Captain Crosby

CROSBY BECOMES YOUNGEST CAPTAIN IN NHL HISTORY
by Joe Sager
pittsburghpenguins.com
05/31/2007

(PRESS RELEASE: Penguins name Crosby captain.)


Sidney Crosby is the new captain of the Penguins.
Pittsburgh Penguins
(RELATED STORY: Crosby feels time is right to be captain.)

Forget “Sid The Kid,” just call him “Captain Crosby.”

Already the youngest player in NHL history to reach 100 points in a season and win the scoring title, Sidney Crosby added another historic distinction to his list of accomplishments – youngest captain in NHL history.

Penguins Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero announced Crosby’s captaincy on Thursday. The 19-year-old star center was given his new jersey with the captain’s C stitched on the left shoulder by Mario Lemieux, the Penguins’ legendary star.

“I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank the coaching staff, Ray Shero, Mario Lemieux. It’s obviously a huge honor,” Crosby said. “It’s a privilege to be captain. It’s something I have always dreamed of and to get this opportunity is exciting for me. I understand that there is going to be a lot more responsibility on my shoulders with this, but it’s something I am ready for. It’s something that was brought up a little earlier last year, but I thought I needed the time to grow a little bit more. I think it’s time now. It couldn’t be in a better situation with the team we have with the mix of young guys and older guys. I feel very comfortable with it and I am just excited to get things going.”


Mario Lemieux presents Sidney Crosby with his new Penguins jersey.
Pittsburgh Penguins
Lemieux, who retired in January, 2006, was the last to wear a C on his Penguins sweater. The team went with four alternate captains in 2006-07 – Mark Recchi, Sergei Gonchar, John LeClair and Crosby.

Crosby, who resides with the Lemieux family during the season, was asked if he received any tips on handling the captaincy from his landlord.

“No. Maybe we’ll talk later,” he said with a smile. “We have a lot of veterans and even younger guys, when the time comes, who can speak their opinion. The fact is, moreso, this year than last year when I was a rookie, I feel more comfortable with my surroundings and with the situation. We have an amazing group. I don’t know what it would have been like on another team, but I can tell you the comfort level is there as far as this group is concerned.”

At 19 years, nine months (297 days), Crosby surpassed Tampa Bay’s Vincent Lecavalier, at 19 years, 10 months (324 days) when he was named Lightning captain in March, 2000, for the distinction of youngest captain in NHL history.

“I didn’t even think about it. It’s an accomplishment to be a captain, no matter how old you are,” Crosby said. “I was always told that age is just a number. I try to not let it get in the way of anything. In this case, it’s one of those things where I am the youngest, but it’s just an accomplishment.”