Crosby Named Penguins' 2020-21 Team MVP and Players' Player Award Winner
Pittsburgh Penguins captainSidney Crosbyhas been selected by his teammates as the recipient of the team's Most Valuable Player Award presented by PPG, and the Players' Player Award presented by UPMC, for the 2020-21 season.
This is Crosby's ninth Team MVP recognition, trailing only Mario Lemieux (12) for the most in team history. This also marks the captain's third Players' Player Award selection, also having won the award in 2017-18 and '18-19.
The Players' Player Award is voted on by the players for the player they feel exemplifies leadership for the team both on and off the ice, and who is dedicated to teamwork.
In his 16th season, the 33-year-old Crosby leads Pittsburgh with 60 points and 37 assists while adding a team-high tying 23 goals. The captain is on pace to lead the team in scoring for the 11th time in his career, tying Lemieux for the most such seasons in franchise history. Currently, his 60 points are the eighth-most in the NHL.
Crosby has averaged a point per game or higher (1.13 PTS/GM) for the 16th straight season, trailing only Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe for the most seasons with a point per game or higher in league history. Only Gretzky (19) and Crosby started their careers with 16-consecutive point-per-game seasons.
With 20-plus goals for a 13th season, Crosby also passed Lemieux (12) for the most 20-goal seasons in Penguins history.
Other milestones reached this season for the Novia Scotia native include becoming the first Penguin to play in 1,000 games with the team on February 20 against the Islanders and becoming the eighth-fastest player in NHL history to notch 1,300 points on March 25 versus Buffalo.
The month of March treated Crosby well as he was honored as the East Division's Star of the Month. Crosby was a driving force behind Pittsburgh's league-high (tied) 12 wins in March, helping the team to a 12-3-1 record which stands as the third-best calendar month of March in franchise history. He finished the month with a team-best 21 points (7G-14A) and was plus-7 in 15 games. His 21 points were tied for fifth in the NHL in March.