As Pittsburgh Penguins star center Sidney Crosby enters his 16th NHL season, he is still considered one of the league’s top players. At 34 years old, the Canadian captain continues to mesmerize fans and toy with opponents.
Over the course of his career, he’s led the Penguins to three Stanley Cup Championships (2009, 2016, and 2017), in addition to a myriad of personal awards, including the Art Ross Trophy (2007, 2014), the Hart Trophy (2007, 2014), and the Conn Smythe Trophy (2016, 2017).. Let’s take a deep dive and learn more about “Sid the Kid.” Here are five interesting facts about the future Hall of Fame superstar.
Very Superstitious
Crosby has a number of pre-game rituals that he absolutely must perform before skating onto the ice. In addition to eating a peanut butter & jelly sandwich in the arena kitchen, Sid also must enter the arena the long way around in order to avoid passing the visitor’s locker room.
He’s also very particular about his stick. After taping it, no one else, including his teammates, are allowed to touch it. In the off chance someone does touch his stick, he retapes it immediately.
Superstar ‘Roommate’
Crosby was selected first overall by the Penguins in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. While he had landed on one of the league’s greatest franchises, he had nowhere to rest his head at night.
At just 18 years old, Crosby wasn’t accustomed to living alone or supporting himself. As a result, Penguins owner Mario Lemieux invited Crosby to live with him and his family from 2005 to 2010.
No Desire to Coach in NHL
While many top athletes often go on to coach in their respective sports, Sidney Crosby isn’t one of them.
When asked what he would do when his playing days were over, he said he’d “like to be involved in hockey in some capacity” but had no interest in coaching in the NHL.. “I don’t think I would want to be a head coach. I don’t think I would want to be a GM, at least as of today, but I’d want to be involved in hockey. … I like the developmental side,” Crosby explained.
Loves His Sweets
While most athletes spend a majority of their time honing their skills and paying close attention to what they put into their bodies, some are able to indulge more than others due to the crazy amount of exercise they perform.
Crosby absolutely loves his sweets and is unapologetic about it. Of course, at his level of fitness, he can afford to splurge on sugar and carbs.. “I like my sweets, and I like the odd cheat meal more than I should: fast food, pizza, cake… donuts, too,” Crosby confessed. “I crush (Tim Hortons’) Timbits when I can. Just think of the worst things for you, I like them.”
Bullied For His Skill
Crosby was so good at hockey at such a young age that he was often bullied by other players and their parents. There are even reports that he was physically assaulted because of his talent. In order to avoid being ambushed, Crosby stopped wearing his jersey off the ice.
His parents would end up sending him to Shattuck St. Mary’s boarding school in Minnesota for a year until he was eligible to play in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.