In his fourth NHL season, two years after capturing his first Hart Trophy and the season after losing the Stanley Cup to the Detroit Red Wings in six games, Sidney Crosby led the Pittsburgh Penguins to a championship.

Now Crosby’s team is one win away from capturing Stanley's Mug for the first time since that triumph in 2009. Here’s a look back at the path Crosby has travelled to get to this point, one that includes international success, individual awards, injury issues and playoff disappointments.

2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics

Named an alternate captain for a Canadian team coming off a seventh-place finish at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy, Crosby wasted little time getting into the flow of the tournament. He opened the competition with a three-assist game against Norway, and then went on to score against Switzerland, Germany and in the first meeting against the United States. Saving his best for last, Crosby sent the entire country into rapture with the golden goal against the Americans in the final, scoring 7:40 into overtime to seal the victory, tournament and gold medal for Canada.

“That's Sid for you,” said Canadian centre Ryan Getzlaf after the victory. “There's a reason he's the best player in the world. He shows up in those big moments.”

2009-10 Season

Crosby followed up his Stanley Cup title with his only 50-goal season, tying for the league lead with 51 markers to power a 109-point season. The Penguins title defence would come to an abrupt end in the second round, dropping a series to the Montreal Canadiens in seven games.

2010-11 Season

After a hot start to the season, Crosby was the league’s leading scorer heading into a New Year’s Day Winter Classic meeting with the Washington Capitals.  Late in the second period, Capitals forward David Steckel levelled Crosby, leaving him visibly shaken.  Cleared to play four days later, he was hit hard into the boards by Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Victor Hedman.  A concussion diagnosis would eventually end his season, though he would finish with an impressive 66 points in 41 games.

2011-12 Season

The concussion symptoms lingered into the 2011-12 season, causing Crosby to miss the first 20 games. He returned with a four-point performance in his first game of the season against the New York Islanders. He would play eight games before the symptoms returned, forcing him out of the lineup until March 15. Crosby would appear in just 22 regular-season games, but headed into the playoffs healthy.  The playoff run would be short-lived as the Penguins, picked as one of the favourites heading into the postseason, were bounced in six games by the Philadelphia Flyers.

2012-13 Season

Crosby would play 36 of 48 games for the Penguins in the lockout-shortened season, finishing as a finalist for the Hart Trophy and capturing the Ted Lindsay Award. The Penguins would finish with the most points in the East and second most across the league, once again entering the playoffs as a top choice to capture the title. Crosby would tally 15 points in 14 games, but was held pointless in an Eastern Conference championship sweep at the hands of the Boston Bruins.

2013-14 Season

Crosby’s second Hart Trophy season would see him lead the league with 68 assists and 104 points on top of 36 goals. He also earned the Art Ross and a third Ted Lindsay Award.  Penguins would finish on top of the Metropolitan Division and second best in the East, once again giving them a strong position heading into the playoffs.  Disappointment would once again find them though, this time courtesy a second-round defeat to the New York Rangers.  Crosby would score just once in the series, picking up two assists in a Game 4 victory. He was held off the scoresheet in the other five games.

2014 Sochi Winter Olympics

Named captain for the defending Olympic champions, Crosby scored a goal in the final as Canada captured their second consecutive gold medal in hockey with a 3-0 victory over Sweden in the championship game.
2014-15 Season

The New York Rangers would once again bring the Penguins season to an early end with a five-game, first-round triumph after the Penguins qualified for the postseason as a wild card team.  Crosby scored two goals in the Penguins only victory in the series and added two more points.

2015 World Championship

After the Penguins early playoff exit, Crosby joined Canada’s World Championship team. He was named captain and produced 11 points in nine games to become a member of the Triple Gold Club and lead Canada to its first title at the tournament since 2007.

2015-16 season

With a win Thursday night against the San Jose Sharks, Crosby and the Penguins will be Stanley Cup champions for the first time since 2009.

 

Editor’s Note: This is an updated story which was originally posted on May 25th when the Penguins were one win away from winning the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.