NHL stars Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid laud one another

Wednesday’s game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Edmonton Oilers in the Rogers Centre in Edmonton was the eighth meeting between forwards Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, arguably, the greatest players of the 21st century.

The self-effacing Crosby rarely likes to discuss his place in the hierarchy of the sport, but he had plenty to say about McDavid when he chatted with media Tuesday in Edmonton.

“He’s playing at such a high level,” Crosby said. “When somebody is playing at the level that he’s at, it’s hard to think they can, again, find another level. I think that he’s done that. That’s the most impressive part about it.

“When you’re going against Connor, it’s quite a challenge. At the same time, it’s fun. That’s why you play.”

Crosby is one of the few players — perhaps only — in the NHL who can relate to the immense expectations foisted upon McDavid.

“It’s something that you learn to deal with,” Crosby said. “I don’t know if I’ll say tough. It’s part of it. It comes with the territory. It’s something that you understand, that you try to embrace. Definitely not always easy. But you try to understand it and make it so that it brings out the best in you. That’s something that he faces wherever he goes.”

McDavid, who spent his junior career with the Erie Otters, expressed similar appreciation for Crosby.

“Sid has changed his game since he’s been in the league,” McDavid said Wednesday after his team’s morning skate. “He came in as a pass-first guy. Then he wanted to get better at faceoffs. Now, look at him. He’s a great faceoff guy. Then he wanted to score more goals, and he’s a 50-goal scorer and a (Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy) winner. He’s kind of changed his game as he’s kind of gone along. Obviously, that’s so impressive in itself. He’s won everything there’s to win. He’s one of the best to ever do it in our sport.”

Both players are slated to be on Canada’s Olympic hockey team for the upcoming tournament in Beijing.

“As far as playing with him … anyone’s excited to play with him,” Crosby said. “I don’t know what the lines are going to be or anything like that, but I think everyone will be pretty excited for that opportunity.”

Ceci sidelined by covid-19

Oilers defenseman Cody Ceci was sidelined for Wednesday’s game after being placed on the NHL’s list for covid-19 protocol Tuesday.

It would have been his first meeting against the Penguins since leaving as an unrestricted free agent this past summer.

A free agent signing in the 2020 offseason, Ceci’s lone season in Pittsburgh was something of a course correction for his career. After struggling with the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs, Ceci joined the Penguins on a one-year deal worth $1.25 million.

Primarily deployed on the Penguins’ second pairing with Mike Matheson, the 27-year-old appeared in 53 of 56 games last season and scored 17 points (four goals, 13 assists), second-most among the team’s defensemen.

“Cody was really good for us,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “He played a lot of important minutes. He was one of our first-over-the-boards penalty-kill guys. It helped us take some minutes away from Kris Letang, which I think helped (Letang’s) overall production and performance. He really evolved into a really important player for us. He’s a good teammate. … He joined the rush as well any one of our defensemen last year, and that evolved over the course of last season. … He played extremely well for us and in important minutes.”

This past July, the right-hander converted his success with the Penguins into a four-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers with a salary cap figure of $3.25 million.

Primarily teamed on a pairing with Duncan Keith, a former All-Star with the Chicago Blackhawks, Ceci has played in 20 games this season and has six points (one goal, five assists).

Pens bring back jersey

The Penguins announced yet another “third” jersey for home games.

It is a replica of a jersey the team wore for road games in the early- to mid-1990s with “Pittsburgh” spelled diagonally across the chest. Unlike the original, this jersey will have the team’s current “skating” Penguins on the shoulders instead of the upside down “triangle” logo the team adopted in 1992.

This is Penguins’ fifth different “third” jersey since 2017.

The team will wear these jerseys for at least the next three seasons.