Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby made NHL history once again, achieving another career milestone in a 5-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night. The 39-year-old recorded his 1,110th career assist, moving past Joe Thornton into seventh place on the league's all-time assists list.

Crosby reached the milestone with a first-period assist on Bryan Rust's goal. He now needs 25 assists to catch Paul Coffey, who ranks sixth with 1,135. Jaromir Jagr occupies fifth place with 1,155, while Ray Bourque sits fourth with 1,169. Mark Messier is third with 1,193, followed by Ron Francis at 1,249. Wayne Gretzky remains the all-time leader with 1,963 assists.

Crosby has also accumulated 1,766 career points, leaving him 32 shy of the 1,798 required to enter the top five. His latest assist adds to a career in which he has already become Pittsburgh's all-time points leader.

So far this season, Crosby has recorded two goals and three assists for five points through eight games. The Penguins have won only three of those contests.

Despite his relatively quiet start, Crosby remains one of the NHL's most consistent scorers. He holds the league record for 21 consecutive seasons averaging at least one point per game. Last season, he racked up 29 goals and 45 assists for 74 points in 68 appearances, missing time because of an injury sustained during Canada's silver-medal run at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.

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Crosby is playing his 22nd season with Pittsburgh alongside longtime teammates Kris Letang and Evgeni Malkin. The trio has become the longest-serving line of three teammates in NHL history. The three-time Stanley Cup champion is also playing on an expiring contract, although he has expressed a desire to continue his career beyond this season.

Following Friday's defeat, the Penguins will face the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night before completing their road trip against the Utah Mammoth on Monday. The team will then return home for three consecutive games.