Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has been named Team Canada's captain for next month's World Cup of Hockey, Hockey Canada announced Thursday.
Crosby, 29, is the only player in history to have captained teams to a Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold medal and World Championship gold medal.
Most recently, he won the Conn Smythe Award as the playoff MVP, with six goals and 13 assists during the Penguins' run to the franchise's fourth Stanley Cup in June. It was the second Stanley Cup Crosby has won since becoming the Penguins' captain in 2007.
He finished the 2015-16 regular season as a finalist for the Hart Trophy, and scored 36 goals and 49 assists in 80 games. In 707 career NHL games, Crosby has 338 goals and 600 assists.
Crosby also captained Canada to gold at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, and was a member of the 2010 team that won in Vancouver, with Crosby scoring a memorable overtime goal to win the gold medal over the U.S.
In 2015, Crosby joined the "Triple Gold Club" _ players that have won a Stanley Cup, Olympic gold and World Championship _ when he captained Canada to its first World Championship title since 2007. He is one of 27 members, but the only one to serve as captain for all three championships.
Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews and Montreal defenseman Shea Weber will serve as Crosby's alternate captains.
"Sid, Toews and Web are great men who have had unbelievable on-ice success," team Canada coach Mike Babcock said, according to a Hockey Canada release. "We look forward to them stepping up and leading our group as we work to achieve our ultimate goal at the World Cup."
The World Cup of Hockey starts Sept. 17 in Toronto, but team Canada will be one of four teams playing an exhibition game in Pittsburgh Sept. 14. Crosby's Canadian team will face off against fellow Penguins star Evgeni Malkin and Team Russia.
