ESPN released its top 100 athletes of the 21st century and sports icons like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Tom Brady, LeBron James and Lewis Hamilton were just some that landed in the first 20.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!While there are a plethora of other sports stars who deserve to be recognized for what they have done since 2000, one person who missed the top fifth of the rankings who transcended in arguably the most difficult and evolving sport since being drafted, Pittsburgh Penguins legend Sidney Crosby, was No. 22 which is way too low.
Before you come up with the assumption that I am just some biased Pens fan who happens to be in media, my favorite player growing up was Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin who was always in the conversation with Crosby for who is the best player in the NHL for as long as I remember.
Even though Ovechkin is just 42 goals away from surpassing all-time great Wayne Gretzky for most goals (894) scored in NHL history, the way Crosby has led the Penguins and Team Canada in the Olympics to success and still being an elite contributor at almost 37 years old (birthday on August 7) is undeniable in terms of how good he has been.
Crosby became the gold standard of a complete NHL player
Apr 17, 2024; Elmont, New York, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) controls the puck behind the net against the New York Islanders during the first period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Schneidler-USA TODAY Sports
When he was young and before he was even drafted, Crosby was called “The Next One” for the talent he already had at an early age when Gretzky was dubbed “The Great One.”
Considered one of the highest-rated prospects in hockey history, Pittsburgh had the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft where they selected Crosby and the rest is history.
The 10-time NHL All-Star won the “Rocket” Richard Trophy (NHL’s leading goal scorer) twice, Art Ross Trophy (points leader) twice, Hart Trophy (league MVP) twice, Ted Lindsay Award (NHL’s most outstanding player) three times and is a three-time Stanley Cup champion with two Conn Smythe (Playoff MVP) Awards.
What makes his resume even more significant is that the game of hockey has changed dramatically from when he entered the NHL and where he is today. Goalies are taller and way better while players are vastly quicker, more skilled, and have a higher hockey IQ compared to the past. Physicality has taken a bit of a step back, but it is still a prevalent part of hockey which makes the game so unique.
Despite all of the advancements in the sport, Crosby is keeping up with the best of them and still producing at a high rate offensively, being a magical playmaker for his teammates and a defensive cornerstone for the Penguins. He has scored 592 goals and racked up 1004 assists for a total of 1,596 points in 1,272 career games. Eclipsing multiple seasons where he was over a point per game, the Canadian even did it again last year with 42 goals and 52 assists for 94 points in a full 82-game season.
Hot Take: ESPN gets rank wrong, Crosby is top 15
Defying the odds that age is just a number, Crosby is showing no signs of slowing down individually as he has led Pittsburgh to the playoffs in all but three of his 19 seasons in the NHL, his rookie year in 2005-06 and the past two. The Penguins have pushed for the playoffs, but have felt just short in the last two.
When ESPN listed the accomplishments he has earned throughout his career, they forgot to mention the medals “Sid the Kid” has won throughout his internationally like the other athletes around him, a sign that they assumably didn’t properly rate him.
Before the NHL decided to not allow its players to compete in the Olympics after the 2014 Vancouver Games, Crosby guided Team Canada to two gold medals in Vancouver and in the 2010 Sochi Games. Crosby also won gold in the 2015 Men’s Ice Hockey World Championships in the Czech Republic (now Czechia) and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto.
His impact on every game he plays makes him a special player to watch. When he is pulling off tricks like this last season, you know he has a lot left in the tank before retiring.
Sidney Crosby pots one with the chip shot ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/1KoC10AfOq
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 23, 2024
I get that No. 22 is still a remarkable place to be in the conversation amongst the best athletes we have witnessed play in a sport, but Crosby being able to achieve what he has achieved has been underappreciated.
If I were to have made this list, I would have Crosby above the likes of Aaron Donald (20), Shaquille O’Neal (17), Katie Ladecky (15), Rafael Nadal (12), Usain Bolt (9), Tiger Woods (8) and Simone Biles (7).
Due to the sheer fact that there hasn’t been enough consideration of how talented you have to be to dominate in a difficult sport like hockey for as long as he has, he will forever be underrated in the world of sports until he retires.
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers ASU Athletics, Phoenix Mercury and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
