Sidney Crosby, Letang and Malkin set to make history in showdown against Blackhawks

Sidney Crosby, Letang and Malkin are on the verge of making history as they prepare to take the ice together for their 18th season as teammates with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Pens Inside Scoop recently shared an exciting post whose caption reads,

"Ready for the Big Three to take the ice for their 18th season together."

This remarkable achievement is set to surpass the tenure of the iconic New York Yankees trio, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada, who played together from 1995 to 2011, making Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Letang the longest-tenured trio in the history of all North American professional sports.

The Penguins' season opener against the Blackhawks marks this historic milestone. Crosby, Malkin, and Letang each described their long journey together as "special," reflecting on their early days when they were just young kids eager to break into the league.

According to Taylor Haase of DKPS, Letang said,

"We were just three young kids that wanted to get into the league. There's a million memories."

Crosby, who is now entering his 19th season, had already begun his second NHL season when Malkin and Letang joined him. Malkin debuted in 2006-07 after leaving Russia. Letang became a regular NHL defenseman the following season.

During their tenure, the trio has accumulated an impressive number of games played, with Crosby, Malkin, and Letang all surpassing the 1,000-game mark with the Penguins.

"I've been through a lot on and off the ice with these two guys," Letang acknowledged. "For myself, they've always been there for me. Geno had his fair share of injuries, Sid had his fair share of injuries, and the fact that we were always there for each other, got back on our feet and kept going, I think it was pretty special."

Indeed, their enduring partnership is more than impressive; it's historic. Playing together for over 18 seasons, especially at such a high level into their mid-30s, is a feat rarely seen in today's sports landscape.

Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Letang's quest for a fourth Stanley Cup

The term "core" has been used to describe the Penguins' nucleus since their 2009 Stanley Cup victory. Initially consisting of five players, including Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Jordan Staal and Marc-Andre Fleury, business decisions and the ever-changing landscape of professional sports have limited the longevity of this core. However, Crosby, Malkin and Letang have defied the odds and remained together, making their run unprecedented. Crosby said:

"It's just special; I mean, there's no other way to put it. It's not easy. There are so many factors. So much turnover comes in, especially nowadays. You see that it's so uncommon that players can stay with the same team. The fact that we've been able to do that is just special.

As they embark on their 18th season together, Crosby, Malkin and Letang are focused on a shared goal: winning a fourth Stanley Cup.