PITTSBURGH -- Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang are set to become the longest-tenured trio of teammates in the history of North American professional sports.
Crosby, Malkin and Letang will begin their 18th season with the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Chicago Blackhawks at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, SN, TVAS). By doing so, they will break a tie with Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada, who were teammates for 17 seasons with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball from 1995-2011.
"It means a lot, to be honest, having the chance to win three championships with these guys,” Letang said. “Been through a lot on and off the ice with these two guys. As for myself, they've always been there for me. ‘Geno’ had his fair share of injuries, Sid had his fair share of injuries.
“The fact that we were always there for each other and kind of got back on our feet and kept going, it was pretty special. The fact that we were able to keep it all together, it was pretty impressive."
Not much has changed in nearly two decades.
Crosby and Malkin remain the top two centers, same as when the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2009, 2016 and 2017. Letang eventually became a top-pair defenseman, a role he has owned for more than a decade.
The three have been together since 2006-07, when Malkin and Letang debuted in Crosby’s second season. Crosby was selected with the No. 1 pick by Pittsburgh in the 2005 NHL Draft, one year after Malkin was selected No. 2 in the 2004 NHL Draft. Letang was taken in the third round (No. 62) in the 2005 NHL Draft.
“Obviously, Geno’s English was a little bit spotty at the time,” Crosby said. “’Tanger's’ English actually was, too, now that I think about it. All of us were obviously super young and trying to figure things out.
“Really leaned on each other a lot then and still to this day. So, not much has changed that way.”
Their support helped Crosby after concussion-related issues ended his 2010-11 season on Jan. 5, 2011. Lingering symptoms kept the Pittsburgh captain out of 60 games the following season.
Letang had similar experiences after suffering two strokes in his NHL career. The first was late in January 2014, when tests revealed he was born with a very small hole in the wall of his heart that typically closes on its own. Letang missed five games last season after having another stroke on Nov. 28, 2022.
Crosby, Malkin and Letang have naturally grown close because of what they’ve accomplished despite those struggles, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said.
"When you spend that much time together and you go through the challenges and have some of the success and failures that they've been through in the years they've been together, you become close,” Sullivan said. “I don't think anything galvanizes friendships and relationships more than when you win championships. These guys have a number of them that they've won together.”
Crosby’s only NHL experience without Malkin and Letang came in 2005-06, when he missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs as a rookie. Malkin and Letang joined the following season, helping lead Pittsburgh to 16 straight playoff appearances before failing to qualify last season.
At 36 years old, Crosby has 1,502 points (550 goals, 952 assists), which is second in Penguins history behind Mario Lemieux (1,723 points; 690 goals, 1,033 assists). Malkin, 37, is third with 1,229 points (471 goals, 758 assists).
Letang, 36, has the most points (691), goals (156) and assists (535) by a defenseman in Pittsburgh's history.
“I've always said and believed that these guys are the greatest core that I've certainly been around and witnessed," Sullivan said. “They're in elite company without a doubt, the guys you mentioned with the Yankees, for example. These guys are in elite company from a core standpoint. ... They're generational talents, I think that speaks for itself. But all the other intangibles that they bring to the table, they just represent everything that's great about hockey.”
Their time together could have ended following the 2021-22 season, though, when Malkin and Letang had the chance to become unrestricted free agents.
Letang signed a six-year, $36.6 million contract ($6.1 million average annual value) to stay in Pittsburgh on July 7, 2022. Malkin followed by signing a four-year, $24.4 million contract with a matching $6.1 AAV on July 12, 2022.
Staying hasn’t just been about nostalgia, Malkin said.
“It’s special, for sure, but nothing’s changed,” Malkin said. “We have Sid and Tanger. We try to be the best in every practice and every game. We’re the leaders of this group. Everybody looks at us first. Try to support each other, be ready to play.”
Crosby said he'd like it to stay that way a bit longer.
“It’s just special. There’s no other way to put it,” Crosby said. “It’s not easy. There are so many factors. So much turnover with teams, especially nowadays where you see that it’s so uncommon that players can stay with the same team. The fact we were able to do that, it’s really special.
“You appreciate that. You’re grateful for that, and hopefully, a few more years left here together.”
