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    Ryan Gagne
    Jul 31, 2024, 00:30

    On July 30, 2005, the Pittsburgh Penguins drafted Sidney Crosby, one of their best players of all time.

    Pittsburgh Penguins fans who supported the team in 1984 most likely remember where they were when news broke that the organization was going to pick Mario Lemieux.

    Fast-forward two decades to 2005, and Lemieux became the club's owner, a Hockey Hall of Fame member, responsible for two Stanley Cup banners at Mellon Arena.

    After nearly bottoming out and selecting Marc-Andre Fleury first overall in 2003, the team was dead last in 2004. 

    However, with no hockey in 2004-05, the NHL opted to host the Draft Lottery, with every team getting a chance to select first overall.

    But the ball bounced in Pittsburgh's favor, and top prospect Sidney Crosby was bound for Steel Town. 

    [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcl73_78mJo[/embed]

    On July 30, 2005, at the Westin Hotel in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Lemieux and then-general manager Craig Patrick walked up on stage and called then-17-year-old Crosby's name.

    Now entering his 20th season, the long-time Penguins captain is second in team history in goals (592), assists (1,044), and points (1,596), all within reach of Lemieux's milestones once he signs an extension and finishes his career in black and gold.

    In the beginning, Crosby lived in Lemieux's house, played on his line, and eventually took his spot as the team's leader in 2006. 

    As the franchise approached 60 seasons, it became clear that there are two definitive eras of Pittsburgh hockey: Lemieux's tenure from 1984 to 2006 and Crosby's era from 2005 to the present. 

    Of course, a few dozen Hall of Famers have skated through each player's time, but at the end of the day, these two were the face of the organization and have combined to win five Stanley Cup titles.

    Considering the impact of the Lemieux draft in 1984, the same can be said for the Crosby draft in 2005, which paved the way for PPG Paints Arena and three championships during the salary cap era.