Sidney Crosby adds to his resume

By Rob Rossi, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Saturday, June 19, 2010

Comparisons follow Penguins center Sidney Crosby off the ice like the puck seems to on it, and his general manager offered a new one Friday.

"He's mentally very strong when it comes to critical situations in a game, in a series. He recognizes it and takes advantage of it," Ray Shero said. "(Hall of Famer Bryan) Trottier was the same way -- a great two-way player that was a winner. He made other players better. I loved watching him play."

Shero, who still owns a stick autographed by Trottier, has loved watching Crosby in four seasons guiding the Penguins. In that span, Crosby has won the Stanley Cup, an MVP and scoring title, produced a 50-goal season, scored a gold-medal-winning goal for Canada at the Olympics and helped revitalize hockey in Pittsburgh, where the Penguins will carry a sellout streak of three-plus seasons into the new Consol Energy Center.

"He's a game-changer," Penguins center Jordan Staal said of Crosby, whom he will join Wednesday at the NHL awards show in Las Vegas.

Staal, 21, is up for the Selke Trophy as the NHL's top two-way forward. Crosby, 22, can win the Hart Trophy (MVP) and Ted Lindsay Award (top player) for a second time, and he also is up for the Mark Messier Leadership Award.

That's just one reason why Sporting News deemed Crosby the top athlete under 25. The outlet considered major statistics, championships to which an athlete made a contribution, "buzz" factor and age. The top five: Crosby; Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard, 24; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, 21; Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson, 24; and Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin, 24.

One of Crosby's favorite words is consistency. He strives for that in every game. That drive, Staal said, sets a standard of intensity and commitment for Penguins players.

"Sid is one of those guys who changes the way a game is going when he wants to, and he seems to want to every night," Staal said. "Obviously he contributes so many things offensively, but the thing is we count on him for so many things -- the goals, the passes, winning faceoffs, making plays in his own zone and leading us."

Staal, admittedly a biased observer, believes Crosby should win big next week in Vegas.

"I wouldn't say I've ever seen him better than he was last season," Staal said. "Every night he was battling, scoring goals, doing the right things. He never got tired. He just kept moving forward."

Crosby is still moving forward. He spent last offseason working on his shot. He's spending this one working on his jump.

"The last couple of offseasons were so short," he said. "I felt like I was just trying to get back to where I was. This year, I'm working to get strong and faster, so next season maybe I can be a little quicker."

Note: Shero said "nothing is imminent" regarding new contracts for the Penguins' impending unrestricted free agents. He said he has not set deadlines for any player, although that "is a possibility." Defenseman Sergei Gonchar, the Penguins' free-agent priority, has a no-trade clause that gives him final say on a destination if the club opts to move his rights before July 1, when free agency opens.

The Crosby file

A look at Penguins center Sidney Crosby's notable achievements through five NHL seasons:

» He has topped 100 points four times, including every season in which he appeared in at least 55 games.

» At 19, he was named the youngest captain in NHL history in 2007. At 21, he became the youngest captain of a Stanley Cup champion in 2009.

» He won the Hart Trophy (MVP), Lester B. Pearson Award (top player) and Art Ross Trophy (scoring title) in 2007. He is a finalist for the Hart, Ted Lindsay Award (top player) and Mark Messier Leadership Award this year.

» His 51 goals tied for the NHL lead last season.

» He scored the overtime goal to give Canada a victory over the United States in the gold-medal game at the Vancouver Olympics.

» His 506 regular-season points are seventh, and his 82 playoff points are fifth in franchise history.

Sources: NHL.com, Pittsburgh Penguins