Sidney Crosby quotes:

I think as a Canadian hockey player, you go through it in your mind so many times, being able to stand on that blue line and hear your national anthem play and being a gold medal champion, you dream of that. And then to be able to accomplish that and actually win a gold medal and represent your country its an amazing feeling.

Individual honors and scoring championships are great, but my No. 1 goal is to win the Stanley Cup.

For me, I've learned that the best thing is to focus on the team you play for and yourself and what you need to do.

The biggest thing for me is the passion that I've always had for hockey. I remember growing up, no matter what I did in life, my parents always told me to try to do my best at it and be my best. I can say going through different things that that passion is the most important part. It's not skills or talent or any of that stuff.

People are going to have their opinions. Whether it's good or bad, I don't really think about it either way.

Growing up in Canada, I didn't watch football much.

When I'm practicing, I think I'm pretty focused, and I spend a lot of energy on making sure I get better, but once I'm outside the rink, I think, like anyone else, I like to enjoy everything that everyone else does.

I have been practising since I was 4 or 5 years old, but that wasn't really practice. I was just having fun.... I just loved to play hockey.

I think that everyone has an equal right to play and I think we've been supportive of that. With the Olympics and the controversy around that I think those decisions and those laws aren't necessarily something that I agree with personally ... their laws and their views.

Whether you're trying to learn in hockey or trying to learn in life, I've always tried to be observant and tried to learn more, tried to evolve, whether it's as a hockey player or as a person. With each year, I try to do that.

When I saw that goal, the first thing I said was, 'You won't see a goal like that ever again.' It's one thing to have second effort but, on top of that, the athleticism he showed. It's just an example of the talent that he has.

It didn't feel like it was anything too major, but if you had to look at one hit that would be it.

In football, every play, play after play, there's that physicality. Football players only play once a week, so they must really need to rest. That does kind of tell you how physical the sport is. But in hockey, you have the boards. I just couldn't say which is more physical.

I didn't realize the connection between the mullet and success. For sure, you have to have a little bit of hockey hair - a little bit of flow, as they say. A lot of guys have fun with their hockey hair, so I'll try to keep it a little long.

I try to stay pretty level-headed and just do what I have to do.

When you get a typical injury, you're given a time frame; you're gradually working towards getting back. With concussions, there is not generally a time frame or a span where you're feeling better. You feel like you're getting better, and it can be one day and you're back to where you started.

I was anxious to get started, There was so much anticipation. I wanted to get in the routine of playing games. It was just nice to be on a team, not competing against these guys in camp [but] trying to work together to win.

In my situation there are often things I need to do for the team, so when I get the chance to relax it's all I want to do.

The more you hesitate in a game, the more your chance of getting hit. Your focus isn't there. When you hesitate, usually you're in trouble.

It is so important to me to have my time away from hockey. Obviously, hockey is my passion; I love it. But definitely for me, time away from the rink and time when my mind isn't thinking about hockey is important.

I think every athlete will tell you no matter what sport you're in, when you train so hard and when you care so much about doing what you do, there's a little bit of nerves that come with that. But nerves that won't prevent you form performing, nerves that, hopefully, allow you to be that much more motivated and inspired to do well.

For every whack I've given, I've gotten four or five.

It's really football, tennis, and golf that I watch other than hockey.

I realize there will not be another Gretzky, and I will be the first one to say I will not break his records, .. But for him to say that I could, it means I am doing something right. It was probably the best compliment I could get. I'm going to remember it.

Whether youre trying to learn in hockey or trying to learn in life, Ive always tried to be observant and tried to learn more, tried to evolve, whether its as a hockey player or as a person. With each year, I try to do that.

I'll be the first one to admit my first couple of years I was pretty hard on the refs.

There's no doubt I'm emotional.

I don't think you're human if you don't get nervous.

I'm not picky. When I'm hungry, I eat.

Breakaway goals are fun.

Challenging someone is good. You need to do it. Sometimes they don't even realize you're doing it, like when you joke with a goalie, 'What's wrong today? You losing it?

Chestnut brown canary, ruby throated sparrow, sing a song, don't be long, thrill me to the marrow.

Dreams are so important. You need to have big goals and expect a lot of yourself but you have to enjoy the ride too.

I always wanted to be the best and to get the most out of myself.

I am doing what I love to do.

I am putting pressure on myself to do my best and perform to my potential.

I don't have one favourite band. I like everything.

I don't think there's ever a time where I step back and say I wish I was something different. I'm doing what I love to do.

I feel comfortable, I'm definitely feeling challenged but with each day I gain more experience. I'm just trying to improve each day.

I look at it as a challenge, ... I'm not going to put too much added pressure on myself. I want to play in the NHL, and after that [happens], I can worry about things beyond that.

I need to work on defensive play and being consistent.

I promise to play for the logo on the front, not the name on the back

I want to be the best player possible.

I want to be the best. So whatever comes with that, I have to accept it.

I want to play as soon as possible, You want to play but I don't pick and choose. It's not my job.

I want to reward this city. Pittsburgh is a great hockey town.

I was better at both ends, defensively and offensively, It was more of a well-rounded game. I want to add to that.

I'd never complain about the attention - ever. I feel very fortunate to be doing what I love to do. Not everyone gets that chance every day. This is just part of it, and it comes down to managing my time to make sure I concentrate on my passion, which is the hockey, and have time away from hockey.

I'm most comfortable definitely when I'm on the ice. I love to play. It's something that I just love to do.

It seems like yesterday I was up there watching my first NHL game, and I was skating on the ice this time. It brings back memories, but at the same time it's something I'll remember forever.

It was amazing. You don't have a choice but to play your best. They force you do do that because they're smart and that's the fun part for me, I'm being challenged to think faster and be creative.

It's been really slow obviously, but I'm not worried about that. I feel like from where I was a couple months ago, things are a lot better. Just being able to skate and stuff was encouraging. Hopefully the next step doesn't have any hurdles.

It's more frustrating. My expectation probably wasn't that I'd play [during the playoffs], but I was just trying to make sure that if there was any chance that it was possible to come back that I was ready and that I'd done everything I could to be ready. It's frustrating, disappointing. But can't really control any of that.

It's not that hard to stay grounded. It's the way I was brought up.

It's tough, it's not the scenario that we wanted for sure. I thought our desperation was there, we worked hard, but it was one game, a lot can happen, they're a good team, and unfortunately we didn't win. We had some bad bounces, and in one game those make a big difference, and unfortunately it didn't go our way. But if we play hard like that, we play desperate like that and control the puck the way we did down low, I like our chances against any team.

I've always had a passion for hockey, ... That's the key. You can't be putting in time. You have to enjoy doing what you do.

Love isn't lying, it's loose in a lady who lingers, saying she is lost, and choking on hello.

My dad introduced me to the game, gave me a stick. Since then I've had a passion for it.

Teach your parents well.

The best way for me to lead is through my game.

The biggest thing for me is the passion that I've always had for hockey. I remember growing up, no matter what I did in life, my parents always told me to try to do my best at it and be my best. I can say going through different things that passion is the most important part. It's not skills or talent or any of that stuff.

Wouldn't it be amazing, getting up everyday and playing; doing something that you love to do?