VIII. THE DRAFT

Sidney had earned his ticket out of the QMJHL.

Even without the Memorial Cup, he’d accomplished more than most players ever would. He had scoring titles, shelves full of awards, and the President’s Cup. “He’s outgrown the league and I don’t mean any disrespect to the Canadian Hockey League,” said Pierre McGuire of TSN. “Sidney Crosby is that good” [The Story of…, p. 22].

The path forward was unclear. 

“Sidney is ready to move on to the next level,” said Pat Brisson. “We just don’t know where that might be right now” [Taking the Game…, p. 177]. The NHL and NHLPA seemed to be in deadlock again, and time was running out for Sidney’s supposed draft to take place. Every time he was asked about the draft he emphasized that it was out of his control, though there was “no hiding [the] fact” that he wanted to go first overall [306].

“It’s not something new, having to make big decisions after a season. It’s always been like that for me whether it was midget to junior. Obviously it’s on a bigger scale now, but really those decisions when I was younger were for the rest of my life, life-changing decisions. This one, in a way, might be a little better because anywhere you can go up is a good thing.” - Sidney Crosby [209]

Gilles Courteau, the QMJHL commissioner, had designs to keep Sidney in the Q. Courteau informed the press that all major junior players signed standard, binding contracts through the age of 19. According to Courteau, with the NHL non-operational, Sidney was obligated to return to Rimouski for at least another year of hockey with the Océanic [209, Taking the Game…, p. 177].

Sidney said he was unaware of such a contract. Pat Brisson acknowledged the contract existed, but said that in the present CBA-less, Wild West hockey environment, the contract could be challenged. “I think the way Gilles is handling the situation, he’s approaching it on a contractual standpoint based on what it had done in the past,” Brisson argued. “You can’t stop an 18-year-old from earning a living. It’s illogical to think that he would go back to Rimouski at this point. As a 17-year-old, he’s leading the league by 45 points. He’s ready for the next step” [206].

Europe was a likely candidate—Brisson was conducting preliminary negotiations with teams in Sweden and Switzerland, and also talked with teams in Russia. Even if the NHL resumed operations, it was becoming clear that playing in Europe could be more lucrative for Sidney [17]. The NHL was targeting rookie contracts in their negotiations, looking to scale back expenses. In media coverage of the lockout, Sidney was “already cited as the individual who likely stood to be hurt more than any other by the coming collective agreement” [Taking the Game…, p. 140-141].

Europe would give him better competition than the Q and would pay him more handsomely than even the NHL. It seemed like a clear-cut decision, but that didn’t earn Sidney any sympathy from the media. He was called a “mercenary,” as if he was wielding the superstar power foisted upon him by a hockey-hungry country to hike his asking price. His fellow hockey players were more sympathetic. “It’s not that he thinks he’s too good,” said Ryan O’Marra of the OHL’s Erie Otters. “At this point, he’s proven he’s too good. He’s just in a different class from the rest of us. They’re saying that if he went to Europe he’d be setting a precedent for other juniors to go over there. I know it’s not something that would work for me” [Taking the Game…, p. 188]

Public speculation became increasingly unhinged. Some theorized that if the lockout kept NHL players from competing in the 2006 Turin Olympics, Canada might send Sidney [183]. Others said that NHL executives would resort to underhanded tricks to better their chances of landing Sidney, like delaying the 2005 draft to rig their chances in a theoretical 2006 draft [159]. 

It had long been suspected that Sidney would be courted by an AHL team. When asked during the President’s Cup Finals if he’d been approached by the Toronto Marlies—the Maple Leafs’ farm team—Sidney “curtly” said, “No, no, no” [200]. 

“He’s a coach’s dream. I’m sure the NHL is going to have some problems sorting out this entry draft to see who gets him because that’s the kind of guy you build your team around for the next 15 years.” - Peter DeBoer, Canadian National Junior Team assistant coach [318]

Sidney flew out to Los Angeles to work out with Mario Lemieux again—arranged once more by Pat Brisson, who wanted to keep Sidney sharp before the draft—and in a stroke of irony, Sidney was seated next to Pittsburgh Penguins TV reporter Dan Potash on the flight. Potash hadn’t recognized Sidney at first, but he clocked Sidney’s enormous hockey gear bag under the seat and made polite conversation until Sidney divulged who he was. “He was just a regular guy,” said Potash. “And we talked about all kinds of stuff, from where he grew up to where I grew up and about Pittsburgh. We finally land and I say, ‘Hey, man, I wish you the best of luck. I’m sure whatever the NHL has in store for you, I’ll see you at some point down the line’” [166].

California offered Sidney more than just workout opportunities this time around. Sidney talked at length with a movie producer named Jerry Bruckheimer, a friend of Brisson’s [314]. Though nothing would come of it, Sidney’s fame had made life surreal for the entire Crosby family. “It’s difficult because you get people coming to your house… knocking on the door,” said Troy Crosby. “Sometimes it’s unnerving... you get phone calls from strangers. We have a daughter, she’s nine years old, so you have to watch out. You just never know. Sometimes people know your whole history about you because of the media, they read about you, they know a lot about your family and things. Our privacy’s kind of not there no more, so, it is a little different but we’re not complaining about it” [7].

Sidney was used to it. “I have been through a lot of it, especially in the last couple of years,” he said, “and I’ll never say anything surprises me. It has gone pretty well, having experienced all of it” [314].

In June, the NHL and NHLPA began meeting again, determined to find a resolution [103]. The NHL wasn’t willing to let Sidney slip through their fingers—he was to be “the poster boy to relaunch the future of the league following the disastrous lockout” [314]. With the resumed bargaining talks came a grain of hope, and the NHL began to shake off the rust, starting with the draft combine.

On June 4, 2005, Sidney limped through the tests at the NHL Central Scouting Service’s draft combine. The combine, three days of physical tests and personal interviews conducted by NHL teams, had drawn its largest media crowd ever thanks to the lockout [104, 108, 3:48]. The draft had been placed on hold until the NHL and NHLPA came to a new collective bargaining agreement. The combine went on in a Toronto airport’s hotel [18].

Sidney’s arrival had caused a scene on the conference room floor. Though scouts and general managers usually tried to maintain some facade of indifference around the players, everyone wanted a look when Sidney walked in [Taking the Game…, p. 226].

Sidney was worn out; he had been in the hospital at 3 a.m. just two days earlier because of a chest cold. Through the Océanic’s long season, the World Juniors tournament, the QMJHL’s playoffs, and the Memorial Cup, his body had taken a beating and he was nursing a lower body injury. He refused to give details but said it was not the injury that had prevented him from participating in the Top Prospects Game. His injury kept him from completing the bike test, but he was still weighed, measured, put through push-up, sit-up, arm and upper-body strength tests. Most of the other players had significantly more time to recover and prepare for the tests, which were so taxing some of the participants vomited afterwards [18, 108, 5:35].

“It’s been bothering me through the whole playoffs. I was told to take a couple of weeks off. It’s been five days, so I didn’t want to come here and reinjure it.” - Sidney Crosby [18]

Sidney conducted interviews with 21 of the 30 NHL teams, a significantly higher number than average due to the lockout. With the league’s previous CBA, only the five bottom teams would have had a chance to draft Sidney. Thanks to the new agreement, every team would have a shot at landing Sidney Crosby [18].

Sidney left an impression on the teams he interviewed with; he was a “mature young man” said Barry Trapp, the director of amateur scouting for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and was “impressive” and “a gentleman” according to Guy Lapointe, coordinator of amateur scouting for the Minnesota Wild [18].

“What exactly was there to interview him about? He’s everything you’d want in a player and, no disrespect to others in his year, but he was so clearly above them, there was nothing at stake. He could have begged off all the interviews but didn’t. When he came in, everyone on our staff just looked around until someone said, ‘Sidney, is there anything that you’d like to ask us?’ We talked—he knew every player on our roster, a complete hockey-obsessed kid. He knew the league like a GM. We had a great talk. He ended up staying for the full 20 minutes on his schedule and more—he only left when he had to make it to another interview.

“I consider the interview the most important thing that we get at the draft combine—I leave the science to the strength and conditioning guys to assess. As a scout, it’s what’s on the ice first, what the kid’s psychological make-up is like and then the physical science. And the thing was, that year, when Crosby didn’t need to talk to anybody, he was the best interview of the week.” - a director of scouting at the combine [104]

The New York Rangers asked, “If we could give you a pill that you could take that would guarantee that you would be part of a Stanley Cup-winning team and a Olympic gold medal team, but you couldn’t live past age 25, would you take that pill?” Sidney found the question bizarre, even though he knew the scouts were trying to ascertain if he would do anything for his team. “How do you answer that?” he wondered. “I wouldn’t take the pill,” he told the Rangers, “because I plan to win more than one of those” [107].

Two separate scouts noted that Sidney was still upset about the Memorial Cup. “He takes losing hard,” said Tim Murray, a scout for the Anaheim Ducks. “[He] still thinks he should have been better and that Rimouski should have won.” The wound was still fresh; it had only been six days since the Océanic fell to the Knights. “You could see his mood change when we went there [discussing the Memorial Cup],” agreed a second scout for an Eastern Conference team. “It was nothing we had to push him on. You know, he’s all sunshine 99 percent of the time but that other 1 percent is important—there’s no danger that he’ll become complacent” [Taking the Game…, p. 228-229].

“We tried to wind him up in our interview, just to see if we could unnerve him... he handled everything just right—he knew when we were kidding and he knew when we were serious...” - Tim Murray, Anaheim Ducks scout [Taking the Game…, p. 228-229]

For his interview with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney showed up 15 minutes early, accidentally cutting short the Penguins’ session with another prospect. He “dazzled” in the 45-minute interview. Greg Malone, the Penguins’ head scout, said it was one of his most impressive conversations with a prospect in 15 years of scouting. “As good as he is on the ice,” Malone commented to Penguins GM Craig Patrick, “he’s just as good or better off the ice” [246].

Neither Sidney nor any of the teams had any idea where he would wind up. The draft order would remain a mystery until July, and in the meantime Sidney needed to write his high school exams and graduate [18].

“Your life could change after this year, so that’s the way I’m kind of thinking. I’m just trying to cherish every moment I can at home, and seeing my family and stuff, so this summer I’ll probably try to take a lot of time at home... [I] really don’t know what’s going to happen, but for me I’m kind of preparing for that. This step that I might take in life can be a big one and I’m just gonna try and enjoy this summer and see where it takes me next year.” - Sidney Crosby [108, 7:50]

June slipped away, and with July came hope: the NHL and NHLPA began conducting marathon bargaining sessions on July 4, 2005. A deal seemed near [103]. 

The next day, Sidney and Gatorade announced a 3-year endorsement deal. Though Brisson would not reveal the exact financial details, this was the most lucrative deal Gatorade had ever signed with a hockey player. The actual endorsement contract had been agreed upon months before, but Gatorade delayed the press release until the launch of their new X-Factor drink. It was a much more demure affair than the Reebok press conference in March. This time, Sidney just did a signing at Sobeys, a grocery store in Cole Harbour [319]. “We’ve been talking with many brands in different categories,” said Pat Brisson. “But also, Sidney doesn’t want to be a walking billboard. He’s not just going to put his name to a brand for the heck of it or the money” [363].

Despite Brisson’s lip service to Sidney’s humility and humble nature, the very next day news broke that the Swiss hockey club Lugano offered Sidney a 3-year, $10-million contract with the added promise of a multimillion-dollar signing bonus [274]. Lugano was prepared to be very generous. “You have to consider all kinds of things, if it’s a net salary, if it includes a car, an apartment, bonuses,” said Beat Kaufmann, the HC Lugano President and General Manager. “It also depends on the player, and the possibility of marketing rights and selling advertising” [362].

Brisson refused to confirm or deny the dollar amount Lugano had offered up. “I can’t deny that we’ve been in serious talks with Lugano,” he admitted from his Los Angeles office. “It’s a serious offer. We’re keeping in mind that Sidney’s goal is to play in the National Hockey League but we have to listen. Not knowing what the entry-level restrictions will be in the upcoming CBA, we need to cover our bases” [274].

Many people thought the reports were just posturing from Sidney and Brisson at this stage. The bargaining sessions were still ongoing between the NHL and NHLPA, and Brisson’s mention of the entry-level restrictions on rookie salaries was a pointed commentary [314]. Moreover, Brisson confirmed that if Sidney were to sign with Lugano or another club overseas, his contract would include an out clause that would allow him to return to the NHL. “We would want some sort of mechanism which would allow him to come back if he wanted, but it could come at a price,” said Brisson [274].

On July 8, the press caught up to Sidney while he participated in Tampa Bay Lightning player Brad Richards’ charity golf tournament at the Brudenell River golf resort in P.E.I. Sidney told a news crew that he would only consider playing in Europe if there was no NHL. “Obviously I’m going to consider other places, but if there’s an NHL [season] that’s where I want to be. Right now, I want to make sure that I have somewhere to go if there is no NHL season, but we’re thinking best-case scenario that there’s going to be one, so that’s what I'm worried about,” he said [376].

“Sidney’s heart is in playing in the NHL,” Pat Brisson confirmed, though he did say that he’d narrowed down the list of European clubs Sidney could play for to three or four interesting offers. “It’s our right to look for offers,” Brisson noted. “We’d look really foolish if we did not explore other offers and there was no NHL season” [376].

“It’s one of those things where I can’t be panicking in August if something doesn’t work out. I have to be sure I’ve got somewhere to go.”

- Sidney Crosby [360]

Two days later, Sidney looked less like a powerful hockey phenom trying to sway bargaining talks and more like a kid who’d been left behind at summer camp when he was photographed sitting on his suitcase outside of Halifax International Airport alongside his old World Juniors teammate Stephen Dixon. The airport was experiencing some chaos thanks to runway improvements and weather conditions. “It seems like every time we go for Team Canada, something always happens,” Sidney said while waiting for a bus that would take him, Dixon, and 43 other passengers to the Moncton airport instead [361].

Sidney and Dixon were headed for the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, where they’d be honored with a banquet and championship rings. Because of their delayed flight, Sidney and Dixon missed the Molson Indy car race the rest of the team attended [361]. While at the Hockey Hall of Fame, Sidney met with reporters for a brief media session. Rumors were circulating that the NHL and NHLPA were on the precipice of a deal. “Now when they’re getting so close, it’s hard not to get excited for it,” said Sidney. “From what I hear, it’s probably going to be this week that a deal is going to be done. When that happens, we’ll know a lot more what’s going to happen with the draft” [360].

Sidney reaffirmed his commitment to the NHL—“Oh yeah. The NHL is where I want to be. It’s where I’ve dreamed of playing. It’s the best league in the world.”—and said he was excited by the opportunity to go to any of the teams because of the new lottery rules. “It’s good. It’s a special situation I think in my case,” he said. “A lot of guys don’t get that opportunity to go to any team. Usually they have a little bit of an idea with where they are ranked. With me, there’s a little bit of an excitement factor, a surprise factor, not knowing exactly where I’m going to end up. It’ll be fun to see how the lottery works out” [360].

The day after the golden boys were honored in Toronto, the NHL and NHLPA bargaining session lasted from sunup to sundown and through the night until 6 a.m. the next day, July 13. The parties broke for five hours before gathering to confirm the details and sign on the dotted line. Finally a CBA had been reached. The NHL would return, and Sidney would be its prize attraction [103].

Now it was just a matter of finding out who would win him.

A lottery would be held, nicknamed the Sidney Crosby Sweepstakes. All teams had a shot at drafting him, though the odds would be weighted. “Teams were assigned 1 to 3 balls based on their playoff appearances and first overall draft picks from the past three years” [105]. On July 22, the same day the new CBA was ratified, representatives from all 30 NHL teams gathered in a conference room at the Sheraton in New York [227, 3:25, Taking the Game…, p. xi].

Over 800 miles away, Sidney sat in his parents’ basement, watching news coverage of the NHL press conferences. “Every few minutes he was able to watch himself watching the news coverage, because a camera crew had joined the Crosby family... He did his best to pretend that he didn’t notice the camera when it zoomed in on him... to appear like he didn’t mind the intrusion. He did his best and he almost pulled it off” [Taking the Game…, p. x].

The Crosby family’s property had been overrun. Fans and media clogged the yard and driveway, hoping to get a photo or interview. TV trucks lined up at the curb of the quiet suburban street, “a hilly road lined with modest homes.” Sidney stayed inside. “The whole front lawn was full of people,” he said. “There were neighbours and TV crews and reporters all here” [370, 371].

Sidney was nervous and trying not to show it. “It’s kind of been a long day, a lot of anticipation,” he admitted. “I’ll just be happy when 5 o’clock comes and they’ll start naming off the teams, and then I’ll have a better idea of what the future might hold, but I’m not gonna look into it too much. I’m just going to enjoy it.” [109, 1:11].

When the time came, the Crosby family gathered downstairs to watch as commissioner Gary Bettman took the stage and began to read off the names of teams in ascending draft order. Sidney and Troy, who had quit his job a few months before the draft so he could help Sidney with some of his hockey-related business, were tense with anticipation; their dream of Sidney playing for the family’s team, the Montreal Canadiens, was still alive [72, The Rookie, p. 173]. It remained an unspoken wish until the 26th envelope was opened to reveal the Canadiens’ logo, and Sidney’s heart sank [72].

“I remember Sidney kept looking over at me whenever Gary opened another envelope and the Canadiens crest wasn’t on it. Once they were down to only five teams left I knew exactly what Sidney was thinking, but we wouldn’t dare say anything because we didn’t want to jinx it.

“We did our best to contain our disappointment, but to have it come down to the wire like that was unbelievable. We really thought it was going to happen there for a minute.” - Troy Crosby [72]

Meanwhile, Penguins Vice President of Communications Tom McMillan was wondering if the Penguins’ 1-in-16 chance of landing the first draft pick was the lucky draw. The Penguins were in dire straits; they were a bad team with even worse attendance [106]. They hadn’t made the playoffs since 2001, and under the previous CBA they hadn’t been able to financially compete to keep their stars in town [240]. They’d gone through bankruptcy and had the oldest, most decrepit arena in the league. For years rumors said the Penguins would move to a new city to escape their situation [Taking the Game…, p. xii]. 

“Everything was bleak, bleak, bleak, bleak,” said McMillan. “We had lost a year of hockey. What’s the future of hockey? The future of the team? Can’t sell the team. Can’t get a new arena.” No one in the franchise had dared dream aloud of winning the lottery, of bringing the team back from the brink of collapse [Breakaway, p. 48-52].

Greg Malone, the Penguins’ head scout, maintained a realistic but optimistic outlook on things. “We have as many balls [in the lottery] as can be possible, but I also know it’s the luck of the draw,” he said. “My feeling on the whole thing is, no matter what cards they give us, we’ll play them and do a good job. It doesn’t matter which pick we’ll have, we’ll readjust and go with the flow” [239].

As level-headed as Malone was, he knew the stakes. Sidney was in a league of his own when it came to the draft pool. One of Sidney’s answers from the combine had stuck with Malone; when Sidney had been asked about how he handled the ungodly pressure of his fame and the public’s expectations of him, Sidney said “How many people would love to be in my shoes? I’m ready to accept the challenge.” That answer alone had convinced Malone that Sidney was the real deal. “He knows what he’s gotten himself into, but he’s accepted it because he’s worked hard to put himself in this position,” said Malone [238].

All the Penguins could do was hope that luck was on their side. Some believed in that luck more than others; Penguins GM Craig Patrick kept a four-leaf clover on his person when he went to the draft lottery, and had visited St. Patrick’s Cathedral the day before to inquire about some divine intervention. Penguins radio announcer Mike Lange didn’t go to a church or find a lucky token. He simply believed it would work out [241].

Mike Lange was positive the Penguins would get to draft Sidney. He’d been saying it for four or five months. He believed it was destiny, and most of all he believed in Mario Lemieux’s luck. “Everything he touches really does turn to gold,” Lange said. “I’ve been to a number of appearances with him, and I swear, if there’s a raffle, he’s going to win it. Luck just follows him” [241].

It was time. “I was in the third row in the sequestered room where the balls came out,” said Craig Patrick. “I couldn’t really see the ball come out, but when it did, everybody turned to me and said, ‘Congratulations.’ I said, ‘What?’” [240].

And just like that, the Penguins were reborn. 

Cameras on his every move, Tom McMillan bolted up, pumped his fist, and nearly sprinted out of the room. “I was going outside to scream,” he said [Breakaway, p. 48-52].

“I think the sky’s the limit for us. It’s not Cloud Nine, it’s Cloud 87.”

- Tom McMillan, Penguins Vice President of Communications and Marketing [5]

A small ball in a lottery had saved hockey in Pittsburgh. “It’s the day the world changed for us,” said Penguins President Ken Sawyer [372]. With Sidney would come money to pay off debts, the chance to build a new arena, a shot at building a new legacy. The future looked bright. “It is inconceivable to me that this team will be allowed to leave town with the team we’re going to have over the next 20 years,” said Sawyer. “Sidney Crosby, the rights to (2004 No. 2 overall pick) Evgeni Malkin and (2003 top draft selection) Marc-André Fleury—I think this new era will be like the one we had in the 1990s” [243].

“It’s a very, very lucky day, and it’s about time. People have said [Crosby] has the vision of Wayne Gretzky and the goal-scoring and playmaking ability of Mario Lemieux, and if that’s true, it’s incredible that he’s coming to Pittsburgh.” - Craig Patrick, Penguins General Manager [240]

Mario Lemieux had been at a doctor’s office in Pittsburgh with his daughter when he heard the news. Immediately he called Pat Brisson, who was with the Crosby family in Cole Harbour. Brisson passed the phone to Sidney, and Mario congratulated him and informed him he was going to be a Penguin [The Rookie, p. 58]. 

Sidney was caught in a tidal wave of questions. TSN hosted a half-hour special on him that day. The NHL set up a satellite truck in the Crosby family’s front yard so Sidney could do interviews. “He was nervous,” said Pat Brisson. “It all made for quite a lot of excitement. But to end up in Pittsburgh is a blessing. It’s an opportunity to start his career with one of the best athletes in all of sports, someone who’s been there, done that who could help him, guide him and protect him. It’s a great situation” [238].

“He’s happy to be going to Pittsburgh. It’s great for him and the franchise. It’s going to rejuvenate Mario’s career. He has the opportunity to be with one of the best, maybe the best player who has ever played, and Mario is going to absorb some of the pressure. When you think about it, he trained with Mario last summer. There’s a destiny to this.” - Pat Brisson [314]

As for if he’d be able to save the Penguins franchise, Sidney said that all he wanted was to play. “Definitely there’s pressure there,” he said, “but I’m going to come in and make sure that I’m ready come September. My first goal is just making the team, and after that, we’ll see how things go. I have to set my goals short and just make sure I’m prepared to be the best player possible in September” [240].

Sidney was bounced from interview to interview, all of it wrangled by Dave Keon Jr., one of the NHL’s main public relations directors who had flown in to help Brisson and the Crosby family manage the media frenzy. “Keon set up a makeshift media control centre in the Crosby rec room where he could coordinate all the interviews. During the busy day, Keon organized live spots with the official lottery broadcaster TSN, set up a conference call to satisfy print reporters from across North America and oversaw a steady stream of TV interviews via satellite” [366].

One of those satellite interviews was for Pittsburgh Sports Tonight, anchored by Dan Potash. It was a pre-taped interview, meaning Potash could see Sidney on his monitor but Sidney could only hear Potash. As they were getting wired up, Potash asked Sidney, “Hey, do you remember a flight from Detroit to Los Angeles from this past summer earlier in the summer? A guy that you met that was a sportscaster?” Sidney smiled and said, “Yeah, I remember! Hey, what’s up, man? I know this guy. How are you? What's going on?” [166].

By late afternoon, RCMP had blocked off the street to everyone but local residents. The remaining journalists interviewed neighbors until Sidney and his father finally emerged from the front door. Taylor did cartwheels on the lawn while they spoke to the press [371].

“I’m like any dad would be, I’m pretty proud,” said Troy. He was happy Sidney would be under the tutelage of Mario Lemieux [371]. Sidney was still a little overwhelmed from the day, saying he’d done 15 interviews by satellite after the lottery and had missed the throngs of people outside his house earlier. “[It] was a unique day and it was all pretty nerve-racking and exciting,” he said. “It was special and there were a lot of different emotions going on at the same time. It was fun” [370]. 

Sidney did media work into the evening. “It wasn’t too bad but I don’t think this is something you can prepare yourself for,” he said. “I kind of expected this. I knew there was going to be a lot of attention around it and, in the end, I think everything went pretty smooth and I’m happy with how things turned out.” Even so, Sidney was visibly drained by 8 p.m. and finally called it a day [368, 370].

“Honestly, I probably answered the same questions 20 or 25 times,” he admitted. “There was a lot of the same stuff. There was nothing too out of the ordinary... but it was a long day.” He had no plans for the evening, no big celebration party to attend. “I think I’m just going to go to bed. It’s been a long day,” he laughed. “I’m just going to take it easy tonight, but I’ve got to work out tomorrow. I’ll just get back to work in the morning” [368, 370].

For Sidney the day was over. For the Pittsburgh Penguins ticket salespeople, the night was just beginning. Sidney Crosby was coming to the Steel City. The public already knew him by name and they were willing to give money hand over fist to see him play. The Penguins’ sales team originally intended to stay open until 5 p.m. that evening. They stayed on the lines until midnight and were back at it at 7:30 a.m. the next morning. Though the Penguins didn’t disclose any ticket sale information, local reports said over 200,000 tickets had been sold, 3,000 of which were full season tickets. Team President Ken Sawyer said that people from 10 different states—and even Canada—had bought season ticket packages [242, 372].

“It’s been quite a 24 hours as I’m sure you can all imagine,” said Sawyer. “I think we will reflect on this 24-hour period as probably the greatest 24-hour period we’ve had in terms of building a team since 1984 [when Mario Lemieux was drafted]. And it’s quite different from 1984 because we have a great nucleus of players in our system” [242].

Two years prior, the Penguins had the lowest average attendance of any NHL team: 11,877 people per game. They’d been a failed franchise up for sale. Within days, the Penguins were off the market—all because of Sidney [242, 372, Breakaway, p. 48-52].

Back home, Sidney soaked up the last of Halifax he’d see for a little while with the help of one of his old friends. Jack Johnson, Sidney’s second shadow from Shattuck, bunked with the Crosby family for a week. They had remained close over the last few years, talking on the phone three or four times a week. Back at Shattuck, they’d promised to go one-two in the draft. Their dreams were close to coming true. They had the entire event planned in their heads down to the photo they’d take on the stage, arms slung around each other’s shoulders as they wore their new jerseys. “We’re hoping,” said Jack [118, 364].

Sidney and Jack woke up early each morning to play street hockey or go swimming. Sidney would run a track in the Dartmouth neighborhood where “his grandmother Linda Crosby used to reside, [in] the same house Sidney and his parents lived in when he was just a baby. ‘I liked that. It helped me by reminding me why I was there,’ he said” [The Rookie, p. 298]. 

Jack found it hilarious that Sidney got stopped everywhere they went. Whether it was at Tim Hortons for a coffee or at the park for a game of catch, someone was always there asking for an autograph. “I’m just the guy next to him,” Jack laughed, but he also enjoyed seeing Sidney get recognized for all his hard work. “I get enjoyment out of it,” said Jack. “The attention he gets, he deserves. He didn’t just roll out of bed and get it. If I’m going to be in anyone’s shadow, I want to be in his” [118].

The draft was held at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa, Ontario on July 30, 2005 instead of the Corel Centre (home of the Ottawa Senators) on June 25. The 301-day lockout had meant the arena was not prepared in time, so the draft was downsized; only the top 20 prospects were in attendance, and each NHL team was only permitted to have six people at their draft table. The NHL made conference rooms available for teams who wanted to bring more scouts. For the first time since 1980, the draft was not open to the public. It would be a one-day affair, and there would only be seven rounds instead of the typical nine [105, 239].

The Friday before the draft, several of the invited prospects held a hockey clinic for Ottawa-area minor hockey players. With the help of Ottawa Senators assistant coach Greg Carvel (and a few Senators players), Sidney, Benoit Pouliot, Bobby Ryan, Gilbert Brule, and Jack Johnson ran drills with the 24 boys and 6 girls in attendance. The kids were ages 7-12 and very excited to play with prospects they’d heard about on the news. “We had a little conversation,” said 11-year-old Andrew Baxter. “[Sidney] just told me to try and keep my stability on my feet.” Over a thousand fans watched from the stands and mobbed the prospects for autographs once they were off the ice. During the weekend, Sidney seemed most at ease during the clinic, always at home on his skates [3, 7, 109, 6:50, 118, 310, 315]. 

It was a busy day. After the clinic, Sidney and the other top 20 prospects did a meet-and-greet at Major’s Hill Park. Reebok, who sponsored both the fan meeting and the youth hockey clinic, handed out 1,500 posters of Sidney at the clinic and 500 at Major’s Hill Park. “Getting a chance to meet some of the fans down here is pretty good,” said Sidney. “Just getting to meet and see the little kids, especially. I think they get a kick out of it” [310, 315]. 

“I think I realize I’m obviously in a bit of a special situation. I think a lot of people would like to be in my shoes so I try not to get frustrated [with the attention]. Definitely sometimes it gets hectic and busy but I realize I’m very fortunate. I don’t look down on it at all.” - Sidney Crosby [7]

Though he signed a lot of things that day—posters, pucks, hats—Sidney refused to sign any Penguins jerseys. Just like with the Team Canada jersey he’d been offered before making the 2004 World Juniors team, Sidney felt that he had to earn the right to the Penguins jersey [320].

That night, Sidney dined with Mario Lemieux at the Empire Grill [32]. Mario knew well that the future of the organization would be closely tied to Sidney’s success—and comfort—in the franchise, so the nature of the dinner was more social than business. “We talked a lot about Pittsburgh, and what he’s going to be facing this year in his rookie year,” said Mario. “We had a good talk as far as him staying with me. It’s going to be up to Sidney, whatever he feels comfortable doing. We’ll be there for him, myself and the organization” [320].

Sidney and Jack were rooming together in the hotel, the top draft pick and the top defenseman pick awaiting their futures. When the morning of the draft rolled around, the two of them woke early with excitement rattling in their chests. Sidney said it began as “pretty normal day,” which for Jack and Sidney translated to a morning workout in the hotel gym. “We just figured we’d go work out because we knew no one else was,” said Jack. “What you’re always looking for as an athlete is to do more than other people. So, we decided what the heck, we’d go work out” [32, 110, 7:45].

After their workout, Sidney had breakfast with his family (and got shredded by his mother: “The day of the draft,” Trina said, “I saw him trying to shave and I said, ‘Sidney, what are you doing?’”) [40, 320]. A camera crew was allowed into Sidney and Jack’s hotel room as they got ready for the day, and the reality of the draft set in. Jack was filled with anxiety but smiling for the camera, justifying the messy room by explaining how he and Sidney had a few wrestling matches (they’d had a disagreement over whose things were on whose side of the room). “We’re usually not this bad,” he said. Sidney laughed, pointing out that the mess was mostly on Jack’s side and proudly explaining that he, on the other hand, had folded his clothes the night before [110, 7:45].

Sidney was still speaking in hypotheticals (“If I get drafted...”) as if his future wasn’t certain, but it would only be a matter of time before he was putting on his new jersey [110, 9:38].

Downstairs, the main room was filled with nerves, holding 19 families with unknown futures. Sidney knew his, and that gave him some small comfort as he waited. He was excited both to be drafted and to be heading to his first pro camp within a month. “So I just felt like, finally, it’s here,” he said. “There wasn’t an element of surprise, per se, but at the same time it was just nice to have it and to have that moment” [115].

“When I first met him, when he was 13, he was asking questions like he was 17. All along, he has wanted to be number one. Since he was seven years old, he has been preparing for this. He’s been preparing for this for 10 years. He has observed how first overall picks have reacted and how they talk.” - Pat Brisson [314]

Despite all his preparations, Sidney was still nervous. “So you’re a young kid and you just want to make sure you do it right. You go to the right place. You follow instructions,” he said. The unusual format of the scaled-back draft meant things went differently from the 2004 Entry Draft Sidney had attended as a guest, but nothing could override Sidney’s happiness over going first... except his happiness over his NHL career being right around the corner. “I was just excited,” he said, “happy to share it with my family and things like that but almost [more] ready to get ready for what was coming” [115].

“...you’re happy to go first. But you know what comes with that, right? There’s a lot of expectation and that’s a great step but there’s some pressure that comes with that.” - Sidney Crosby [115]

Just past noon, the Pittsburgh Penguins called out Sidney’s name. He walked across the stage, shook hands with team officials, accepted his new sweater from Lemieux, and pulled it over his head [32].

At 17 years old, Sidney Crosby was a Pittsburgh Penguin.

Nearly four hours later, Sidney was still being escorted around by NHL media personnel to interviews and photo sessions. He was smiling and polite, though he’d likely been asked the same questions over and over again. “With Sidney, it’s not just one interview,” said Brisson. “It’s 40 at the same time, and we want to make sure he’s prepared for these moments” [314].

“He’s been a superstar in his age group from the time he was 9 or 10 years old; this isn’t something that’s happened in the last couple years. He’s used to the pressure and being the focus of attention. This, for him, is normal.” - Blair Mackasey, Hockey Canada head scout [32]

Back in Halifax, people were crowded around their TVs or in sports bars, watching their native son earn his place in the show.

“Not too many people from around here go first overall, so it’s pretty huge. Everyone’s really excited. He’s proven himself over and over, every time there was a doubt. He’s played great under pressure his whole life and all the attention and all he’s achieved he definitely deserves.” - Stephen Dixon, World Juniors teammate and 2003 draftee [32]

Jack and Sidney had not been drafted back-to-back, but it was close; Jack was drafted third by the Carolina Hurricanes, though he would play for the Michigan Wolverines first [16, 105]. In the third round, the Penguins selected their own defenseman, a player by the name of Kristopher Letang [105]. While the draft went on, Sidney continued his interviews. “I’m really excited now,” he said. “I can’t wait to go to camp now, especially now I know what’s going to happen. I know where I’m going. I know where I want to be” [111, 8:21].

“I’ve seen a lot of kids come and go. This kid gets it. He’s a special kid, but he gets it... He never batted an eye. He never complained. He never had a hiccup.” - Gord Cutler, veteran NHL producer [7]

It was a day Sidney had waited for since childhood. That same month, the dryer Sidney had beaten up so badly while practicing to make it to the big leagues had stopped working [40]. He wouldn’t need it anymore. A new chapter was starting. That evening, while Sidney rested on a hotel couch, Troy told a reporter, “All this stuff is just like a dream. It’s hard to put into words really” [7].

That dream would take the Crosby family to California next; Sidney trained and relaxed on the Golden Coast before courting Hollywood on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where he demonstrated his puck-shooting skills on a dryer they wheeled out onto the stage [3].

Sidney had planned to attend the Canadian Junior Development Camp (for the 2006 World Junior Championship) from August 10-15 in Whistler and Vancouver, B.C. On August 5, a day after his primetime television appearance, Sidney was taken off the list of invitees. The Pittsburgh Penguins had claimed his time instead; he was needed in Pittsburgh for the Penguins’ orientation camp [236, 237]. 

Before his maiden voyage to Pittsburgh, Sidney spent his birthday at Pat Brisson’s Los Angeles home with his family. “I kicked back and relaxed a bit and played some beach volleyball,” he said. “It was just a relaxing day to spend with friends and family” [374].

His birthday gift was an iPod. “It was cool,” he said. “I don’t know how I am going to work it because I am not much good with computers” [374].

He had bigger problems than figuring out his new iPod. On August 9, Sidney had been spotted in Vancouver by fans seeking autographs after a promotional photoshoot. Sidney ducked into a taxi, and the fans followed him across the city, blowing two red lights as they tailed him. “There’s not much you can do when someone is following you like that,” Sidney said, very calmly for a person who’d been chased through Vancouver’s downtown. “It’s just something I’ve learned to deal with, although that’s the first time someone has tried to follow me to that extent. That’s the way it is, hockey is big in Canada” [372].

Hockey in Pittsburgh wasn’t anything to sneeze at, though. Sidney had a full slate of activities waiting for him in the City of Bridges. Sidney—along with five other prospects (Ryan Stone, Noah Welch, Ryan Lannon, Jordan Morrison, and Jean-Philippe Paquet)—would attend the Penguins’ orientation camp from August 11-12 to undergo fitness tests and meet with Penguins’ trainers and coaches. Everything from cardiovascular health, strength, flexibility, agility, body fat percentage, muscle balance, injuries, and concussion baselines would be measured and recorded. Though the prospects wouldn’t skate, it would give the Penguins a better idea of the raw materials the prospects brought to the organization. Sidney would leave a good impression according to UPMC physical therapist Brian Hagen (“He’s impressive, I'll tell you that”) [369, 372, 375]. 

Sidney would make it to a private dinner Mario Lemieux held for the prospects in downtown Pittsburgh. Lemieux offered to open up his home to Sidney, and Sidney was enthusiastic. “I’d definitely take that opportunity to be around someone like that,” he said. “I’m going to learn as much as I can on the ice but off the ice I don’t think there’s anyone better. He’s been through a lot of similar things and I can only take good things away from that” [236].

Exactly a month later, flanked by Craig Patrick and Mario Lemieux, standing in front of a crowd of reporters at the Mellon Arena’s Igloo Club, Sidney would sign his name on his first NHL contract [244].

That was all to come.

For now, Sidney rode down the escalator to the baggage claim at Pittsburgh International. It was late, just after 7 p.m. on August 10—Sidney had been delayed by both flight problems and immigration. The gathered reporters had waited him out. He was “smiling and relaxed. His dark, curly hair didn’t have a lock out of place. His dress was casual, down to the jeans and flip-flops” [247]. 

He was escorted to a back corner of the airport, where the media pressed in around him. Cameras flashed, reporters jockeyed for position, and fans pushed close [247]. Sidney still politely refused to autograph Penguins Crosby jerseys. “It’s not really a superstition, it’s just that I’m not with the Penguins yet,” he explained. “I haven’t played for the team, so I don’t think it’s right for me to sign a jersey before I play for them and even wear it myself. That’s just how I look at it” [372].

“It’s nice just to finally be here,” he told the crowd. “It’s been a long day, but now I’m happy to be here.” After a very brief media session, Sidney was escorted to a police facility across the street from the airport. Of the media that had gathered, only a few stayed until Sidney reemerged. A Cadillac pulled up to the curb. Sidney’s bags and hockey sticks were put in the trunk. Sidney climbed inside, and the Cadillac took off for the heart of the city [247].

It was starting.