Although his “Sid the Kid” nickname may not apply anymore, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has not forgotten how to connect with his young fans.
That was made evident when at the end of a preseason game at PPG Paints arena, as Crosby and his teammates were walking down the tunnel towards the dressing room after a win, the 36-year-old paused to look up at the stands.
Making eye contact with a family, Crosby waved at a young fan and proceeded to toss him the game puck.
The heartwarming moment, which has since been shared on the team’s Instagram page in a post captioned “BEST. DAY. EVER,” did not end there, though.
Upon receiving the memento, the youngster in the Kris Letang T-shirt held the puck close and jumped around excitedly.
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When his family tried to get him to pose for a picture, the kid could not contain the look of shock and emotion on his face. As tears poured down his face, the gobsmacked fan examined the puck as if to pinch himself and confirm what had just happened.
Crosby, who is entering his 19th NHL season, is no stranger to getting involved with the next generation.
Along with running a hockey school of his own, he started the Sidney Crosby Foundation in 2009, which is dedicated to improving the lives of children who are sick or struggling.
As for his role on the ice, the three-time Stanley Cup champion shows little to no signs of slowing down. Last season, he netted 33 goals and 93 points over 82 games, helping him reach the 1,500-point milestone.
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