Sidney Crosby was once almost stripped of his captaincy until Evgeni Malkin stepped in
In the 2011 season, and furthermore around that era, Sidney Crosby struggled greatly with remaining healthy from repeated head injuries. During this time, it was revealed that the Penguins players began to ask if they should name another team captain in the lengthy absence of Crosby.
Obviously, the greatness of Sidney Crosby no longer warrants an explanation. His pure skill, longevity, leadership, and championships speak for themselves. Yet, some Penguins players, including Brooks Orpik, Matt Cooke, and Jordan Staal, still made their thoughts known that perhaps they should consider another Captain.
As the story goes, Evgeni Malkin, Crosby's longtime partner in Pittsburgh, stood up during a team meeting and declared:
''Guys. Sid is the f****** captain.''
Upon leaving the room, the matter was apparently settled. It's a great moment of leadership from Malkin, defending his career-long teammate in Crosby, now the two greatest players for the team in their era. It's a remarkable story for the leadership and culture those two players contribute to their team
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