Ask hockey fan Mike Fougere his thoughts on Sidney Crosby and he’ll quickly tell anyone he’s a huge fan.
“He’s the best that ever came out of here and he’s the best that will ever come out of here,” said Fougere, who felt a surge of pride when we found out Crosby had been named to the Order of Canada.
“He’s a role model for kids and everybody wants to be like him,” said Fougere.
According to Crosby’s former peewee AAA hockey coach, Paul Mason, even after all these years, he never tires of watching Crosby play.
“When you see Sidney play hockey, he plays at a level that you just dream about playing,” said Mason who added Crosby takes as much pride in being from Cole Harbour, N.S., as he does in honing his hockey skills. “He loves this community and we love him back.”
Crosby was named to the Order of Canada because of his on-ice accomplishments and his years of support for community services and youth initiatives in Nova Scotia and across Canada.
“Whenever there is something that happens in this community and he thinks he should be able to help out, that’s what he does,” said Mason.
Former NHL Scout Paul Gallagher says it’s hard to capture in words how Nova Scotians feel about Crosby – and not just hockey fans.
“The province has embraced him based on how he plays and how he carries himself both on and off the ice,” said Gallagher.
A three-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist, Crosby is experiencing somewhat of an on-ice renaissance.
Now in his 18th NHL season, Crosby has 43 points in 35 games and is on pace to have one of the best years of his career.
“That’s what amazes me. I turn on the TV and I watch and make another great play,” said Gallagher. “I said to myself, the other day, ‘Crosby still has it.’”
