BLOG: Crosby and Connor meet again

PITTSBURGH, PA -Crosby vs. Connor.
Although it's a matchup that has been seen several times over the last seven years, it's still a privilege to watch when two greats of their respective eras get together.
Sidney Crosby is closer to the conclusion of his Hall-of-Fame career than he is to the start now, but he continues to show why he is still among the best to ever do it. No longer 'The Kid,' the now 35-year-old still leads the Penguins in scoring with 68 points (25G, 43A) in 56 games. If he were to finish the year averaging at least a point per game like he has in all 17 seasons of his career, he would be one season back of Wayne Gretzky's NHL record of 19 point-per-game campaigns.
As for what makes Crosby as great and as consistent as ever, Oilers defenceman Cody Ceci has seen what it takes from up close.
"I think it's just his day-to-day work ethic. He's always coming to the rink, trying to get better, although he's one of the best to ever do it," Ceci said. "When you see a guy like that trying to get better, it just pushes everyone around them."

Ceci was a member of the Penguins back in 2020-21 and suited up for 53 games with the club. In that season, Crosby took part in an abbreviated campaign where he scored 62 points (24G, 38A) in 55 games, but it was enough for Ceci to see what kind of competitor that the Cole Harbour, NS native is.
It's a trait he sees in the NHL's current leading scorer in Connor McDavid.
"I've been lucky enough to play with both of them. They're both very passionate about the game. They both take it very seriously and I think that I mean, that shows why they're the best players in the world," Ceci said. "I mean, they're both very competitive guys and they want to win every night and it shows."
Stuart Skinner grew up watching Crosby at his best and has been a member of the Oilers organization while McDavid took the torch and blossomed into the league's best player. As for what he sees from the two that separate the two phenoms from the pack, it's an innate desire to reach and be the pinnacle of their profession.
"I think they both got that killer instinct. Looking at Sidney, he's always been that guy and that's who Connor is too, right? I think both guys in their career have showed the whole world how good they can be. Just that killer instinct of I'm going to be the best player on the ice, and I don't care what anyone else says," Skinner said. "That's what both of those guys do and that's why it's always so exciting to watch both of them go head-to-head, because you're seeing the best players in the world take the first faceoff and battle all night long. So, it's going to be a lot of fun tonight and it's nice that I get to kind of be a part of that."

Head Coach Jay Woodcroft has had the pleasure of coaching both Crosby and McDavid in his career behind the bench. Woodcroft was a member of Mike Babcock's Team Canada staff at the 2005 World Hockey Championship where a 17-year-old Crosby finished fourth in scoring on a team full of future Stanley Cup winners.
The coach shared his feelings on two players who have reached hockey's zenith for nearly the last 20 years.
"I think the first thing I would say is both are students of the game and both are unbelievably hard workers. They're constantly looking to evolve or find edges, so they're not staying in the same place, their game evolves," Woodcroft said. "I think to witness head-to-head matchups -- I got to see the very first one when I was an assistant coach here in Edmonton -- I think usually top players get up for playing against other top players, and certainly those are two of the best in the game."
"I would be remiss to think that dressing room over there is solely just Sidney Crosby," he added. "They got a lot of really good hockey players that we need to pay attention to and build a game plan around, and certainly our team and our people will be ready for that Penguins team."