Ten years ago today: Pittsburgh Penguins select Sidney Crosby

PITTSBURGH — During the summer of 2005, both the Pittsburgh Penguins organization and the National Hockey League were in need of a revival.

The Pens were coming off of their worst season in 19 years after a 23-47 campaign in 2003-04. Then, the NHL lost the entire 2004-05 season when failed collective bargaining talks resulted in a lockout. Both the Penguins and NHL needed a touch of hope.

They got that hope on July 22, 2005 when they won the entry draft lottery.

Eight days later, then-General Manager Craig Patrick took the podium with the Penguins’ first overall selection, again, with a lucky four-leaf clover in his pocket.

With the luck of the Irish on their side, the Penguins selected Sidney Crosby, a 17-year-old who would eventually become the new face of the resurgent franchise and, arguably, the new face of the NHL.

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“It’s a very, very lucky day for our organization, our city and our fans worldwide,” Patrick said earnestly before announcing the selection.

The Penguins were immediately poised for long-term success and Crosby joined forces with two other future superstars in Evgeni Malkin (2004) and Marc-Andre Fleury (2003).

Despite enduring a rough 22-46 season in 2005-06, the Penguins astronomically rose to prominence in the years that followed, more than doubling those numbers in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Crosby himself enjoyed a spectacular rise to elite status as an individual, earning both the Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP) and the Art Ross Trophy (leading scorer) in his second season.

People were beginning to notice, and fast.

In 2009, nearly four years after making the pivotal gamble on the star now referred to as ‘the kid,’ the Penguins finally received their payday, as Crosby led the franchise to their third Stanley Cup Championship.

Since then, the Penguins have remained one of the league’s top teams. The trio of Malkin, Fleury and, of course, Crosby, continues to deliver a decade after their formation.

Ten years later, both the Pittsburgh Penguins and the National Hockey League can thank that lucky four-leaf clover Craig Patrick kept with him on draft day. However, it isn’t simply just the luck of the Irish that they should thank; it is also thanks hard work of a Canadian that turned the course of history for this Pittsburgh franchise.

It’s been ten years and Sidney Crosby has proven over the long haul that this kid is the real deal.

WPXI