Penguins’ Sidney Crosby ties Phil Esposito for 10th on NHL all-time points list

Crosby’s assist on Drew O’Connor’s goal in the first period was his 999th career helper, meaning the next one will put him at 1,000. He would become just the 14th player in NHL history to reach the 1,000-assist milestone.

Entering the third period of the game, the Penguins were up 4-3 over the Red Wings. The two teams both have 84 points and are one point behind the Washington Capitals for the No. 2 Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The 36-year-old Crosby now has 41 goals and 47 assists for 88 points in 79 games with the Penguins this season. With two more points, Crosby would have eight career seasons with 90 or more points.

Earlier this month, Crosby had a three-point outing in a 5-2 win over the New York Rangers, tying him with Wayne Gretzky with his 19th consecutive point-per-game season.

Before the game, Crosby went one-on-one with Daily Faceoff’s Jonny Lazarus to discuss how the game has grown through his near-two decades as the face of the NHL.

Earlier this week, the National Hockey League Players’ Association released its 2023-24 edition of its annual Player Poll, and for the fifth consecutive season, Crosby was named the most complete player in the league by his peers with nearly 40 percent of the vote.