The Kid is officially a thirty-something.

It's Pittsburgh Penguins' superstar center Sidney Crosby's birthday, and to celebrate, here are 30 facts about the greatest hockey player of the NHL's shootout era, and undoubtedly one of the best players of all time.

1. Crosby's jersey number (87) is doubly significant: It represents his birth date (8/7/1987), as well as the yearly cap hit ($8.7 million) on a 12-year, $104.4-million contract extension signed in 2013.

2. He famously honed his shooting skills in his parents' basement, resulting in this banged-up appliance that sits in the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame.

3. Crosby grew up rooting for the Montreal Canadiens, not only because he's from Eastern Canada, but also because his father, Troy, was drafted 240th overall by the Habs in 1984. The goalie never suited up at the NHL level.

4. "Sidney's favorite player was Kirk Muller and he's had that poster up on the wall in his bedroom for as long as I can remember," Troy said back in 2006.

5. Crosby ranks second in all-time points for the QMJHL's Rimouski Oceanic (120 goals, 183 assists in 121 junior games). He sits behind former NHL center Brad Richards (143 goals, 289 assists in 190 games).

6. Not everything Sid touches is golden: Rimouski won the QMJHL championship in 2005, but lost the Memorial Cup final to a London Knights team that included Corey Perry.

7. Crosby was drafted first overall in 2005, followed by Bobby Ryan, Jack Johnson, Benoit Pouliot, and Carey Price. He was admittedly disappointed when Montreal was awarded the fifth pick in the preceding lottery selection, but things have worked out with the Penguins.

8. In his NHL debut against New Jersey on Oct. 5, 2005, Crosby recorded his first career point, assisting on Mark Recchi's season-opening goal.

9. Crosby scored the first shootout goal in Penguins history, getting the better of Montreal goalie Jose Theodore on Nov. 10, 2005 in his first game against a Canadian team.

10. He's the youngest player to record 100 points in a season (18 years, 253 days), finishing the season with 102 (39 goals, 63 assists).

11. Crosby, however, was denied the 2006 Calder Trophy, won by Alex Ovechkin on the strength of a 52-goal, 54-assist rookie campaign.

Crosby holds several other "youngest to" NHL records thanks to a tremendous amount of success from his rookie season through to the beginning of 2011, when an unfortunate string of injuries issues began. They include:

12. Youngest player to record 200 career points (19 years and 207 days).

13. Youngest player to record two consecutive 100-point seasons and youngest player to lead the NHL in scoring, recording 120 points in 2006-07 (19 years, 215 days).

14. Youngest player to lead the Stanley Cup playoffs in scoring (27 points in 2008 at 20 years, nine months, and 28 days).

15. Youngest captain to win a Cup (2009, aged 21 years, 10 months, and five days). He did hold the record for youngest permanent captain in NHL history, but has since been bumped by Gabriel Landeskog and Connor McDavid.

Crosby has also taken home a plethora of individual and team awards over the years:

16. Two Art Ross trophies (most points): 2007, 2014.

17. Two Maurice "Rocket" Richard trophies (most goals): 2010, 2017.

18. Three Lester B. Pearson/Ted Lindsay awards (voted best player by peers): 2007, 2013, 2014.

19. Two Hart Memorial trophies (regular-season MVP): 2007, 2014.

20. Two Mark Messier Leadership awards: 2007, 2010.

21. Four Prince of Wales trophies (Eastern Conference Champion): 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017.

22. Three Cups: 2009, 2016, 2017.

23. Two Conn Smythe trophies (playoff MVP): 2016, 2017.

24. Only Ovechkin has recorded more points than Crosby since the beginning of 2005-06 (1,035 to 1,027), but due to injuries, Crosby has appeared in 139 fewer games, giving him a big advantage in points per game (1.31 to 1.12).

25. He's reached 50 goals once in his career (51 in 81 games in 2009-10). His career high in assists is 84 (2006-07).

Crosby has also been incredibly successful on the international stage, too.

26. At the World Junior Hockey Championship, Crosby won silver (2004) and gold (2005), with 14 points in 12 games over the two tournaments.

27. Crosby has won two Olympic gold medals (2010, 2014). He scored the overtime game-winner against USA in Vancouver to give Canada the gold in one of the country's greatest sports moments.

28. A gold medal win at the 2005 World Championship put him in the famed Triple Gold Club, a group of 27 players who have won Olympic and World Championship gold in addition to the Cup.

29. Crosby led all players with 10 points in six games at the 2016 World Cup, adding yet another international win at the senior men's level.

30. In short, if Crosby retired today, he should be inducted into the Hall of Fame tomorrow.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)

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This time next year, Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin will very likely be in the books as one of the top picks from the 2018 NHL Draft, if not the first overall selection.

For now, Dahlin is heading back to Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League for his second season as a pro, where he'll continue to hone an already sparkling skill set.

The 17-year-old isn't concerned about the pressure that comes with being an expected top pick, and, according to Adam Kimelman of NHL.com, Dahlin will focus his energy in the gym to add strength, as well as work on all areas of his game on the ice with emphasis on improving his shot.

"All I can do is play my game and be myself," he said. "All I can do is train and be better every day. Then we'll see."

Despite falling prey to illness, Dahlin put in a strong showing at last week's World Junior Summer Showcase in Michigan, and is a lock to represent Sweden at the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship in Buffalo.

"We're going to go with the best players, doesn't matter if they're young or old," said Swedish coach Tomas Monten. "We're just looking for the players that can make our team better. For sure he's one of them."

Monten adds Dahlin is on track to be great at both ends of the ice.

"He's always going to be recognized for his puck movement and his skating," the coach said. "He made some nice plays on the blue line as well. We feel that in Rasmus we have a player that can play both ends of the ice. He's going to play on our penalty kill. He's great at the man-on-man play down low. I think he could be a complete defenseman."

Dahlin registered one goal and two assists in 26 games for Frolunda last season.

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For the third time in his career, Sidney Crosby brought the Stanley Cup to his home province of Nova Scotia, and the Pittsburgh Penguins captain made sure the entire community was involved in the celebration.

First, Crosby visited a veteran's retirement home:

Then he stopped by a children's hospital:

Crosby, who celebrates his 30th birthday Monday, will also parade the Cup through Rimouski, Quebec, where he played his junior hockey for two seasons.

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Team Sweden isn't planning on having Sabres forward prospect Alexander Nylander on the roster for the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship in Buffalo.

Nylander, who played mainly in the AHL last season, was made available by the Sabres for the 2017 tournament, and starred en route to a fourth-place finish for his home country. But Swedish coach Tomas Monten didn't add the 19-year-old to the roster for this week's World Junior Summer Showcase, and expects Nylander to be a permanent fixture in the Buffalo lineup in 2017-18.

"Of course if Buffalo wants him to play (for Sweden), we're going to keep our door open. He for sure has a spot on our team but I think he's going to make Buffalo this year," Monten said, according to Amy Moritz of the Buffalo News. "That's why I didn't bring him. We haven't talked in the summer.

"Of course I'm going to ask Buffalo what they think. If he's available, we'll take him for sure but I don't think he is. I think he's going to play in Buffalo."

Nylander was drafted eighth overall by the Sabres in 2016. He registered 10 goals and 18 assists in 65 games for the Rochester Americans as an AHL rookie last season, and recorded one assist in four appearances with Buffalo.

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Dylan Strome knows a good summer will help him crack the Arizona Coyotes' roster this season, and the team's top center prospect is putting in the time to realize that dream.

"I've been working hard in the gym and on the ice and I feel a lot stronger and quicker," Strome told Jerry Brown of NHL.com. "Every player has the same goal of making the NHL and playing 82 games, but nothing is given to you. I know if I don't prove I'm ready, I'm going to be in the minors. It drives me to show what I can do."

The offseason workouts appear to be paying off, as Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports notes Strome is weighing in above 200 pounds - a fair uptick from the 6-foot-3, 185-pound center the Coyotes drafted third overall in 2015.

Part of that training regimen includes sessions with Coyotes skating coach Dawn Braid, who has helped add more strength and power to Strome's stride.

"He's stronger, sturdier, and the legs have a little more pop in them," Coyotes general manager John Chayka said in July. "Sometimes, big centers take a little longer to come along but he's certainly doing all the right things."

Strome spent last season with the OHL's Erie Otters, recording 22 goals and 53 assists in 35 contests. He also made a Memorial Cup run with the Otters, where he set a tournament record with a seven-point game just five months after a silver-medal finish with Team Canada at the world juniors.

But Strome's junior career is a thing of the past, as he'll turn pro in 2017-18. Whether the Mississauga, Ontario native spends the season with the Coyotes or the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners is yet to be determined, but he'll have some frame of reference after a seven-game stint with Arizona last season.

"We could have had Dylan here and had him play a depth role or play on the wing," Chayka told Brown. "He would have been fine doing that, but that's not what we're looking for out of him. We're looking for him to be a 200-foot center who impacts the game in all areas."

He's expected to fill a top-nine center role next season alongside Derek Stepan, whom the Coyotes acquired from the New York Rangers this summer, and Christian Dvorak, who enters training camp after tallyinged 15 goals and 18 assists in his freshman campaign.

Strome's ability to generate offense should please new bench boss Rick Tocchet, who's preached that he wants the Coyotes to attack with an aggressive, creative style.

"(Strome) has so many attributes from a skill and anticipation standpoint that let you know (he) has a chance to be a great one," Chayka added. "When a player has a ceiling like that, you don't want to do anything that can harm that. It's too valuable to the organization long term when you have a player of that caliber."

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