Penguins' Sidney Crosby Closes in on Legend with Milestone Assist

Crosby's 1,100th career assist moves him up the NHL's all-time list as he continues his climb among the league's greats.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 9:54pm

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In a high-scoring 8-3 win over the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby recorded his 1,100th career assist, becoming just the eighth player in NHL history to reach that milestone. Crosby's two assists on the night also moved him closer to passing Steve Yzerman for seventh on the league's all-time points list.

Why it matters

Crosby's continued ascent up the NHL's career leaderboards cements his status as one of the greatest players of his generation. As he chases down more legendary names, his performance remains elite, underscoring his sustained dominance over an illustrious 18-year career.

The details

Crosby's first assist of the night came on a game-tying goal by Ryan Shea that sparked a seven-goal outburst for the Penguins. His second helper was on the final goal of the 8-3 win, a pass to Bryan Rust. Crosby now sits at 1,753 career points, just three shy of passing Yzerman for seventh all-time. He's also closing in on other milestones, including passing Joe Thornton for seventh in career assists and Brendan Shanahan for 14th in goals.

  • Crosby recorded his 1,100th career assist on March 31, 2026.
  • Earlier this season, Crosby surpassed Mario Lemieux as the Penguins' franchise points leader and moved up the NHL's all-time points list.

The players

Sidney Crosby

The captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Crosby is an 18-year NHL veteran and one of the greatest players of his generation. He is climbing the league's all-time leaderboards in several statistical categories.

Ryan Shea

A Penguins forward who scored a game-tying goal that sparked Pittsburgh's comeback in the win over the Islanders.

Anthony Mantha

A Penguins forward who scored two quick goals to give Pittsburgh a 5-3 lead in the third period.

Bryan Rust

A Penguins forward who scored the final goal of the game, assisted by Crosby's 1,100th career assist.

Steve Yzerman

The legendary Detroit Red Wings captain who Crosby is close to passing on the NHL's all-time points list.

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What’s next

Crosby and the Penguins will next face the Detroit Red Wings, as Crosby continues his pursuit of Yzerman on the NHL's all-time points list.

The takeaway

Crosby's continued excellence and climb up the NHL's career leaderboards cement his status as one of the greatest players of his era. Even as he chases down more legendary names, his performance remains elite, underscoring his sustained dominance over an 18-year career.