The Penguins made one of their biggest draft picks in the history of the franchise on this date 20 years ago.
Twenty years ago today, the Penguins made one of their biggest draft picks in franchise history when Sidney Crosby was selected first overall in the 2005 NHL Draft.
The Penguins’ fate was changed forever when they won the draft lottery eight days earlier, ensuring that they’d be picking Crosby first overall in what was dubbed the Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes.
When the day came, the Penguins drafted Crosby with the first pick at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa.
Photo by Dave Sandford/Getty Images for NHL
It’s safe to say Crosby lived up to the hype, scoring 102 points in his rookie campaign, leading the Penguins back to the playoffs in his second season and back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals appearances in his third and fourth seasons.
Throughout his immaculate career, Crosby has amassed 1,062 points, thee Stanley Cup titles, two NHL scoring titles, two playoff MVP awards, two MVP awards, and was named to the All-Star game eight times.
Crosby has also won gold medals while representing Team Canada in the Olympics, in the World Cup of Hockey, and in the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Crosby currently sits 9th on the NHL’s all-time scoring list and has averaged a point-per-game or higher during all 20 of his NHL seasons.