Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby placed a call to the rival Columbus Blue Jackets in order to endorse Paul DeFazio for the team's vacant head equipment manager position.

DeFazio, who was hired by Columbus on Tuesday, has been with the Penguins for more than 25 years, covering all of Crosby's lengthy tenure with the club. He served as assistant equipment manager from 2018 to 2025 after serving as head equipment manager for the team's AHL club for five seasons.

Crosby called former player Rick Nash, who is now director of hockey operations in Columbus, to back DeFazio for the promotion. 

“You’ve heard all of the talk through the years that (DeFazio) was Sid’s guy, that he did everything for Sid, and that he kind of took Sid under his wing when he got to Pittsburgh (in 2005),” Nash told The Athletic. “So when Sid called, I said, ‘What are you gonna do now if we take him?’

“He said he’d figure things out, but he’d be more than happy for this guy to get his shot as the head guy. That’s a pretty good endorsement, I guess, right?”

In addition to Crosby, Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas also called Blue Jackets general manager Don Waddell to offer his support. 

“It’s the opportunity to be a head guy that’s drawn him here to us,” Waddell said. “He had a great situation in Pittsburgh. He’s from there, he had great relationships, the players respect him, obviously. But he wants to be the head guy.

“(Dubas) called and said, ‘I don’t know where you are in the process, but our No. 2 guy has been very loyal to this organization and would really like a chance at the No. 1 job.”