Penguins Captain Named Top 100 Athlete of Century

The Pittsburgh Penguins star topped the list for NHL players.

Apr 11, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) prepares to take a face-off against the Detroit Red Wings during the first period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Recently ESPN released a ranking of the top athletes of the 21st century, and the NHL was not represented strongly. Spanning the entire athletic field, the list was comprehensive and unsurprisingly, the NHL's best over the last 24 years were overlooked in favor of nearly every other sport in the world.

One NHL player managed to make it into the top 25 of the list, which feels like a huge win for the league, Pittsburgh Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby came in at 22nd on ESPN's list. Discussing Crosby's ranking, Kristen Shilton wrote about how important to the game and league he's been.

Crosby's teammate Kris Letang recalled how, in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final against the San Jose Sharks, Crosby vowed that he and Letang would team up on the "biggest goal" of the night. They wound up connecting for a game winner that secured Pittsburgh's fourth Cup in franchise history. Letang was understandably stunned by Crosby's fortune-telling prowess on such a large stage. But Crosby impresses in the smaller moments, too. Former linemate Conor Sheary recalled Crosby assuring him when they were paired together that Sheary was "there for a reason and to play my game." It was the sort of calming presence Sheary needed from Crosby and a gesture he has never forgotten.

- Kristen Shilton

Crosby entered the NHL during the 2005-2006 season as an 18 year-old rookie. He scored 100 points in his first season, and quickly established himself as the best player in the league and a spirited rivalry with Alex Ovechkin.

At age 21, Crosby won his first of three Stanley Cups with the Penguins. Now entering his age-37 season, he's the 10th highest scorer in NHL history. He's won every major individual and team award on the NHL and international scale and been the standard of hockey players for the last two decades.

Two other NHL players also appeared on the list. Ovechkin placed 54th on the list and Connor McDavid was ranked 98th.

The low number of the NHL's best players on this list represents how little global impact the league has compared to leagues like the NFL, MLB, or FIFA, which all have significantly higher international appeal. While hockey is played all-around the world, the popularity and accessibility of the sport remains low relative to other team sports.

Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, and Connor McDavid are excellent choices for the top NHL players of the 21st century. There won't be much disagreement about that. The bigger issue is that the game wants to expand, but can't. Here's hoping that the list of the next century's top athletes has more than three NHL players on it.