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Sidney Crosby has been recognized by his peers, being named a finalist for the player’s MVP award, the Ted Lindsay. From the Pens:
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has been named one of three finalists for the Ted Lindsay Award, it was announced today by the National Hockey League.
The award is presented annually “to the most outstanding player in the NHL,” as voted on by fellow members of the NHL Players Association. He joins Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Toronto’s Auston Matthews as a finalist for the award.
The 33-year-old Crosby, who already has three Ted Lindsay Awards to his name (2006-07, 2012-13, 2013-14), is looking to join Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky as the only players in NHL history to receive the award four or more times.
Crosby finished the 2020-21 campaign ranked 10th in league scoring with a team-high 62 points (24G-38A) in 55 games, helping Pittsburgh to its 15th-consecutive postseason appearance - the longest active streak among North-American professional sports leagues.
The captain’s 1.13 points-per-game average was 11th highest in the NHL, as he averaged at least a point per game in each of his first 16 NHL seasons. Only Gretzky (19) has started his career with more consecutive point-per-game seasons, and only Gretzky (19) and Gordie Howe (17) have accomplished this feat more than Crosby.
Crosby also had the distinction of hitting the 20-goal plateau for the 13th time in his career, surpassing Mario Lemieux (12) and Evgeni Malkin (12) for the most 20-goal seasons in team history, while also leading the team in points for the 11th time in his career, tying him with Lemieux (11) for most such instances in franchise history.
The other finalists are Toronto’s Austin Matthews, who led the NHL with 41 goals and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid, who put up an eye-popping 105 points in the shortened 56 game season.
It’s widely expected that McDavid will win the award for his remarkable season, but at age-33 it’s impressive that Crosby is hanging tough and remaining on the fringe of MVP awards. Especially one where the voters are his fellow NHL players.