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Sidney Crosby Dethrones Wayne Gretzky for Impressive Piece of NHL History

Karl Rasmussen

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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Sidney Crosby got on the scoresheet early during the Pittsburgh Penguins' game against the Bufflao Sabres on Thursday, scoring a goal midway through the first period.

In doing so, he surpassed Wayne Gretzky to take sole possession of an impressive NHL record. The goal was Crosby's 26th of the season and he's now up to 80 points. Thus, he's officially secured another season averaging at least one point per game. It's his 20th season scoring at least one point per game, something no other player in league history has achieved.

Crosby hasn't had a single season with less than one point per game dating all the way back to his rookie year. In 81 games as an 18-year-old in 2005–06, Crosby put up 102 points, jumpstarting his prolific career in exciting fashion. Fast forward to his age-37 campaign, and he's hardly slowed down, still putting up superstar numbers after two decades as a pro.

Truly a jaw-dropping statistic for one of the game's all-time greats.

Gretzky, who holds a plethora of NHL records, averaged one point per game in 19 of his 20 seasons in the NHL. His final season in the league saw his streak snapped, as he logged 62 points in 70 games for the New York Rangers in 1998–99.

Now, Crosby stands alone in league history, having achieved one of the most difficult feats of consistency imaginable with his latest goal contribution.

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Karl Rasmussen
KARL RASMUSSEN

Karl Rasmussen is a staff writer for the Breaking and Trending News team for Sports Illustrated. A University of Oregon alum who joined SI in February 2023, his work has appeared on 12up and ClutchPoints. Rasmussen is a loyal Tottenham, Jets, Yankees and Ducks fan.

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