Ice Hockey

Originally Posted by KenN

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Those penguins, what a bunch of figure skaters.

Not Malkin

Originally Posted by Teacher

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I disagree with the bold area, at least in part. What comes around....
You can have an asbolutely vicious check that was borderline intent to hospitalize that, by luck, doesn't keep a guy out for very long. And you can have something that was irresponsible but, on the whole, unintended, that puts a guy out for months because he happened to fall the wrong way. I don't want to see people suspended based on that kind of fluke. Look at the action itself. Bertuzzi's a good example; Moore deserved to get sucker punched, he did not deserve to have his career ended and I don't think anyone will honestly say Bertuzzi was trying to injure him, and his suspension should have been exactly the same as it would've been if Moore had played the next Avs game. But some people were calling for him to be kicked out of hockey because of it. Meanwhile Claude Lemieux's hit on Kris Draper, one of the dirtiest plays ever, didn't keep Lemieux out of action. Domi's elbow was intent to injure... whether or not Niedermayer played the next game matters not at all. It's the nature of the act that should determine the penalty.

Originally Posted by gomestar

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IMO, he can't become "legendary" while Ovechkin is still in the league. And I don't think he can even become legendary as only the second best player on his own team!
Much as people like to talk **** about him for whining or whatever (and I was cheering for the Wings the last 2 years), all homerism and hating aside, Crosby is the best player in the world right now. Ovy and Malkin are flashier and more likely to score a highlight reel goal, they're game breakers... but in terms of overall contribution to the team, Crosby is #1.

Originally Posted by JD_May

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Much as people like to talk **** about him for whining or whatever (and I was cheering for the Wings the last 2 years), all homerism and hating aside, Crosby is the best player in the world right now. Ovy and Malkin are flashier and more likely to score a highlight reel goal, they're game breakers... but in terms of overall contribution to the team, Crosby is #1.

I agree that Crosby is the best "team" player of the 3. But I still think Ovechkin is the best in the world. He's extremely fast, physical, an incredible power player. Whenever the Caps play my team, I fear every step he takes on the ice. And remember, the Pens have an excellent record without Crosby in the lineup and they were able to win the Cup finals with him producing close to nothing in the points department. Furthermore, the Pens average far more goals with Crosby out of the lineup than with him in. While he is certainly top-3 in the world, I'd take Malkin or AO over him.

There is more to hockey than stats and Crosby is the kind of guy who can elevate your entire team, especially in the playoffs. He adds that elite level of skill to a Mike Richards, Ryan Kesler, Dustin Brown kind of mold. It's almost intangible but you can tell when you watch the games. In the PIT - WAS series last year, there were times the Pens were getting shelled and Crosby basically carried them on his back emotionally and got them back into actually playing like they should win. Malkin can chip in a timely goal or two, but he doesn't have anything like that ability.

Wow, easily the worst period I've seen the Canucks play since last January.

Originally Posted by JD_May

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There is more to hockey than stats and Crosby is the kind of guy who can elevate your entire team, especially in the playoffs. He adds that elite level of skill to a Mike Richards, Ryan Kesler, Dustin Brown kind of mold. It's almost intangible but you can tell when you watch the games. In the PIT - WAS series last year, there were times the Pens were getting shelled and Crosby basically carried them on his back emotionally and got them back into actually playing like they should win. Malkin can chip in a timely goal or two, but he doesn't have anything like that ability.

I have to agree with all of this. Also, he is leading the league in faceoffs at the moment.

was anybody else watching the Pens right before their coaching change last season? Where was Crosby's greatness then? Why couldn't he even "elevate" his team to beat the lowly Islanders?? They were on a major losing streak and 10th in the East under Crosby's leadership went down with his soft groin. The very next game the Pens started their streak with Malkin at the helm. Maybe it's because I don't focus on the intangibles, but I still think Crosby is only comfortably in the top 3, no less but no more.

And the Pens Caps series last year was won by a lucky break that threw a goalie with less than 10 games of NHL experience right into the pit of the playoffs. He shows signs of brilliance, but his semi-pro glove hand was exposed and he let in far too many soft goals and thus condemned his team. Still, the series went to 7 games, I for one believe the Caps would have taken that series easily had a competent goalie been playing for them.

Andrew Ladd with a huge elbow tonight.

Canucks... are terrible. AHL team from the goalie out.

Originally Posted by JD_May

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There is more to hockey than stats and Crosby is the kind of guy who can elevate your entire team, especially in the playoffs. He adds that elite level of skill to a Mike Richards, Ryan Kesler, Dustin Brown kind of mold. It's almost intangible but you can tell when you watch the games. In the PIT - WAS series last year, there were times the Pens were getting shelled and Crosby basically carried them on his back emotionally and got them back into actually playing like they should win. Malkin can chip in a timely goal or two, but he doesn't have anything like that ability.

If you follow that logic, Messier is a better player than Gretzky...I don't buy it...OV is the best player in the game...bar none.

Great game on CBC tonight...in the shootout as we speak.

^Gretz was on another level from anyone who has ever played. Watching him was just... it was ridiculous. Neither Crosby nor Ovechkin are on that level. But him aside, a guy like Steve Yzerman is a more valuable player than guys who'd outscore him, and if I could pick one guy to build a team around besides Gretzky it would be Stevie Y.

so Malkin is out of the Pens lineup, the Pens need inspiration to rally to beat Minnesota, so what does Crosby do? He puts himself in the box for 7 minutes and the Pens lose the game.


Steve Y. was one hell of a leader, and I can certainly see Crosby taking after him. But, I think Ovechkin can turn into a great leader as well. Malkin has been pretty much forced to take a back seat to Crosby, so who knows what'll happen there.

Originally Posted by JD_May

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^Gretz was on another level from anyone who has ever played. Watching him was just... it was ridiculous. Neither Crosby nor Ovechkin are on that level. But him aside, a guy like Steve Yzerman is a more valuable player than guys who'd outscore him, and if I could pick one guy to build a team around besides Gretzky it would be Stevie Y.

I would build around Wendel Clark.

I think everyone just loves to hate crosby... He's grown a lot over the years and he'll even get gritty and fight (though ball punching was pretty bad). I'm not a big crosby fan but he'll definitely compete with AO and malkin for best player in the league every year. This is a good chance for crosby to show what he brings with malkin out for a few weeks.

I don't know...Im not drinking the Canadian Kool Aid on this one. Canada has been looking for the "next one" for so long...Crosby is not the next one. He is an elite NHL player, but no where near Gretzky in terms of what he does on a night in night out basis AND compared to the rest of the league. Alex Ovechkin (maybe a lot is also his personality, lets face it Crosby is pretty effing boring) should be the face of the league, and is the most electrifying player on the ice today. For chrissakes, even Don Cherry likes him!

I'd also like to see what he does at the Olympics....

I guess I think Crosby is over-hyped by the media. He was touted as the "next great one" but in reality he is only comfortably in the top-5 (and Gretzky was in a whole separate league). And for a guy who had the eyes of the hockey world on him, he built up a reputation for diving and whining to the refs, though he has improved significantly over the past season or two.

If the NHL is really trying to market a player to draw in fans to the league, I think AO is the player to do it. The excitement, the incredible goal scoring ability, the physical play. But please, don't put Malkin's face on anything!!