Sidney Crosby's arrival to the NHL back in 2005-06 came with the tag of being "The Next One." Five seasons and one lockout after Wayne Gretzky retired, it is hard to remember just how badly the NHL needed a "Next One," but Crosby's arrival came at a time of real desperation.
Emerging from the 2004-05 lockout, the NHL appeared doomed to be mired in self-inflicted obscurity. However, some key rule changes and the perfectly timed arrival of Crosby and Alex Ovechkin saved the league from itself.
Fast forward 11 years. The NHL still has Crosby and Ovechkin and they're still among the best players in the league.