“His record is something that will probably never be broken,” Letang said. “We always say that, but eventually, it happens. But for a long time, I don’t think anybody saw that it would be broken, and he was able to do it. The people of Pittsburgh that saw those 20 years, the rivalry and everything he was able to do across the League, you just have respect for a guy like that.”
Crosby has been equally vital. In 1,419 games, he has 1,761 points (654 goals, 1,107 assists), seventh in NHL history and the most among active players ahead of Ovechkin (1,684 points; 928 goals, 756 assists in 1,570 games), who is 10th in NHL history. His 21 straight seasons averaging at least a point per game are a League record.
Together, Crosby and Ovechkin have won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP five times (Ovechkin, three; Crosby, two), the Art Ross Trophy as points leader three times (Crosby, two; Ovechkin, one), the Rocket Richard Trophy as goals leader 11 times (Ovechkin, nine; Crosby, two), the Ted Lindsay Award as MVP voted on by the NHL Players’ Association six times (three each) and the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs three times (Crosby, two; Ovechkin, one). Ovechkin won the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year with 106 points (52 goals, 54 assists), besting Crosby (102 points; 39 goals, 63 assists).
“The emotion will be pretty high,” Letang said. “Obviously, it’s a rivalry that started when Sid and Ovi walked into the League, but it kind of never disappeared. It was always there. Every single one of those games, whether it was the first one of the year or the playoffs, the intensity and emotion was always really high. When you kind of sit down and try to reflect on all those things, you can appreciate what it was and the quality of the play on the ice with all these guys on the ice at the same time.
“It was pretty cool. If you don’t get to see it again, I’m pretty sure guys will be emotional about it.”
On his end, Crosby doesn’t seem to be teetering on retirement. He’s likely to play beyond a two-year, $17.4 million contract ($8.7 million AAV) that runs through next season.
