many [of Crosby’s points], obviously not all of them, but to be part of some of them has been really cool, and to get the goal on 1,700 is really cool and something I’m going to remember.”

Crosby received a huge ovation from the Pittsburgh fans when the goal and milestone were announced, but the Penguins captain said postgame his concern was with an adult male fan who fell from the upper concourse to the lower bowl at PPG Paints Arena during the game. The team said the fan was immediately attended to by Pittsburgh EMS as well as PPG Paints Arena personnel and has since been transported to a local hospital.

"I just want to say we just found out that someone fell tonight, so doesn't feel right to be talking about points when you hear something like that,” Crosby said. “We just found out, so obviously our thoughts and prayers are with that person and their family. Hoping that they're OK. So, yeah, like I said, it feels kind of weird talking about hockey when something like that kind of happens. But yeah, I think the reception's always been great. I've been fortunate since the day I got here, arrived at the airport. From then on, it's been incredible. Yeah, I always appreciate that."

Selected No. 1 by the Penguins in the 2005 NHL Draft, Crosby has the most games played (1,362) and assists (1,069) in their history. He trails Lemieux (1,723) by 22 points and has scored 632 goals, also second to Lemieux (690).

“Coming in, there's so many new things and the expectations and everything that comes with it as a young player,” Crosby said after a 5-1 win against the Vancouver Canucks on Oct. 21. “So, having someone like Mario and his family there to just keep things as normal as possible, to be there for anything that I needed, any questions I had, just to keep things as normal as they could possibly be given the situation ... and just his family as a whole, is so important.

“I don't know if I can put into words how much it means, but it's meant a lot, and I really cherish that. That relationship and his family and everything that they've done for me.”

The Pittsburgh captain has 1,902 points (703 goals, 1,199 assists) in the regular season and Stanley Cup Playoffs combined, ahead of Lemieux (1,895 points; 766 goals, 1,129 assists) for the most in Penguins history.

“Now there’s nothing more to beat on our team, pretty much,” Penguins defenseman Kris Letang said after Crosby passed Lemieux with a goal on Oct. 21. “But that’s the type of player that he is. He’s always looking to be better and thrive even more.”

Crosby passed Lemieux (497) for the most multipoint games for the Penguins at 498.

“So many stats. I feel like I don’t really think about that, but it’s great to be in that company,” Crosby said after that game.

Named to the 100 Greatest NHL Players in January 2017, Crosby has won the Stanley Cup three times. At the age of 21, he became the youngest captain of a championship team when Pittsburgh defeated the Detroit Red Wings in seven games in the 2009 Stanley Cup Final. He then won the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2016 and 2017.

Crosby also won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP and the Art Ross Trophy as the League leader in points in 2007 and 2014, the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the leader in goals in 2010 and 2017, and the Ted Lindsay Award as the most outstanding player as voted by the NHLPA in 2007, 2013 and 2014.

The native of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, earned recognition on Dec. 29, 2022, as an Officer of the Order of Canada "for being one of the greatest hockey players of all time and for supporting community service initiatives for youth." The Order of Canada is one of the country's highest honors that recognizes people across all sectors of society who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions.

“I think when you’re in the position we’re in, you have a pretty good opportunity to help make a difference on and off the ice,” Crosby said. “So, I think those things you try to keep in mind and those have been, regardless of in the NHL or not, those are things that I think when you grow up playing for teams or you’re playing for your community, your local team, you still try to represent them well and you try to help your community and represent your community.

“So, I think when you get to the NHL, it’s on a much greater stage, but it’s the same thing. So, I think that’s all part of it.”