Sidney Crosby
Signs Five-Year Contract Extension with Pittsburgh
Penguins
Frank Buonomo (penguins.com)
NHL scoring champ, MVP now signed through 2012-13
Sidney Crosby has signed a five-year contract extension
that will keep him with the Pittsburgh Penguins through
the 2012-13 season, it was announced today by Executive
Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero.
Crosby will play the 2007-08 season under the terms
of his original NHL entry-level contract. The five-year
extension will take effect at the start of the 2008-09
season and run through 2012-13.
“Sidney has proven himself to be a dynamic player
and team leader at a very young age, and it is exciting
news for our franchise and our fans to have him under
contract for the next six seasons, through 2013,”
Shero said. “When you’ve got a guy who leads the league
in scoring and wins the MVP award at the age of 19,
you know have someone very special. But Sid also is
a tremendous asset for this organization as a leader
in the dressing room, and as the face of our franchise
in the community. And the fact that he wants to be
here long-term is a great statement about the city
of Pittsburgh and our organization.”
Crosby completed his second season with the Penguins
in 2006-07, leading the team to 47 wins, 105 points
and its first playoff berth since 2001. He won the
Art Ross Trophy as NHL scoring champion; the Hart
Memorial Trophy as league MVP, voted by the media;
and the Lester B. Pearson Award as the league’s “most
outstanding player,” voted by his peers. He also was
named an NHL First-Team All-Star at center.
The 5-foot 11, 193-pound native of Cole Harbour, Nova
Scotia became the youngest player to win a scoring
title in North American professional sports when he
record 36 goals and 84 assists for 120 points in 79
games. Through two NHL seasons, his career totals
are 75 goals, 147 assists and 222 points in 160 games.
He will turn 20 years old on August 7.
Crosby is the youngest player in NHL history to record
100 and 200 career points. He was named captain of
the Penguins on May 31, 2007 – becoming the youngest
team captain in NHL history.
“I really enjoy playing and living in Pittsburgh and
I want to be here for a long time,” Crosby said. “Individual
honors and scoring championships are great, but my
No. 1 goal is to win the Stanley Cup. I’d love to
be a part of bringing the Cup back here to Pittsburgh.”
Crosby was the first pick of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft
following two outstanding seasons with the Rimouski
Oceanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
He was named Canadian Hockey League Player of the
year in both 2003-04 and 2004-05.
Crosby twice represented Canada at the World Junior
Championships, winning a gold medal in 2005 and a
silver medal in 2004. At the age of 16 years, four
months and 24 days, he became the youngest player
ever to score a goal for the Canadian national junior
team in the 2004 tournament.
Following his rookie NHL season in 2005-06, Crosby
played for Canada at the World Championships and became
the youngest player ever to lead that tournament in
scoring, recording 16 points in nine games.
Sidney is the son of Troy and Trina Crosby of Cole
Harbour, N.S. He has a sister, Taylor.
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Photo: Sidney
Crosby.
© Andris Jansons (HV) |
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