Two Milestones, Two Legacies: Draisaitl and Crosby Make History in December
- karinnaleonard
- 20 minutes ago
- 6 min read
December delivered two milestone moments from two of the NHL's defining stars, each representing a different kind of greatness that will be remembered long after this season ends. On December 16th against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Leon Draisaitl recorded his 1,000th career point, becoming the first German-born player in NHL history to achieve this mark. Just days later, Sidney Crosby added a milestone of his own when he surpassed Mario Lemieux to become the Pittsburgh Penguins' all-time points leader. One represents hockey's global evolution, while the other belongs to the player who helped define and revive the modern NHL.
When Draisaitl reached 1,000 career points, it was bigger than a personal milestone. It marked a broader shift in the NHL's global landscape, as no German-born player had ever achieved this accomplishment. At 30 years old, Draisaitl currently sits at 1,012 points in 829 games. The next closest German NHL player, Marco Sturm, recorded 487 points in 938 career games, which highlights just how unprecedented Draisaitl's production has been.
Now the head coach of the Boston Bruins, Sturm was asked about Draisaitl closing in on this accomplishment. He said, "He’s the best German player to ever play the game, that’s for sure. He’s a guy that’s going to hit a lot of milestones coming up. I don’t know anyone else even in the future who is going to be that good. He’s a special player, a special person. For me, it’s so much fun to look at him and watch him play the game."
Beyond personal accolades, Draisaitl has raised the standards and expectations for hockey in Germany. Historically, the nation has been seen as a developing hockey power, falling outside the traditional "big six" countries: Canada, the United States, Russia, the Czech Republic, Sweden, and Finland.
His success on the NHL stage is helping shift that perception, showing that German players can not only compete at the highest level but also dominate. Draisaitl's accomplishments have both elevated Germany's presence in professional hockey and provided representation for young players, showing them a clear path to the NHL. Munich native and Utah Mammoth forward JJ Peterka described his impact, saying, "It helps a lot if you have a superstar in the NHL who plays as good as Leon does every night. It's covered more in the media, it's noticed everywhere, and more kids look up to him. They look over to North America and see a German there racking up so many points, it influences a lot."
This past summer, Draisaitl visited his hometown team in Cologne, Germany, to give back to young hockey players, demonstrating his continued impact and inspiring the next generation both on and off the ice. In partnership with the NHLPA Goals & Dreams program, for both the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons, he will be donating 29 complete sets of new hockey equipment to the Kölner Haie youth teams, known as the Junghaie. Leon described the moment: "It feels great to return to where it all started. I wouldn't be where I am today without the support I received growing up in Cologne, Germany. I hope this equipment helps the next generation fall in love with the game and build a strong future for our sport."
Reaching 1,000 points was just one more milestone in an already impressive career. In 2020, Draisaitl made history by becoming the first German-born player in the NHL to win the league's scoring title and earn MVP honors, capturing the Art Ross Trophy, the Hart Trophy, and the Ted Lindsay Award all in the same season. He added yet another accolade last year by scoring 52 goals to win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy. Together, all of these achievements underscore Draisaitl's individual brilliance and lasting impact on the game, as he continues to redefine what is possible for German players on the NHL's biggest stage.
For Draisaitl, reaching 1,000 career points highlights how the NHL has grown on a global scale. Meanwhile, Crosby's milestone demonstrates the power of legacy and what it means to spend a career shaping a franchise—and in many ways, the league itself. As a former NHL forward and current NHL Network analyst, Mike Rupp said, "You have to admit that Sidney Crosby is one of the absolute pillars in our game and the history of our game. Mario saved hockey in Pittsburgh, twice. I think Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin in a lot of ways saved the NHL."
Crosby showcased this on December 21st, when he recorded his 1,724th career point to surpass Mario Lemieux for the most points in Pittsburgh Penguins history. The milestone came in the 1,387th game of his career, a fitting detail for a player notoriously superstitious about the number 87. When asked about the achievement, Crosby remained characteristically humble, turning the focus back to Lemieux and his lasting impact on both the franchise and the game: "I just have so much appreciation for one, having the opportunity to play with him. You grow up watching him. You never expect you're going to make the NHL, let alone play with him. So I had the opportunity to play with him, live with him, learn from him, and just the impact that he's had here, on this team, on and off the ice, and the impact he's had on hockey in general, it's pretty amazing...He’s still No. 1 in my books. I don’t think you can put a stat line or a number on what he means to this team and to hockey."
In many ways, Crosby's words mirror how future generations will one day speak about him. His legacy extends far beyond numbers or milestones. It is defined by a career spent shaping not only a franchise, but the sport itself. When Crosby entered the league in 2005, the NHL was emerging from one of the darkest periods in its history. The 2004-05 season had been canceled entirely due to a labor dispute, making the NHL the first major North American professional league to lose a full season to a work stoppage. For a sport "already clinging to relevancy," the loss of a season felt devastating. On February 16th, 2005, when the cancellation was officially announced, Carolina Hurricanes forward Rob Brind'Amour lamented the circumstances, saying, "The game's just suffered an absolute blow it'll never recover from. They're totally underestimating the damage that is being done."
Two decades later, Brind'Amour now stands behind the bench as the head coach of those same Hurricanes, a living reminder of how the league has endured. When play finally resumed in October of 2005, hope arrived in the form of two generational stars: Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. Crosby, in particular, helped restore belief in the NHL through his talent, leadership, and consistency. His dedication to the Penguins and the city of Pittsburgh stands as a testament to the legacy he has built both on and off the ice, evident in his newfound status as the franchise’s all-time points leader.
Courtesy of PierreVLeBrun/X
Through 1,389 regular-season games and 180 playoff games with the Penguins, Crosby has carried the franchise through countless highs and lows. Becoming Pittsburgh's all-time points leader reflects not only his individual greatness but also how he led the team away from the brink of relocation and into three Stanley Cup victories. When he retires, he will be remembered as a player who shaped the identity and culture of the Penguins for years to come, leaving a legacy that extends far beyond the scoreboard.
Together, these milestone moments from Leon Draisaitl and Sidney Crosby celebrate two different kinds of greatness: one that expands the sport's reach around the world, and one that defines what it means to shape a team, a city, and a league over a lifetime. Both players will leave an enduring mark on the game of hockey, showing that greatness is measured not only in points and trophies, but also in the influence and inspiration they provide to future generations.
Edited by: Kelly Cassette
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