Sidney Crosby, the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, has added another significant achievement to his career by becoming the franchise’s all-time assists leader. On Sunday, during a 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders, Crosby surpassed the previous record held by Mario Lemieux. He earned his 1,034th career assist by setting up teammate Michael Bunting, which was met with a loud standing ovation from the crowd at Pittsburgh’s arena.
With this milestone, Crosby now sits at 12th place in NHL history for career assists. His achievement is particularly impressive considering only three players—Ray Bourque, Wayne Gretzky, and Steve Yzerman—have recorded more assists with a single team. Crosby’s ability to reach this mark is a testament to his longevity and skill on the ice.
After the game, Crosby reflected on the accomplishment, expressing that he appreciates these milestones more as time passes. He acknowledged the influence of past players and how proud he is to be part of such an esteemed group. His humility was evident as he spoke about the privilege of following in the footsteps of players like Lemieux.
Lemieux himself congratulated Crosby on his achievement, calling him an “amazing player” and expressing how fortunate the team is to have him in Pittsburgh. Crosby, 37, has played 1,310 regular-season games, far surpassing Lemieux’s 915 games. When asked about what he planned to do with the puck from his record-breaking assist, Crosby shared that he would likely give it to his father to keep as a keepsake.
