5 interesting Sidney Crosby facts you probably didn't know

By Sukanya Banerjee

Modified Aug 29, 2023 17:13 GMT

Sidney Crosby is one of the most prominent names in the world of NHL. The talented 36-year-old Pittsburgh Penguins captain has accomplished a lot in his career. However, Crosby's private lifestyle has interesting aspects that frequently go unnoticed and far beyond the highlights. Let's explore five interesting facts about Sidney's life that most NHL fans and enthusiasts might not be aware of.

#1 Crosby used to live with Mario Lemieux

The Penguins captain was chosen with the first overall pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft when hockey fans hoped for Crosby to grow as successful as former renowned center Mario Lemieux. Most people were and maybe still are unaware that Crosby not only shared his team with the great legend but also stayed under the same roof with his family for the first five seasons of his rookie years.

#2 Secret unveiled behind Sidney Crosby’s jersey number

Apart from Crosby in the Penguins, no other NHL athlete has chosen the number 87 for their jersey in the entire league. The reason why the hockey veteran has chosen this particular jersey number is simple -- it's his birthday. Sidney Crosby was born on August 7, 1987, written as 8/7/87, which is exactly why he donned jersey number 87.

#3 Sidney Crosby played in Minnesota after facing criticism from fellow teammates

Another shocking fact about Sidney is that the star NHLer grew up with innate skill sets in hockey and, thus, got criticized at various levels. The talented hockey star was so overwhelmed with criticism from fellow teammates and their parents during his young age that he chose to play for the Shattuck-Saint Mary’s boarding school as a kid.

Despite several attempts to injure Crosby, the envious opponents could not stop him from scoring an impressive 72 goals and 162 points in his 57 games played.

#4 Crosby’s athletic family background

Although Crosby is the only one in his family to become the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, he is certainly not the first or the only Crosby to set foot on the ice. Troy Crosby, his father, was a talented player who initially started his career with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey and eventually got selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft as a goalie. Taylor, Crosby’s sister, also played at St. Cloud State in the NCAA.

#5 Crosby is the third-youngest captain in the NHL

Sidney Crosby, just at the age of 19 years and 297 days, was declared captain by the Penguins in 2007. He went on to lead the team to a successful Stanley Cup playoff. However, his record was broken by Gabriel Landeskog and Connor McDavid who gained captaincy at the ages of 19 years and 286 days and 19 years and 266 days, respectively.