Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby made his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2005, at 18 years and 59 days old. At the time, he was the youngest player in the lineup, and he held that mark for one season until Jordan Staal made his debut at 18 years and 25 days old.
Now that the Penguins have acquired top prospect Rutger McGroarty, who is 20 years old, he’ll have a chance to skate in the NHL either on opening night or during the 2024-25 season.
Considering how young McGroarty is and how Pittsburgh has continuously been one of the oldest teams in the league, especially during Mike Sullivan’s tenure as head coach, we set out to find out who Crosby’s youngest teammates have been.
Unfortunately, McGroarty won’t crack the top five, but he’s got a chance to stay in the top 10 if he debuts before his 21st birthday.
Crosby’s Youngest Teammates
The only players under 21 that Crosby has skated with include Dustin Jeffrey (20-303), Simon Despres (20-127), Luca Caputi (20-125), and Evgeni Malkin (20-79). On opening night, McGroarty will be 20-193, giving him a shot at ninth on the list, just missing out on the top five, beginning with…
Alex Pechurski (19-164)
Alex Pechurski played just one game in the NHL, playing 36 mins in relief for John Curry in a 6-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 16, 2010. He surrendered a goal and finished with a .923 SV% and 1.69 GAA.
The former fifth-round pick played in North America for two seasons then returned to Russia and finished his professional hockey career in 2019-20.
Kris Letang (19-164)
Kris Letang is a three-time Stanley Cup winner and, along with Malkin and Crosby, is part of the longest set of teammates in professional sports history as the trio begins their 20th season.
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Despite injuries and career-threatening illnesses, Letang became the best defenseman in Penguins history by skating in the most games and scoring the most points.
Olli Määttä (19-42)
Olli Määttä won two Stanley Cups as a member of the Penguins in 2016 and 2017. He played six seasons with the club, which drafted him in the first round before moving on to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Despite playing with other teams and now skating with the Detroit Red Wings, Määttä has yet to reach the career high of 29 points he had as a rookie and matched again in 2017-18.
Daniel Sprong (18-25)
Unfortunately, Daniel Sprong never reached his potential in a Penguins uniform. He bounced around until he found a home with the Seattle Kraken, where he became a 20-goal scorer.
Now as a member of the Vancouver Canucks, Sprong is going to try and finish his third straight season with at least 40 points. Despite his short stay in Pittsburgh, he remains tied as one of the youngest skaters in the Crosby era.
Jordan Staal (18-25)
As mentioned, Staal debuted on Oct. 5, 2006, at 18 years and 25 days old. He spent six seasons in a Penguins uniform, skating in the 2008 and 2009 Stanley Cup Finals and winning in 2009.
After relocating to the Carolina Hurricanes in 2012, he was promoted to captain in 2017-18. Staal stepped aside for 2018-19 to let veteran Justin Williams serve as captain but regained the role in 2019-20 and has held it ever since.
Related: 5 Things to Know About Penguins Prospect Rutger McGroarty
Related: BREAKING: Penguins acquire top prospect Rutger McGroarty from Jets
Related: Oldest Pittsburgh Penguins of All-Time ft. Mario Lemieux
