PHOTO BY DUANE RIEDER LEADING MAN The savior of the Pittsburgh Penguins is not who you think he is. by Sean Conboy Sidney Crosby is a lot of things. He’s ruthlessly competitive while simultaneously devoid of an ego. He is a wine connoisseur who spends flights to and from arenas playing videogames with goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. He is a taskmaster at practice who just so happens to play pranks on his teammates in the middle of the night. DECEMBER 2010 / pittsburghmagazine. 41 As Crosby, 23, leads the Penguins into a new era at the CONSOL Energy Center, he’s also preparing to move into a house of his own that’s not far from his former landlord, Mario Lemieux. For more on Sidney Crosby and the Penguins, go to PHOTO ©2010 PITTSBURGH PENGUINS/GREG- Music that pumps you As human beings, we have an insatiable capturing the moment on his camera-phone, The Zamboni up before a game: desire to want to know our heroes. Even Dupuis laughing like a stoned frat boy and driver idles in the When I was a kid, it when it hurts, like this past spring when we Sid walking away discreetly like nothing ever runway and looks was the standard AC/ got a bit too close to Ben Roethlisberger. In happened, the gang unleashes their coup on on impatiently Pittsburgh, the impossible task of getting drill sergeant Kadar: thousands of packing as Crosby feeds DC and Metallica. But to know Sidney Crosby has become sort peanuts flood the SUV. puck after puck to now, I let the other of a pastime. When a photo leaked to the “Packing peanuts?” Crosby says now with Letang, a supremely guys handle that—so Internet of a snoring Crosby cuddling with a sly grin. “Oh, I don’t know what you’re talk- talented 23-year- whatever Johnny the Stanley Cup in the wake of Penguins’ ing about.” old ready to light [goalie Brent Johnson] 2009 championship, we reacted like tweens As the youngest captain in the history of the the NHL on fire—if who just witnessed Miley Cyrus giving Justin NHL to win the Stanley Cup, Crosby knows only he starts hit- puts on. He’s our No. Bieber a piggyback ride through Ross Park that his work ethic sets the tone in the locker ting the net. 1 DJ. Mall. The smallest peek behind the curtain room. His hustle at practice is relentless, and “Again,” Crosby triggered a voyeuristic conniption. his instructions to teammates ceaseless. But says, drifting an- Yet every time there’s a camera in his he also knows when to take the pressure off. other pass into face or a bouquet of microphones running “When we’re on the road, pranks are just Letang’s wheelhouse. The shot ricochets hot, Sid simply charms us to death with part of the lifestyle in the hotel,” Crosby says. wide off the Plexiglas. aw-shucks humility and Downy-soft media- “One time, we had somebody take a bunch Letang is spent. He leans on his stick as speak. He’s so normal it befuddles us. of alarm clocks and strategically hide them a crutch while Crosby collects more pucks. He is seemingly everything to everyone. in [former teammate] Ryan Whitney’s room. The Zamboni driver dozes off in his captain’s But the real Sidney Crosby is a lot more One was under the bed, one was behind chair. Fleury spreads his arms out and leans interesting. the TV and they were set for like 2:30 in the back on the net like it’s a beach lounger. “You In October, PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE sat down morning. It was harmless, but, obviously, he can’t beat me,” he taunts as his goofball grin with Sid to discuss his childhood, his role was pretty shocked when the alarms went off beams through the bars of his mask. as a captain and his forays into locker room in the middle of the night. It took him a long Twenty pucks later, Letang finally hits the espionage. time to find the one behind the TV.” sweet spot and unleashes a slapshot visible Crosby learned everything he knows only as a vapor trail. The puck thunks in the SID THE SPY about being a leader from his former land- back of the net before Fleury can even react. Dec. 14, 2009–Mellon Arena lord, Mario Lemieux. Without a word, Crosby skates over to the The coup is working like it was master- “Coming into the league my first year, I runway and stops. Fleury and Letang follow. minded by Danny Ocean. The Penguins just didn’t know what Time to go home. wrapped up a morning practice at Mellon to expect,” Crosby Crosby, always the Arena when a few of the boys decide to admits. “I didn’t When we’re on the last off the ice, taps extract a measure of revenge on strength know ... anything, both of them on and conditioning coach Mike Kadar for his really. The little road,‘ pranks are just the butt with his tyrannical workout regimens. The ever-mis- things—like you’re stick as they retreat chievous Max Talbot, winger Pascal Dupuis wearing suits part of the lifestyle. — to the showers. and defenseman Jay McKee have hatched a for the first time; “That one,” brilliant scheme, but they need a trustwor- you’re learning how to pack for a road trip. Crosby tells Letang,’ “was a beauty.” thy, straight-faced double-agent to secure This is all new stuff that you don’t think Back in the sparce locker room, Sid is drip- the coveted jackpot: the keys to Kadar’s SUV. about, but I was lucky that I got to observe ping with sweat and still taking off his gear Who better than The Kid? Mario. The special thing about him is that while most of the team is heading home. After getting dressed, Talbot, Dupuis he’s always even-keeled—through really “Winning the Stanley Cup wasn’t easy,” and McKee hurry out to the staff parking good times, through really tough times, he says. “It was a lot harder maybe than it lot for the crucial drop-off. Right on time, a Mario takes everything in stride. I think that’s looked. This is where the work starts.” security guard appears from a side-door and an important trait to battle the pressure that Two nights later in Nashville, the Pen- discretely hands over a bag containing the comes with this game.” guins are deadlocked in an intense overtime secret weapon. struggle with the Predators when Crosby Moments SID THE CAPTAIN collects the puck at the blueline. He doesn’t Favorite way to pass later, Sid the Kid Oct. 19, 2010–Penguins practice facility at Southpointe even need to look where he’s passing. He time on long flights: A emerges from The Penguins are sweating out their last floats the puck to where Letang will be group of us have been the players’ en- practice before a long road trip that will take before Letang is even there. It’s déjà vu. It’s playing this military trance and tosses them to Nashville, St. Louis and Tampa, and Swiss clockwork. Kadar’s stolen the team has been on the ice for so long that Letang unleashes a replica of the shot that videogame called keys to Dupuis, even the media bystanders are getting tired. beat Fleury in practice 48 hours earlier when SOCOM for the PSP for who hastily Penguins radio announcer Phil Bourque taps no one—except for Crosby—was watching. like four years now. opens the sun- his watch and sighs, “Let’s wrap it up, boys.” Nashville’s goalie doesn’t have a chance. Favorite pre-game roof. With McKee Finally, after two hours of intense scrim- Game. standing on top maging and checking drills, coach Dan In the euphoric pig-pile of noogies and meal: Spaghetti. Been of the car holding Bylsma blows his whistle, and the play- hugs that ensues, the only guy smiling wider that way since youth the weapon of ers wearily glide toward the locker room. than Letang is his captain and best friend, hockey. Quick, easy, mass destruc- Everyone except for defenseman Kris Letang, Crosby. The extra reps paid off. gets the job done. tion, Talbot goalie Fleury and Crosby. “The first Cup win is definitely behind us DECEMBER 2010 / pittsburghmagazine. 43 Did you ever want to be a regular guy for a day? now,” says Cros- carrying a buffet of At the scene of the Actually, no. My goal by. “It’s a fun the holiest of Cana- crime, The Kid makes his memory to look dian delicacies: Tim slick getaway has always been to be back on, but I Horton’s dough- as the gang unleashes the best I can be. There don’t want it to nuts. The tower of payback for months of condition- are responsibilities that be the only one boxes leans like come with that, but I I look back on. the Tower of Pisa, get to do what I love The only thing and his buddies on our minds are in tow with every single day. is getting back jugs of juice and The Penguins will win there again.” coffee for the loyal the Cup this season It’s easy to fans. because ... Trust. We take Crosby’s The fans thank sublime perfor- the kid for the free believe in one another. mances on the breakfast, but he ice for granted.