Sidney Crosby has always been rich in talent, but now he has the wealth in his bank account to match.
The teenage hockey phenom from Cole Harbour, N.S., yesterday signed a five-year equipment and apparel deal worth $500,000 (all figures U.S. unless otherwise noted) annually, plus bonuses, with Reebok to go with the more than $150,000 (Canadian) he was already earning from endorsement deals with Sherwood sticks and Frameworth, a memorabilia company.
Crosby's new contract will put the Rimouski Océanic junior star in Reebok equipment from head to toe. He will, however, continue to use a Sherwood stick because of his four-year deal with the hockey stick maker.
The Reebok deal makes Crosby, 17, the highest-paid hockey equipment endorser, ahead of such bona fide National Hockey League stars as Dallas Stars centre Mike Modano, Detroit Red Wings goalie Curtis Joseph and St. Louis Blues defenceman Chris Pronger. The trio earns between $100,000 and $150,000 a year each with Reebok.
But to put Crosby's Reebok contract in a sporting world perspective, basketball star LeBron James signed a seven-year, $90-million contract with Nike before joining the Cleveland Cavaliers two years ago.
"This is a big deal, but it's not going to change me as a person," Crosby vowed. "Money is not going to change me. I'm going to be the same person."
Crosby said he began contemplating a deal with Reebok during the world junior championship two months ago. His Canadian teammate and linemate, Patrice Bergeron, is also a paid endorser for Reebok equipment.
Crosby's agent, Pat Brisson, revealed that there are a couple more endorsement deals being worked on that will be announced later this summer.
But first things first -- there is more hockey to be played by Crosby this season. Even though the hockey world wants to know where Crosby will be plying his trade next season, he is zeroing his focus on the Océanic.
Since Crosby returned from Canada's gold-medal performance at the world juniors, Rimouski has ripped off a 23-game unbeaten streak of 21 victories and two ties. Although this impressive run hasn't garnered near the attention that the London Knights Canadian junior record of 31 consecutive games without a loss did earlier this season, the Océanic has a chance of pushing the streak to 30 games if it remains unbeaten the rest of the season.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Crosby has scored 32 goals and 70 points in the 22 games since the world juniors. Having the best season by a junior since Mario Lemieux scored 133 goals and 282 points with the 1983-84 Laval Voisons, Crosby has collected a total of 58 goals and 145 points in 57 games (he missed three games because of the world juniors and another five because of injury).
"It's a lot of things," replied Crosby, when asked why he and his team have enjoyed such an impressive run. "We made a trade for a 20-year-old defenceman, Mario Scalzo, and that has helped a lot.
"Individually, the world junior tournament helped a lot. The best way to learn how to win is to win. I played with a lot of good players there and it rubbed off."
Crosby, who has an unprecedented deal with the Océanic that pays him in the neighbourhood of $30,000 (Canadian), also restated that he would jump at the chance to play for Canada at the world championships next month, but he is first committed to a long run with Rimouski in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs.
The million-dollar question is where he will be playing next year if the National Hockey League and the NHL Players' Association haven't come to terms on a new collective agreement before the 2005-06 season begins.
Crosby's deal with Reebok has a sliding scale. He gets paid more by the company if he's playing in the NHL. But Crosby reiterated that he won't be a replacement player if there is no deal between the league and the NHLPA.
"I won't play in a replacement league," Crosby said. "It's the best league in the world, but with replacement players it wouldn't be the best league."
If there is no real NHL season next year, Crosby could play in Europe (either in Sweden or in Switzerland).
If the World Hockey Association becomes worthy of consideration, the teenager will also explore that option.
There also has been a lot of chatter that the Océanic could hold onto Crosby's rights if there is no real NHL season in the fall. But whether that will hold up in court remains to be played out.
Brisson reiterated yesterday that he believes Crosby is ready to move on.
"He's ready for the next step," he said.
Crosby also made sure that Reebok took care of his Océanic teammates and coaching staff. About 30 people involved with the team received a Reebok sports bag, running shoes, two hats, short pants, a T-shirt and a hooded sweatshirt.