Crosby breaks Lemieux’s longevity record with 18th season for Penguins

PITTSBURGH– Sydney Crosby is poised to break another record set by Mario Lemieux.

The center begins its 18th season with the Pittsburgh Penguins hosting the Arizona Coyotes at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday (7:00 p.m. ET; ATTSN-PT, BSAZ, ESPN+, SN NOW).

Lemieux played 17 with the Penguins.

“I don’t think about it much, to be honest,” Crosby said. “I feel privileged to be able to play in the NHL every year. You just appreciate the opportunity you have to do what you love every day. One hopes to be able to do this for as long as possible.”

Crosby said his main focus is on winning. Still, overtaking Lemieux in some capacity deserves some attention.

“It’s something special,” Linemate Jake Guentzel said. “Just the longevity in the league and playing at a high level for so long is very unique. That doesn’t happen that often. We see it every day how hard he works and what he brings to this team.

“It’s obviously a pretty cool performance. But I know he has many more years ahead of him.”

Crosby’s 1,108 games is the most in Penguins history ahead of Evgeni Malkin (981). Kris Letang (941) and Lemieux (915). The captain is second to Lemieux in goals (619 to 517), assists (1,033 to 892) and points (1,723 to 1,409).

At 35, Crosby doesn’t seem to have slowed down.

Crosby had 84 points (31 goals, 53 assists) in 69 games last season following offseason wrist surgery. The 1.22 points per game was his highest since he had 1.30 in 2013/14.

If Crosby has a similar average, he could score at least 91 points to reach 1,500 this season. Fourteen players in NHL history have reached that mark, led by Wayne Gretzky’s 2,857. He may also pass Jaromir Jagr (10) and tie Lemieux (11) for the highest-30-goal season in Penguins history.

“Honestly, I don’t even know what to say,” Letang said. “The hockey stuff, everybody sees it. He’s probably in the top five players of all time.”

That’s high praise. Guentzel went even further after saying that at 28 he can’t remember the pre-Crosby penguins.

“Player of the generation. The best player that has ever played,” said Guentzel. “You’re still in awe of him to this day when you see him. Just an incredible guy and an incredible player who we’re fortunate to have as a leader.”

Crosby will tie Joe Sakic’s 16 seasons with the Colorado Avalanche/Quebec Nordiques as the second-most NHL captain on a team. With the Detroit Red Wings, he follows youth idol Steve Yzerman at 19.

But the names Crosby can join aren’t limited to ice hockey; He will have three fewer seasons than Willie Stargell (21 for the Pittsburgh Pirates) for most in Pittsburgh professional sports history.

Just like Crosby with the Penguins, Roberto Clemente and Honus Wagner played 18 seasons with the Pirates. Ben Roethlisberger retired on Jan. 27 after his 18th with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“This is elite society,” said Penguins coach Mike Sullivan. “It’s just a testament to Sid’s career. He deserves to be in this company.”

Crosby, Malkin and Letang will make more history on Thursday. The core three will compete in their 17th season together, the most of any three teammates in the history of major North American sports. Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera also played 17 seasons for the New York Yankees.

“When you’ve had the experience of winning together and getting through tougher times and also being at the top, you appreciate everything you’re going through,” Letang said. “It’s something special. It’s something we’ll have together for the rest of our lives. To have a chance to make it even stronger and try to win, that would still be special.”

Crosby, like Letang, said he hasn’t taken for granted most of the past two decades since he was picked No. 1 in the 2005 NHL draft.

“You go through a lot of different things, on and off the ice,” Crosby said. “I think this place was really special. [It] Farther. I am very thankful and thankful that I was drafted here. it would have [gone] in a lot of different ways, especially when it’s a lottery and stuff like that.

“The fact that I’ve been able to play as long as I’ve been here, have some great memories and make some great friendships can hopefully do more of that.”