Sidney Crosby was named an officer of the Order of Canada for his contributions to the country as a hockey player and supporting community initiatives.

Sidney Crosby is appointed an officer of the Order of Canada.

Canada's Governor General Mary Simon appointed Crosby as one of 99 new appointees "for being one of the greatest hockey players of all time and for supporting community service initiatives for youth."

The Cole Harbour, N.S. native is a three-time Stanley Cup champion as the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins and has amassed 536 goals and 1,452 points over 1,143 NHL games so far. He's won six NHL individual awards – five of them at least twice – including two Hart Trophies as league MVP.

Crosby hasn't disappointed whenever representing his country, either.

It began with a silver and gold medal at the World Junior Championship, where he notched 14 points in 12 games in the 2003-04 and '04-05 tournaments. He also led Canada to a World Cup title in 2016, winning tournament MVP, and a World Championship in 2015.

But his performances at the Olympics will be tough to forget, especially the 2010 games in Vancouver when he scored the "Golden Goal" to beat the United States and capture gold for Canada. 

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7819y8CTENg[/embed]

He also won gold with Canada in 2014 in Sochi. 

The Sidney Crosby Foundation benefits children's charities as well. The foundation donates thousands of dollars annually to community charities in Canada and the United States.

The Order of Canada is one of the country's highest honors and recognizes people across all different sectors who contribute extraordinarily to the nation consistently.

He'll be invited to a ceremony to receive his insignia at a later date. In the meantime, he's busy trying to help the Penguins make a playoff run this season, with 43 points in 35 games at 35 years old.