20 years into NHL career, Sidney Crosby remains as magnetic as ever

TORONTO — The Kid has long matured into one of the league’s elder statesmen but Sidney Crosby remains as magnetic as ever two decades into his illustrious career. During the Toronto Maple Leafs’ home opener, where fans flocked to Scotiabank Arena to cheer on Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitch Marner, Crosby’s aura and stature in the centre of hockey ecosystem was the focal point of Saturday morning’s atmosphere.

Crosby is in Year 20 and his only peer in North American men’s sports right now may be LeBron James, who begins Year 22 of his NBA career with the Los Angeles Kings alongside his son, Bronny. The 37-year-old is coming off a 42-goal, 94-point campaign where he earned down-ballot Selke Trophy consideration and after the result of Saturday’s contest, is one point away from the 1,600-point milestone. Widely considered the most complete prospect of the internet era, Crosby’s game continues to evolve, even while squaring off against players who have viewed him as the gold standard for the vast majority of their hockey viewing lifetimes.

“He’s always a really tough guy to play against but it’s always a good challenge, a fun challenge,” Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews said of Crosby after Saturday’s morning skate. “Like I’ve said before, what he’s been able to do over the course of his career has obviously been pretty incredible. The consistency that he continues to play with in Year 20 in this league, and he’s still one of the players to look at. You always have to look for him on the ice, he’s very dangerous. It’s a fun challenge.”

Crosby and the Penguins are far removed from their Stanley Cup contention days and though he’ll likely be joined as a first-ballot Hall of Famer by Evgeni Malkin — who recorded his 1,300th NHL point on Saturday — and Kris Letang, No. 87 stands alone both in the annals of history and as a modern superstar still working on their craft. He will pass Joe Sakic for 9th on the NHL’s all-time scoring list if he approximates his average point production, and it’s just a day in the life among a legend for his teammates.

“When you see it from afar, you think he’s smart and he’s a great player,” Penguins forward Anthony Beauvillier said of his linemate to The Leafs Nation. “When you see it on a day-to-day basis, that’s what impresses me the most, the way he takes care of himself and the way he approaches everything, whether it’s a workout or a game. That was definitely impressive.”

Beauvillier isn’t known for his offensive contributions but he seems keenly aware that Crosby is capable of elevating anyone on his line, with his innate positional sense and incisive passing. And for a player of his stature, who may be on hockey’s Mount Rushmore, although discussing his legacy while he’s still among the best players in the league seems pre-emptive, Crosby would have every right to operate with an air of entitlement. After scoring the Golden Goal in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, he’s been embedded into national lore for nearly 15 seasons. And yet Crosby happily entertained a scrum that could’ve been mistaken for a mosh pit on Saturday morning. It comes with the territory of true greatness.

“I think just off the ice, how he’s just kind of how he’s a fun guy to hang out with,” Penguins forward Drew O’Connor told The Leafs Nation. “And I think you realize that pretty quickly when you’re around him. Just no ego and you kind of see it from an outsider perspective, to see it every day it’s been really special to see.”