Barry Trotz: Sidney Crosby ‘the gold standard’ among NHL players
No NHL coach is more familiar with facing Sidney Crosby than Barry Trotz.
Be it as the leader of the Washington Capitals or New York Islanders, Trotz has coached against Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins in a postseason series five times. No other coach has matched up against Crosby in more than three series since the Penguins’ run of 15 consecutive playoff series began in 2007.
The ongoing Islanders-Penguins series is just the latest chapter in the meeting of the NHL’s second-leading active coach in active wins (877) against the league’s second-leading active player in points (1,325).
“He’s an elite player who plays an elite game night in and night out,” Trotz said via video conference call with media after the Islanders practiced Sunday.
“I have so much respect for Sid as a player and person. This is my fifth time going against Sid in the playoffs myself, and he’s an exceptional player and a great example of what an NHL player is in this league. He’s a gold standard. He carried this league, him and (Capitals star Alex Ovechkin), when the league really needed it. Sid has been a great ambassador and great example of the NHL.”
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) May 23, 2021
Crosby’s Penguins beat Trotz’s Capitals in second-round series in 2016 and 2017, but the Trotz-led Capitals prevailed when they met again in the second round of the 2018 postseason. Upon being hired by the Islanders, Trotz’s new team swept the Penguins in the 2019 first round.
Crosby has one goal and one assist over the eight games against the Islanders with Trotz as coach. He had 17 points (five goals and 12 assists) in 17 games against the Capitals when Trotz coached that team.
Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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