PHOTO BY SCOTT VANKOUGHNETT
At 17, Sidney Crosby turned down a three-year deal worth $7.5 million to play for the Hamilton franchise of the proposed World Hockey Association.
Could you imagine at 17 walking away from that kind of money? Crosby claimed he was not ready to leave the junior league yet. Instead he was after something much greater, a shot at the National Hockey League, an opportunity to be the best of the best.
Sidney explained why he turned down the big offer in an ESPN interview. “I wanted to go No. 1,” he said. ‘My parents always told me, if you want to go first, make it easy on yourself. Don’t be sitting there on draft day thinking, ‘Am I going to go No. 1, No. 2, No. 3? Make it easy for them.’”
Waiting for draft day turned out to be the best decision for the bright, young athlete from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia. Many had referred to the lottery as the “Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes.” He was the first overall pick in the 2005 Draft and the winner was the Pittsburgh Penguins.
During Crosby’s junior years he won back-to- back CHL Player of the year awards. That would just be the start of his success. His remarkable talent, speed and leadership skills reminded people of number 99, Wayne Gretzky. For that reason Crosby was nicknamed “The Next One.” The name may have sounded daunting but it was well warranted. Even the Great One realized his potential. Gretzky was asked if he thought anyone could break his records. He answered that Sidney Crosby could, and added that Crosby was the best player he had seen since Mario Lemieux.
Five years later and the Great One was right, as Crosby has now surpassed some of Lemieux’s franchise records. Crosby’s become the youngest player to record 100 points in a season, the youngest to record 200 career points and the youngest player to be named to an all-star team. His greatest achievement, though, was one of the most prized possessions in hockey, the Stanley Cup. After losing to the Detroit Red Wings in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals, Crosby led his Penguins to the Cup in 2009, becoming the youngest captain in NHL history to win the championship.
The path Crosby followed was evidently well travelled but according to Sidney things could’ve turned out differently if it wasn’t for his father. “I wanted to be a goalie growing up,” he said. “But my dad discouraged me. He thought I’d enjoy skating around and chasing the puck more than sitting in the net freezing.” The NHL couldn’t be more thankful.
In 2007, Crosby was nominated for Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list. At 22 he’s brought new life to the game and aspiring athletes. #87 has accomplished so many great feats but there’s still more on his to do list. The next item…winning the gold medal at home in the 2010 Vancouver Olympic games.
Topics: CHL, Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins, player profile, Sidney Crosby, Wayne Gretzky
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