When ESPN's Emily Kaplan asked MacKinnon what that meant, he explained: "Yesterday, my room number was 1787, so we just felt like it was fate. We both love Sid, so we just knew we were going to win when I got that room number."
That surely put a smile on the face of the notoriously superstitious captain, who has become incredibly close with MacKinnon, drafted first overall by Colorado 10 years after Crosby was taken in that same spot by Pittsburgh.
They're friends, neighbors and training partners back in their native Nova Scotia, with both players hailing from Cole Harbour. MacKinnon has often expressed how much of a role model, mentor and inspiration Crosby has been for him, especially in terms of work ethic.
After experiencing that drive and commitment firsthand during their summer sessions, Crosby is thrilled to see it all pay off for his buddy, who attended both of Sid's Stanley Cup celebrations during Pittsburgh's back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017. Now, he gets to have his own.
"I am really happy for Nate," Crosby told the Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. "I know how much it means to him and his family. I have seen how hard he's worked to achieve this and glad that he's got rewarded and gets to experience everything that comes with winning. It's special."
