Is Sidney Crosby one of the best NHL players of all time?
Bobby Orr certainly thinks so.
The Boston Bruins legend told The Athletic’s Josh Yohe he thinks the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar belongs among the greats like himself, Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe. And he’s not kidding around, either.
“Please, please,” Orr said, per Yohe. “I want you to be very comfortable putting Sidney Crosby’s name with the rest of us. Just trust me on that one. He’s so, so special.”
Don’t worry, Orr came with receipts.
“First of all, if you ask those other guys on the list, I know that they’ll tell you the same thing I’m about to tell you. Sid belongs on that list,” Orr said. “Sure, there’s the talent that he has and the drive. But look at what he’s been through. That tells me something. Look at the injuries he’s dealt with, especially earlier in his career. He’s been beat up, hurt, been through so, so much. And through it all, look at what he’s accomplished.
“He’s won all of those Cups. He’s won the Olympics. Scored the goal to win it, in fact. The World Cups he’s won. The numbers he’s put up. Everything he’s done. He’s one of the greatest hockey players of all time.”
Fair enough.
In 984 career games, Crosby has amassed 1,263 points (462 goals, 801 assists) and a whopping 175 plus-minus. The three-time Stanley Cup champion holds several of NHL records, including youngest player to record 100 points in a season (18 years, 253 days), youngest NHL captain to win the Stanley Cup (21 years, 10 months, and five days) and youngest Art Ross Trophy and Lester B. Pearson Award winner.
So yeah, Orr’s assessment definitely is valid.
