Sidney Crosby's 1000th game tonight: My Thoughts

I can't quite comprehend two things about tonight:

One is that Sid is playing in game number 1,000. I remember his first game, shift, and shot on goal like it was yesterday. October 5th, 2005 against the Devils. The same game Zach Parise made his NHL debut and Mario Lemieux took the opening face-off. Ryan Whitney was the Penguins up and coming young smooth skating D-man. Marc Recchi and John Leclair were the Pens veteran acquisitions to groom the young guns. Sergei Gonchar had come to the Pens to sure up the back end. It truly feels like a different life time ago.

The second is that it took until 2021 to do so. People forget just how much time he missed in his mid 20's with concussions problems (thank you David Steckel). I think we all forget just how much uncertainty there was about his future back in the early 2010's. It's amazing that he has been this durable and consistent as he's aged (knock on wood).

This blog isn't going to be me bragging about all the accolades and highlights that he has blessed Pens fans with over the years. This is more so a thank you from me. Thank you Sid for getting me into hockey, being my role model as a kid and teenager, and being an overall great role model for young hockey players to look up to.

I think it is well known that your favorite athlete right around 10-13 years old has the softest spot in your heart. For me, that is Sidney. I played roller and floor hockey as a really young kid up until I was 10 years old. I was too scared to go ice skating because I was afraid of falling. Mario Lemieux was my favorite athlete prior to Sid because, thankfully, that's how my Dad raised me. In 2005 when Sidney was drafted my dad hyped him up to me as I could not fully comprehend what kind of blessing the Penguins just got in the lottery. In 2005, I started skating lessons at Northwest Ice Rink over in Mount Washington right on the outskirts of Baltimore. I did it because I wanted to be like Sid. I sucked at first and wanted to quit after two weeks, but I always remember my Dad telling me to not give up if i wanted to be like Sid.

Thankfully, I stuck with it in large part because I wanted to wear Reebok pump skates and rock a two piece Sher-wood just like Sid. The game of hockey has given me so many blessings, friends, and opportunities that I never could have imagined as a kid. I owe 50% of that to my parents, but the other 50% to my inspiration, Sidney Crosby.

Thank you, Sid. Congrats on 1,000 and here's to many more.

PS: For a little throwback down memory lane, let's watch his first ever shift below with the wonderful Doc Emrick illustrating it. The names in this clip bring back all the feels.