The Pittsburgh Penguins are three games into the 2025-26 ride, which has already been bumpy. They opened with a convincing win over the New York Rangers, took a 6-1 punch in the rematch on Saturday, and then fell narrowly to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. Through it all, Sidney Crosby keeps delivering. At 37, he has four points in three games, and his latest helpers pushed him closer to another milestone.
How Did Sidney Crosby Move Into Ninth on the NHL Assists List?
The Penguins entered this campaign after missing the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, and their struggles show no signs of ending.
However, while the results have been uneven, the captain keeps adding to his legacy. With two assists against the Ducks, he passed former Detroit Red Wings legend Steve Yzerman for ninth on the NHL’s all-time assists list. Crosby entered the game tied with Yzerman at 1,063 assists. At 7:14 of the first period, he set up Rickard Rakell for his 1,064th career assist, extending Pittsburgh’s lead to 2-0.
He assisted again in the second period to tie the game 3-3 after Anaheim had taken the lead. Anthony Mantha’s wrist shot completed the play. Despite Crosby’s steady play, Pittsburgh could not hold its early advantage.
Meanwhile, Pittsburgh surrendered the lead before the end of the first period. With just 90 seconds remaining in regulation, Parker Wotherspoon was called for a game delay, giving Anaheim a critical power play. The Ducks capitalized on the advantage to secure a 4-3 victory.
Crosby cemented his position among the game’s all-time greats despite the loss. His latest milestone moved him to ninth on the all-time points list with 1,691 points. He needs 16 more assists to pass Hall of Famer Adam Oates, 1,079, for eighth on the all-time assists list.
With 626 career goals, Crosby also sits 15 goals shy of cracking the top 15 all-time, which would move him past Dave Andreychuk. He trails franchise icon and former Penguins owner Mario Lemieux by just 32 points for eighth on the all-time points list.
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Lemieux finished his career with 1,723 points. While Crosby has already surpassed Lemieux, 1,033, in assists, he remains 64 goals behind the franchise legend. He maintains elite production and is on pace to pass Lemieux as Pittsburgh’s all-time points leader in 2025-26. The captain posted 91 points in 2024-25, making the milestone well within reach. While overtaking Lemieux’s franchise goal record appears unlikely, Crosby should claim the all-time points mark.
His next opportunity to get closer to that record will come on Thursday as the Penguins face the Los Angeles Kings on another road trip.
