Hockey World Championship 2025: The story of Canadian hockey icon Sidney Crosby
Stockholm. It’s like the last rock star tour. Where it comes, causes trouble. People want to see him, they want to take a picture with him, and he willingly likes to do it, because he knows that there will be not many such opportunities.
Sidney Crosby fills at MS in hockey 2025 The role of the ambassador. Not only the Canadian team, but hockey overall.
We can write, and we will not exaggerate that one of the best hockey players of history has arrived in Sweden. His list of awards is long and perhaps there is no trophy that Crosby would not win.
Already after his arrival to Stockholm, he attracted attention. Canada’s first training was watched by many people – dozens of journalists who were willing to wait for a 37 -year -old legend to ask at least one question, but also a few Slovak hockey players. They will start a match against Canada on Saturday from 20:20.
Canada won all the previous matches – against Slovenia (4: 0), Latvia (7: 1), France (5: 0) and Austria (5: 1). The team captain scored five points for two goals and three assists.
Crosby came several times in a mixzone, willing to answer all sorts of questions for a long time.
When journalists asked him why he was playing in Sweden’s championship, he replied without hesitation: « I just love hockey. And whenever I have a chance to represent Canada, it’s exceptional. »
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From a junior star to the top
Sidney Crosby was born in Cole Harbor, New Scotland in the province. If Canada is referred to as « hockey cradle », Crosby was really born in it.
Since childhood he was considered a hockey miracle, he knew to skate as a three -year -old. His talent was evident. At the age of twelve he scored more than 200 goals in one season. It wasn’t long before it became the center of the attention of the hockey world.
At the junior age he played behind the Rimouski Oceanic team in QMJHL, where he dominated almost every match. In two seasons he scored 303 points in the competition. With the Canadian twenty he won gold before the draft to the NHL and many described it as the successor of Wayne Gretzký.
In Canada, he had the intrepid star status before he entered the best league in the world. His name became part of the pop culture and the most valuable item of the entertainment industry.
Already when he was 16, he signed his first sponsorship agreement with the Gatorade drink manufacturer. He earned twice as much as Pepsi paid established NHL players José Théodor and Todd Bertuzzi together
When Pittsburgh Penguins reached for him in 2005, many knew it would be a jackpot.
Soon he became the face of the whole league, on the ice he was an A -star. Not only for its hockey skills, but also leading skills. He was sewn on the jersey in Pittsburgh in 2007.
A year later, he lifted his first of Stanley’s three cups over his head. He won two more in 2016 and 2017.
It has already had difficult moments. Crosby in 2011 almost lost his career for a concussion that finally cost him more than 100 matches. During this period, he examined this type of injury and spoke to doctors on so many occasions that he was essentially an expert on this topic.
His experience has changed the way NHL and hockey are generally looking at these injuries. Enlightenment has increased, diagnosis has improved and stricter rules have been introduced.
He added a number of individual trophies to team awards in 21 years-twice he was the most productive player and twice the best scorer of the competition, as well as the most useful player of the regular season and playoffs.
He also won the Ted Lindsay Award as the best hockey player according to the voting of players or Mark Messier Leadership Award for leadership qualities.
In the Penguins jersey he played 1352 matches with 1687 (652+1065) points. He is the ninth most productive player of all time.
The thirty -seven -year -old striker plays his third world championships, one won (2015).
At the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, he decided a « golden goal » on Canada in the final against the US. He also won the gold at the Olympics in Sochi 2014. He is also a member of the Triple Gold Club, which includes hockey players with a gold medal from the Winter Olympics, the title of World Champion and Stanley Cup.
In February with a selection of Canada won the 4 Nations Face-off tournament and did not rule out that it will start at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan.
« I have it somewhere in my head. It’s a huge opportunity. We couldn’t play at the Olympics for a long time, so it will be something special, » he said after one of the matches in Stockholm.
When journalists asked him where he was taking motivation and what drives him forward even at a higher sports age, he reiterated that he loves hockey. « That’s the main reason. »
We know about Crosby that he is polite outside the ice, but it can also be malicious. His game often moves on a thin line between genius and insidiousness. He can be a leader, elegance and a cunning – all in one alternation.
Several rivals admitted that Crosby was able to completely dismiss them with their comments or random interventions and « axes », which remained overlooked by the referees.
As the biggest star, similar offenses have been forgiven many times. And it makes him an unpleasant but extremely effective player.
No superh star
After more than twenty years in the center of attention, the public still knows very little about his identity outside the ice rink. We know he’s obsessed with hockey.
We know he is deeply tied to his hometown and his family. We know that he likes fishermen, he is studying the history of World War II and is a fan of Toronto Blue Jays baseball team.
While other sports superstars lead excessively rich and luxury life, Crosby is the opposite.
Sidney Crosby during the Hockey World Championship 2025. (Author: TASR)
Despite the fact that he is one of the best -paid hockey players in the world for a long time and its property is estimated between $ 75 to 100 million, he lives modestly. Since the beginning of his career, he has also guarded sponsors and avoided spectacular collaborations.
He does not have social networks and his privacy is very little known. Nor does he share his political beliefs or attitudes to social issues with the public.
In 2009 he founded Sidney Crosby Foundation, which supports children’s charities.
Crosby is an anti-whole-celebrity that we never know as we know most of the other superstars.
When you ask him former or current teammates, everyone describes him as a « boy from next to » who willingly throws the stick on the ground when the teams are divided on the street in front of the house.
