Penguins' Sidney Crosby breaks impressive Wayne Gretzky record

Here is a look at the goal that put him over the mark.

Because Crosby missed two games earlier this season, he will only play in a maximum of 80 games this season, meaning he only needed to reach the 80-point mark this season to achieve the record.

While this may not be a record that was on most hockey fans' radar, it is still an impressive accomplishment and a testament to how great and consistent Crosby has been throughout his future Hall of Fame career. Especially when Crosby played a significant portion of his career in one of the lowest-scoring eras in league history, when only a handful of players were able to reach the point-per-game mark.

It was significantly more common during Gretzky's era.

Just consider: Since the start of Crosby's career (the 2005-06 season) there have only been 16 players in the NHL who have appeared in at least 500 games and averaged more than a point per game. 

There were 41 during Gretzky's career between the 1979-80 and 1998-99 seasons.  

Crosby is still under contract for two more seasons with the Penguins, and he has shown no real sign of slowing down offensively. It is entirely possible he can run his total to at least 22 point-per-game seasons in his career. 

Another Gretzky record could fall this season in the coming weeks if Washington Capitals forward — and longtime Crosby nemesis — Alex Ovechkin can score six more goals to break the all-time goal-scoring record.

It would be fitting if it happened. Crosby and Ovechkin both entered the NHL in the same season, were met with enormous expectations and have not only consistently met them, but have exceeded them. They still are to do this day, even at ages where most players are either already retired or slowing down. They just keep going.