The Next One.
That is the heavy label that superstar center Sidney Crosby has had to carry since arriving as the savior of the Pittsburgh Penguins franchise in 2005. Crosby arrived the year that followed the lost season and is emblematic of the growth of the NHL since that dark period.
The NHL was badly damaged by its darkest era in history, with boring games that were full of zone trap defenses and a level of clutching and grabbing that suffocated all that was great about the game. The game was so unwatchable in those days that ESPN dropped it like a hot potato due to a cataclysmic drop in ratings. But then came Crosby, who has helped lead the game’s resurgence.
The Next One
The Penguins were struggling to come out of bankruptcy when Crosby arrived. Much like current Pens owner Mario Lemieux had to do in 1984 as the top overall pick in the NHL Draft, Crosby had to put the franchise on his 18-year-old shoulders and carry it. His 39-goal rookie season ignited the Penguins fan base and brought the fans back. Local TV ratings have since grown to be the best of all USA teams and the new Consol Energy Center is state of the art. Pittsburgh has a string of 360 consecutive sellouts. The Penguins have a Stanley Cup Championship with Crosby and are now among the most valuable franchises in the game. He has more than fulfilled his role as the Next One that followed Lemieux as a Pittsburgh icon and NHL legend.
Something Missing
Crosby has been one of the most dominant players in the game but this year there seems to be something missing. Sure, he still has 15 goals and 36 assists to lead the team, but the level of dominance of past seasons has been missing. Last year’s playoff debacle against the New York Rangers, in which Pittsburgh blew a 3-2 series lead, seemed to be the beginning of Crosby’s decline, Crosby had little support but also failed to capitalize on what opportunities that he did have.
Now in his ninth season, Crosby is likely starting to feel the strain of having to carry a franchise while helping the game grow back out from its dark ages of the Dead Puck era. Few players could have succeeded at serving two masters the way Crosby has had to do.
Pittsburgh lost six out of eight before the All Star Break. It is indicative of a team and a star that no longer dominant as they did in the past.
