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NEED TO KNOW
- Sidney Crosby met his long-time girlfriend, Kathy Leutner, in 2008
- The Pittsburgh Penguins player and the Sports Illustrated model have kept their relationship private over the years
- However, Leutner was seen attending the NHL star's 1,000th game in 2021
Sidney Crosby and his girlfriend, Kathy Leutner, have been together for over 15 years — and throughout that time, the NHL star has managed to keep their romance under lock and key.
The Pittsburgh Penguins player — who earned three Stanley Cups and two Olympic gold medals throughout his career and is aiming for his third at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games — met the model in 2008 after they were introduced by a mutual friend, per Sports Illustrated.
It's unclear when exactly they started dating, and Leutner has only been spotted at a handful of his games over the years.
“I’ve always been that way,” he told The Hockey News in August 2019 when asked why he keeps his personal life so private. “When I was young and growing up, there was so much attention, and everything was magnified, and just having certain things to yourself was nice."
So, who is Sidney Crosby's girlfriend? Here's everything to know about Kathy Leutner and her low-key, long-term relationship with the Pittsburgh Penguins star.
Leutner is a model
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Leutner was a high school senior when she was discovered while shopping with her mom at Abercrombie & Fitch in Virginia in 2003. Within a month, the teen had booked her first modeling gig with the brand and went on to appear on the cover of magazines like Fitness and Brides.
She told Southern Maryland News in February 2011 that modeling was never the plan originally.
"At that point, sports was really my main focus," Leutner said. The model played lacrosse in high school and attended James Madison University on a partial lacrosse scholarship. However, she said that the modeling experience has been "a dream come true."
That same year, she was one of eight models selected for Sports Illustrated's Model Search contest.
They met in 2008
John Berry/Getty
According to Sports Illustrated, Crosby and Leutner were first linked in 2008 when they were introduced by a mutual friend. Since then, the couple have kept a low profile and the model has only been seen attending a few of her boyfriend's major games.
In 2014, Leutner was photographed cheering Crosby on from the sidelines when he represented Canada at the Sochi Winter Olympics. Crosby helped secure the country's second gold medal in ice hockey after winning the first at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010.
In February 2025, Leutner made a rare appearance alongside other wives and girlfriends of Team Canada players when Connor McDavid's wife, Lauren Kyle McDavid, posted an Instagram roundup of the women decked out in red-and-white gear. The group was celebrating Canada's win during the 4 Nations Face-Off.
She attended his 1,000th NHL game in 2021
Joe Sargent/NHLI via Getty
In February 2021, Crosby became the first player in Penguins' history to play 1,000 NHL games. The franchise honored the milestone with a ceremony before the puck drop that included a video dedicated to the team captain with a sweet message from his girlfriend, per the team's official website.
When Leutner appeared at the Zamboni gate, Crosby skated over to her to hand her flowers. The Peguins went on to win the game.
"It's a special day regardless of the outcome, but it makes it so much better than when you win," Crosby told the franchise. "Just everything from the guys and ceremony in the room, on the ice - just completely spoiled today. So it was a pretty awesome experience and a day that I'll always remember, and just even sweeter that we were able to win."
Leutner and Crosby keep their relationship private
Lauren Kyle McDavid/Instagram
Despite being a major name in the NHL, Crosby hasn't revealed much about his life off the ice. He told The Hockey News that staying quiet about his personal life — which includes his relationship with Leutner — is by design.
“I take a lot of pride in being professional and taking what I do seriously," the hockey player explained, noting that a big part of that is being off social media.
Crosby continued, "Everyone does things differently. That’s just something I’ve felt comfortable with. Being a hockey player, you automatically think, ‘There are certain things that are going to be more known about you,’ but it’s nice to have that [privacy], for sure.”
Read the original article on People