Crosby's next point, possibly tonight, will make grand history
Sidney Crosby is on the verge of history.
Crosby, seemingly, hits milestones every other week or so these days. There's been no shortage of storylines in recent seasons about him hitting a significant mark in some statistical category, surpassing someone in another record record, or clinching an umpteenth season doing something impressive.
His next milestone will be one of his biggest: His next point will be his 80th of the season, clinching his 20th point-per-game season, and surpassing Wayne Gretzky for the most seasons with at least a point-per-game in league history.
It's a remarkable testament to Crosby's consistency, and it's an elite group that is even within the vicinity of the record. Gordie Howe sits behind Crosby and Gretzky with 17 such seasons. After Howe is a six-way tie between Evgeni Malkin, Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier, Marcel Dionne, Joe Sakic and Ron Francis, who each had 15 point-per-game seasons.
That makes Malkin, of course, next on the list among active players. He hasn't been able to maintain the same production, only hitting a point-per-game in half of his previous four seasons. Alex Ovechkin is next on the list, on the verge of clinching his 14th point-per-game season, but has also failed to do so more often than not in his last five seasons, only hitting the mark twice. Steven Stamkos is fourth among active players with 12 seasons, and isn't anywhere close to extending that this season.
The record is a reminder of just how dominant Crosby was at the start of his career, too, The run encompasses his entire career, starting with a 102-point season in 81 games in his rookie 2005-06 season on a team that finished dead-last in the Eastern Conference. Some of the active players moving up the list still remain a ways off from reaching Crosby because it took them longer to find their foothold in the league -- Nathan MacKinnon, for example, ranks seventh among active players with eight point-per-game seasons, including this one. It took him five years in the league before he got his first. Leon Draisaitl is right behind MacKinnon with seven seasons, and it took until his fourth full season in the league to get there.
Crosby lived up to the lofty expectations set for him at the very start of his career, and he's still showing up at a high level in his 37-year-old season.
Gretzky's record has stood for nearly three decades. His record-setting season was in his penultimate year in 1997-98, falling eight points shy of a point-per-game season for the first time in his final season at age 38.
Crosby's record, when it's officially his, will stand for a long while. The only active player who has a feasible shot at it is Connor McDavid, who would still be a full decade away from even tying Crosby at 20 seasons. But at the rate Crosby is going, it wouldn't be surprising to see him push that record beyond 20, too.
Crosby's hit a lot of marks over the years that serve as evidence that he's the greatest of his generation. A milestone like one stands as evidence -- if anyone actually needed it -- that he's one of the greatest of all-time.
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THE ASYLUM
Taylor Haase
3:14 am - 03.27.2025Buffalo, N.Y.Crosby's next point, possibly tonight, will make grand history
Sidney Crosby is on the verge of history.
Crosby, seemingly, hits milestones every other week or so these days. There's been no shortage of storylines in recent seasons about him hitting a significant mark in some statistical category, surpassing someone in another record record, or clinching an umpteenth season doing something impressive.
His next milestone will be one of his biggest: His next point will be his 80th of the season, clinching his 20th point-per-game season, and surpassing Wayne Gretzky for the most seasons with at least a point-per-game in league history.
It's a remarkable testament to Crosby's consistency, and it's an elite group that is even within the vicinity of the record. Gordie Howe sits behind Crosby and Gretzky with 17 such seasons. After Howe is a six-way tie between Evgeni Malkin, Mario Lemieux, Mark Messier, Marcel Dionne, Joe Sakic and Ron Francis, who each had 15 point-per-game seasons.
That makes Malkin, of course, next on the list among active players. He hasn't been able to maintain the same production, only hitting a point-per-game in half of his previous four seasons. Alex Ovechkin is next on the list, on the verge of clinching his 14th point-per-game season, but has also failed to do so more often than not in his last five seasons, only hitting the mark twice. Steven Stamkos is fourth among active players with 12 seasons, and isn't anywhere close to extending that this season.
The record is a reminder of just how dominant Crosby was at the start of his career, too, The run encompasses his entire career, starting with a 102-point season in 81 games in his rookie 2005-06 season on a team that finished dead-last in the Eastern Conference. Some of the active players moving up the list still remain a ways off from reaching Crosby because it took them longer to find their foothold in the league -- Nathan MacKinnon, for example, ranks seventh among active players with eight point-per-game seasons, including this one. It took him five years in the league before he got his first. Leon Draisaitl is right behind MacKinnon with seven seasons, and it took until his fourth full season in the league to get there.
Crosby lived up to the lofty expectations set for him at the very start of his career, and he's still showing up at a high level in his 37-year-old season.
Gretzky's record has stood for nearly three decades. His record-setting season was in his penultimate year in 1997-98, falling eight points shy of a point-per-game season for the first time in his final season at age 38.
Crosby's record, when it's officially his, will stand for a long while. The only active player who has a feasible shot at it is Connor McDavid, who would still be a full decade away from even tying Crosby at 20 seasons. But at the rate Crosby is going, it wouldn't be surprising to see him push that record beyond 20, too.
Crosby's hit a lot of marks over the years that serve as evidence that he's the greatest of his generation. A milestone like one stands as evidence -- if anyone actually needed it -- that he's one of the greatest of all-time.
Want to participate in our comments?
Want an ad-free experience?
Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Make your voice heard on the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, and hear right back from tens of thousands of fellow Pittsburgh sports fans worldwide! Plus, access all our premium content, including Dejan Kovacevic columns, Friday Insider, daily Live Qs with the staff, more! And yeah, that's right, no ads at all!
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