VOORHEES, N.J. - Philadelphia might be the only NHL city where Pittsburgh Penguins rookie sensation Sidney Crosby is overshadowed by a couple of his teammates.

Crosby gets his first look at his team's cross-state rivals, the Flyers, tonight and is sure to receive a lot of attention. But the loudest reception probably will be saved for two ex-Flyers, John LeClair and Mark Recchi, who now are Crosby's linemates.

LeClair spent 10 years with the Flyers before his contract was bought out at the beginning of this season. In the mid-1990s, LeClair teamed up with Eric Lindros and Mikael Renberg to form the line known as the "Legion of Doom," one of the most prolific units in Flyers history.

Recchi had two tours of duty with the Flyers and still holds their single-season scoring record with 123 points. He signed with the Penguins as a free agent.

Both veterans can expect a lengthy ovation on their first visit back to the Wachovia Center.

"Any time John was out of the lineup here and came back in, people were tremendous to him," Keith Primeau said Thursday. "He was here for a long time. When you think of players who epitomize a team, Johnny is one of those guys you think of him as a Philadelphia Flyer."

LeClair said he expects little anxiety about facing Philadelphia.

"The first shift will be something different, but, other than that, you're playing a game," he said. "It's not different after that."

Crosby and Recchi share the Penguins' scoring lead with six points each. The Flyers' Simon Gagne says the veteran presence of LeClair and Recchi should help the 18-year-old Crosby's transition to the NHL.

"I had a chance to play with Mark my first couple years and he makes things so much easier," Gagne said. "For a guy like Crosby, who's got so much talent, to play with two guys like that, it's just going to make him look a lot better, too."

Flyers rookie center Jeff Carter had a chance to play alongside Crosby in two World Junior Championships and came away impressed.

"He's an unbelievable player," Carter said. "The first time I played World Juniors with him, he was like 15 years old. The way he carries himself, with all the pressure on him ... he handles it well.