- CCM posted photos Thursday of Sidney Crosby in its new Tacks XR Pro protective gear
- Crosby has worn the same Reebok/Jofa shoulder pads since his junior days in Rimouski
- Read below for the full story on Crosby’s gear and the pads he refuses to give up
Sidney Crosby spent Thursday modeling brand new CCM gear he almost certainly won’t wear. The junior-era shoulder pads are staying.
CCM rolled out a photo set of the Penguins captain in its new Tacks XR Pro protective line, everything fresh out of the box. Shoulder pads, elbow pads, pants, a black-and-gold sweater hanging behind him. Take a look at the shoot:
Anyone who has watched Crosby for the last two decades knows how this ends. He has worn the same Reebok/Jofa shoulder pads since his junior days with Rimouski, and he has shown zero interest in retiring them. The Itech neck guard he still tucks under his jersey is roughly the same vintage.
Our side-by-side of the new gear and the real thing made the rounds Thursday night:
That second frame comes from the 4 Nations Face-Off in February 2025, when Anthony Marcotte photographed Crosby at his Team Canada stall in a set of pads that have gone yellow-white with age. Marcotte wrote that nobody can count how many times they have been repaired.
None of this is stubbornness for its own sake. Shoulder pads sit closer to a player’s mechanics than almost any other piece of equipment, and Crosby’s old ones are low-profile enough that they move with him instead of fighting him.
Once something fits that well, you stop shopping.
The photos landed on the same day the Penguins marked 21 years since taking him first overall in 2005. Crosby turns 39 next week and is heading into his 22nd NHL season, with his deal running through 2026-27 and a spot waiting for him in a loaded 2027 free agent class.
Expect CCM to move plenty of Tacks XR Pro off those pictures. Expect Crosby to walk into camp in September wearing the pads he got as a teenager, with Pittsburgh’s equipment staff stitching them up one more time.
