Rimouski Océanic and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) alumnus Sidney Crosby has been ranked No. 2 on the CHL’s Top 50 Players of the Last 50 Years list, a marquee initiative of the CHL’s 50th anniversary season.
Crosby’s placement at No. 2 makes him the highest-ranking active player on the CHL’s Top 50 Players of the Last 50 Years list. He ranks one spot ahead of Peterborough Petes and Soo Greyhounds (OHL) alumnus Wayne Gretzky, who was named No. 3, and two spots ahead of Erie Otters (OHL) alumnus Connor McDavid, who was ranked No. 4.
The countdown recognizes the greatest players from the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ontario Hockey League (OHL), and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) since 1975-76, celebrating the stars who have defined major junior hockey over the past five decades. As part of the initiative, a panel of media members first selected the Top 50 Players of the Last 50 Years. The final ranking order was then determined using a weighted formula that combined media and fan voting to rank the players from No. 1 through No. 50.
“I am honoured to be named to the ‘CHL’s Top 50 Players of the Last 50 Years’ list, especially knowing how many great players have come through the CHL,” said Crosby. “Some of my favourite memories playing hockey came during my time at Rimouski, and those years in the QMJHL helped prepare me for the NHL. I’m incredibly grateful for this acknowledgement, and thankful to all of the players, coaches, trainers and so many people who helped me along the way.”
Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his generation, Crosby’s rise to hockey stardom began in Rimouski, where he delivered one of the most dominant two-year runs in CHL history. Selected first overall by the Océanic in the 2003 QMJHL Draft, the Cole Harbour, N.S., product made an immediate impact, recording a hat trick in his first QMJHL game on Sept. 12, 2003.
As a 16-year-old rookie in 2003-04, Crosby recorded 135 points (54 goals and 81 assists) in 59 regular-season games, setting a QMJHL record for points by a 16-year-old and surpassing a mark that had stood for 30 years. He added another 16 points, including seven goals and nine assists, in nine playoff contests.
That season, Crosby was named CHL Rookie of the Year, CHL Player of the Year, CHL Top Scorer, QMJHL Rookie of the Year, QMJHL MVP, and earned spots on both the CHL and QMJHL First All-Star Teams. In capturing CHL Player of the Year honours in 2003-04, Crosby became the first-ever 16-year-old to win the award — a distinction that helped cement his place as the second-youngest recipient in its history, behind only Oshawa Generals and London Knights (OHL) alumnus John Tavares.
Crosby elevated his game again in 2004-05, serving as an alternate captain with Rimouski while recording 168 points (66 goals and 102 assists) in 62 regular-season games. He added 31 points, including 14 goals and 17 assists, in 13 playoff games as he led the Océanic to a QMJHL championship and was named QMJHL Playoff MVP.
At the 2005 Memorial Cup, Crosby helped Rimouski reach the final, led the event with 11 points — six goals and five assists — over five games to earn the Ed Chynoweth Trophy as the tournament’s leading scorer, and was named to the Memorial Cup All-Star Team.
Across two seasons with the Océanic, Crosby totalled 303 points — 120 goals and 183 assists — in 121 regular-season games, along with 47 points (21 goals and 26 assists) in 22 playoff contests.
Crosby is the only player in history to earn five CHL Awards, having been named CHL Rookie of the Year, a two-time CHL Player of the Year, and a two-time CHL Top Scorer. He is one of only two players to capture CHL Player of the Year honours twice, alongside Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL) product Alexis Lafrenière, and one of only two players to win the CHL Top Scorer Award in back-to-back seasons, alongside Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) alumnus Conor Garland.
He was also a two-time QMJHL MVP, winning the Michel-Brière Trophy in both 2003-04 and 2004-05, and a two-time CHL First All-Star Team and QMJHL First All-Star Team selection. In 2019, as part of the QMJHL’s 50th anniversary season, Crosby was selected as the No. 3 player in league history by a panel of distinguished members of the hockey community.
Following his CHL career, Crosby was selected first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2005 NHL Draft. Since then, he has built one of the most decorated careers in modern hockey history, winning three Stanley Cup championships with Pittsburgh in 2009, 2016, and 2017. In 2009, at 21 years, 10 months, and five days old, he became the youngest captain in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup, before later becoming one of only seven players in league history to capture multiple Conn Smythe Trophies after earning back-to-back playoff MVP honours in 2016 and 2017.
His NHL résumé also includes two Hart Trophies, two Art Ross Trophies, two Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies, three Ted Lindsay Awards, four NHL First All-Star Team selections, four NHL Second All-Star Team selections, and the Mark Messier Leadership Award. Named one of the NHL’s 100 Greatest Players in 2017, Crosby has continued to build on his legacy as one of nine players in league history to reach 1,700 points, one of only nine with 600-plus goals and 1,000-plus assists, and the NHL record holder for both the most total seasons and most consecutive campaigns averaging at least one point per game, with 21. He is also tied with Peterborough Petes (OHL) alumnus Steve Yzerman as the longest-serving captain in NHL history, at 19 seasons.
Internationally, Crosby has become one of Canada’s most accomplished players. He won gold at the 2005 IIHF World Junior Championship, Olympic gold in 2010 and 2014, the 2015 IIHF World Championship, the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, and the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. With his Stanley Cup, Olympic gold, and World Championship gold, Crosby is a member of the Triple Gold Club.
Crosby captained Canada to Olympic gold in 2014, captained Canada to World Championship gold in 2015, and captained Canada at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, where he led the tournament in scoring and was named MVP as Canada won gold. He was also named to Canada’s IIHF All-Time Team in 2020 as part of the 100th anniversary of the Ice Hockey World Championships.
