On October 21, 2025, Sidney Crosby claimed a record once thought to be unbreakable. With 1,896 regular season and playoff points, he became the all-time franchise leader in scoring for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The great Mario Lemieux is in second place.
Related: Sidney Crosby passes Mario Lemieux for most points in Penguins franchise history
That got me thinking about an old discussion about Tom Brady. When you break it downthe National Football League (NFL) quarterback had three Hall of Fame careers in one. With three Super Bowl titles between 2000 and 2006, that timeline is a no-brainer. From 2007 to 2013, he was voted the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) twice and appeared in two Super Bowls. He then won four more titles and another MVP Award from 2014 until his retirement.
The same can be applied to Crosby. He is, for all intents and purposes, the NHL’s version of ‘TB12’.
Crosby’s first Hall of Fame career: 2003–04 to 2009–10
NHL statistics (including playoffs): 433 games played, 213 goals, 375 assists, 588 points (most), plus-67 rating
Accolades: 3x NHL All-Star, 1x Olympic Gold Medal, 1x Stanley Cup, 1x Hart Trophy, 1x Art Ross Trophy, 1x Ted Lindsay Award, 1x Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, 1x Stanley Cup Playoffs Scoring Title, 1x World Championship Scoring Title, 1x World Junior Championship Gold Medal, 1x Mark Messier Leadership Award
Crosby began his journey to the Hall of Fame before he was even drafted. He was so dominant as a 16-year-old in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) that he represented Canada at the World Junior Championship for players under 20. By his second trip in 2004–05 – again, before being called up – ‘Sid the Kid’ was already one of the team’s most prolific producers, with six goals in as many games.
From the time he made his Penguins debut in 2005-06 through 2009-10, Crosby’s numbers and accolades were already legendary. The league’s best overall points scorer, a Stanley Cup win just under four calendar years after being drafted first overall, and perhaps the most memorable goal in hockey history– that’s worth an induction into the Hall of Fame.
Crosby’s second Hall of Fame career: 2010–11 to 2015–16
NHL Stats: 398 games played, 174 goals, 313 assists, 487 points (most points per game; minimum 100 games played), plus-92 rating
Accolades: 2x Ted Lindsay Award, 2x NHL All-Star, 1x Olympic Gold Medal, 1x Stanley Cup, 1x Conn Smythe Trophy, 1x Hart Trophy, 1x Art Ross Trophy, 1x World Championship Gold Medal
This is around the time that concussions really occur began to influence Crosby’s careerbecause he missed a lot of time. But the statistics speak for themselves. If you take out Pavel Zacha’s two points in one game, Crosby’s point-per-game pace between 2010-11 and 2015-16 (still including the playoffs) is the highest in the NHL. Of course you want a larger sample size than 398 games, but being the best player in the world for six seasons is no small feat.
When you add in an Olympic gold medal, a Stanley Cup, a Conn Smythe Trophy, a Hart Trophy, an Art Ross Trophy and more, the resume seems worthy of induction into the Hall of Fame. Crosby was the face of hockey for half a decade and backed it up with his play on the ice.
Crosby’s third Hall of Fame career: 2016–17 to present
NHL Stats: 708 games played, 313 goals, 508 assists, 821 points (eighth), plus-58 rating
Accolades: 5x NHL All-Star, 1x Stanley Cup, 1x Conn Smythe Trophy, 1x Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, 1x World Cup Gold Medal, 1x World Cup Scoring Title, 1x 4 Nations Face-Off Gold Medal
Crosby is in the midst of his third Hall of Fame career. At this stage his numbers are not far off those of someone who Actually achieved hockey’s version of eternal glory: Eric Lindros. He was a player notoriously stifled by injury, retiring with 922 points in 813 games and zero Stanley Cups. So with that in mind this is easier to argue.
While Crosby’s eighth-most points in the league are less impressive than his previous two careers, winning the Stanley Cup, the Conn Smythe Trophy and two international gold medals are helping him. That means winning big, and he did it while being one of the best producers in the sport.
Other than Wayne Gretzky, there aren’t many players you can do this drill with – maybe one or two. Crosby isn’t just a Hall of Famer: he’s a three-time Hall of Famer.
Statistics courtesy of How muchHockey
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