He is far more likely to mix it up with a Philadelphia Flyers forward than to end up in a verbal sparring match with the media. But he has empathy for players who do have squabbles with the media, such as Toronto Maple Leafs star Phil Kessel, who recently called a reporter an "idiot" after a hostile exchange.

"We've all been in that situation where you see where the angle of the question is going and you don't agree with it," Crosby said. "What I saw in that was people being human. Obviously, you don't want that to happen, but I don't blame (Kessel) because of the position he was put in. At the same, the person asking the question is doing their job. To me, it was just human nature taking over. "

Not everything works out the way Crosby wants, but he seems to give considerable thought to what he says and does.

"At some point, how you act is just who you are," he said. "I may not always have the most exciting answers, but that's who I am. I can't change that."

Allen continues, and therein lies the Crosby conundrum: he becomes very visibly upset at referees, he becomes very visibly upset at other players, but when he exits the ice, a tense exchange is the most you can hope from Mr. Lack of Personality.