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[Big Friggin Dummy]

Prime Geno was always more exciting than prime Sid imo. Dude was electric when he was at his absolute best. Not that Sid wasn't, but Geno was somethin' else.

 

[eXile3]

Anyhow, I think Mario's 5 goals 5 ways is the far more impressive NHL record. Sid playing a decade of B+ hockey doesn't get my heart going pitter patter in the same way.

Was also a much different league back then.

 

[Al Smith]

I guess? But that’s still 6 years ago.

He was dominant in the 2022 playoffs until he got Trouba-ed. Would rather watch Mario in his prime than Sid in his prime for the Wow factor, but still enjoy watching Sid play now, especially given the dreck that surrounds him. E.g., the elegant flip pass he put on Rust's stick last night is a great example of him still having it at least in his offensive instincts.

 

[Darren McCord]

He's rarely played a highlight type style since maybe his first three years. More of a player who makes you smile watching him than your jaw drop.

Meh people are just to spoiled and use to Sid.

His deflections are still absolutely insane. 5 years after Sid is gone we are going to see prospects do that and your jaw will drop because it will be new again.

Sid's amazing plays happen in slow motions not high-speed so people do not appreciated them as much.

 

[Darren McCord]

From last year. Here may not be consistent in jaw dropping plays but how many players can make a blind back hand pass this hard and this on the money at high-speed.

Talking about the pass at 1:25

We are so spoiled here.

 

[Ryder71]

The entire PPG thing has never made sense to me. Sid’s crazy consistent. We know that. Not sure if the record really does anything for his legacy.

Similar to Tomlin never having a losing season. It's nice but doesn't in and of itself depict wild success.

 

[Ryder71]

You could say the same thing about Crosby in 2015 versus Crosby in like 2010 tbh.

What's amazing about Sid is he's constantly evolved and continued to produce at an elite level for pretty much his whole career even as his raw power and speed took a step back as he got older.

Your definition of elite is what exactly? I consider elite a top five scorer when talking offensive minded forwards.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I'll be honest, the "we are so spoiled" stuff is extremely cringe. We gotta stop doing that, man. It's not that serious. It's right up there with the "We gotta do right by Sid/Geno man!"

 

[Gurglesons]

I'll be honest, the "we are so spoiled" stuff is extremely cringe. We gotta stop doing that, man. It's not that serious. It's right up there with the "We gotta do right by Sid/Geno man!"

None of us will likely ever see a player like Crosby play for the Penguins again.

What he's doing this year is incredible and further evidence that Sullivan and Dubas are complete shmucks.

 

[Gurglesons]

He's rarely played a highlight type style since maybe his first three years. More of a player who makes you smile watching him than your jaw drop.

We must be watching different players.

Crosby on a nightly basis is doing stuff that makes your jaw drop even at his age.

Kinda funny how many people ganged up on me about my Ovi take and now "Sid doesn't have highlights for 6 years" lol.

 

[molon labe]

I'll be honest, the "we are so spoiled" stuff is extremely cringe. We gotta stop doing that, man. It's not that serious. It's right up there with the "We gotta do right by Sid/Geno man!"

Reel the jaded stuff in a little.

The spoiled talk might be a little overplayed but doesn't mean it's wrong. Everyone currently posting on these boards (talking age) - will be lucky to see someone anywhere close to Sid/Geno ever lace them up for the Penguins again. We're talking from now until we all move on.

The chances of 'another' Sid are so insanely low...let alone one that will play for your team. Folks group that - rightfully - with Mario/Jagr/Geno. Plenty of other high end all star / HOF talent - but we've had some of THE best of all time within a single life's span. That's wild.

Honestly I'll feel fortunate if the Pens EVER win another cup before I pass. Sure I want it every year but like... the organization isn't really all about winning anymore tbh. Our internal mantra is nothing like the Vegas/Florida teams/New Yorks that swing big forever and always. This franchise will keep coaches too long, they will overvalue hypothetical blue-collared players and will have a little bit of a tougher time attracting free agents. Nature of the market. The culture here has gone from - three decades of trying to put guys around one-of-a-kind players (lately, horribly) - to seemingly content building a mid-tier player pool and seeing what happens. Hard to tell the future - but we can certainly assume that no top-5 guys are landing anytime soon...and certainly not in our laps.

 

[Offtheboard412]

We must be watching different players.

Crosby on a nightly basis is doing stuff that makes your jaw drop even at his age.

Kinda funny how many people ganged up on me about my Ovi take and now "Sid doesn't have highlights for 6 years" lol.

Sid doesn't do crazy dangles or go bar down with snipes is what I think people mean when they say kind of stuff. Not saying I agree with that view, but he definitely plays a much different game from your typical star offensive player.

 

[molon labe]

Sid doesn't do crazy dangles or go bar down with snipes is what I think people mean when they say kind of stuff. Not saying I agree with that view, but he definitely plays a much different game from your typical star offensive player.

It's a parroted angle that should not exist. Fast players make a dangle or two then score - and folks overrate the hell out of them. But really, they were just fast and scored.

Sid plays like big brain hockey and - to those that watch a lot of shifts of a good amount of hockey - it's exceedingly rare as compared to a well placed shot. Dude seems to score from anywhere, at any time...create chances on every shift (albeit historically most aren't fed to someone who can finish them) - and does it time and again against the 'best' defenders and goalies.

I guess I appreciate that story/angle more than MacK and McD highlights that are just one guy flying through the O-zone at speed and finishing the goal. I was always a huge Hornqvist fan for a similar reason. Yeah there's plenty of tough hockey players and yeah a few have gotten goals in dirty areas - but that guy was just a machine at taking abuse and getting the job done. Like honey badger stuff.

 

[Gurglesons]

Sid doesn't do crazy dangles or go bar down with snipes is what I think people mean when they say kind of stuff. Not saying I agree with that view, but he definitely plays a much different game from your typical star offensive player.

Does he? He's literally going one on one with dude's all game last night and throwing ridiculous passes.

I dunno. Him and EK65 have been awesome to watch the past two years despite the team sucking.

 

[Ulf5]

The chances of 'another' Sid are so insanely low...let alone one that will play for your team. Folks group that - rightfully - with Mario/Jagr/Geno. Plenty of other high end all star / HOF talent - but we've had some of THE best of all time within a single life's span. That's wild.

4 of the top 10 and 6 of the top 20 all-time leading scorers spent at least 5 years in the Burgh. In our lifetime. Mind-boggling. And extremely lucky on our part. You couldn't ask for more as a fan. Not too mention the Cups.

 

[Offtheboard412]

Does he? He's literally going one on one with dude's all game last night and throwing ridiculous passes.

I dunno. Him and EK65 have been awesome to watch the past two years despite the team sucking.

Yeah, it's part of what makes him so special imo. The guy has been using a flat blade literally whacking pucks into the net from weird angles while out producing everyone but a handful of players in the history of the sport for 20 years. I'm not saying he doesn't do some crazy stuff out there on the ice, nor do I buy into the whole "he's a superstar grinder" angle people like to repeat, but all you have to do is watch a Lemieux or Jagr or Malkin highlight reel and then watched Crosby's after to see the difference. That's not me saying he never does those kind of things, but he just approaches the game differently. You're not going to find too many star players where you could legitimately claim their most impressive highlights are deflections (some of which are just absolutely outrageous, best hand eye coordination ever imo).

 

[eXile3]

Sid’s best skill is his ability to create ice for his teammates by drawing defenders in, and then getting them the puck.

It gives his teammates space and makes everyone on the ice around him better. That and being able to find open ice in the high danger areas to get shots off.

It’s might not be the flashiest but is incredibly effective.

 

[eXile3]

Yeah, it's part of what makes him so special imo. The guy has been using a flat blade literally whacking pucks into the net from weird angles while out producing everyone but a handful of players in the history of the sport for 20 years. I'm not saying he doesn't do some crazy stuff out there on the ice, nor do I buy into the whole "he's a superstar grinder" angle people like to repeat, but all you have to do is watch a Lemieux or Jagr or Malkin highlight reel and then watched Crosby's after to see the difference. That's not me saying he never does those kind of things, but he just approaches the game differently. You're not going to find too many star players where you could legitimately claim their most impressive highlights are deflections (some of which are just absolutely outrageous, best hand eye coordination ever imo).

Could you see Jagr getting away with half his dangles in today’s NHL? Defenders are sooo much quicker and better.

But yes they were fun to watch back then.

 

[Offtheboard412]

Could you see Jagr getting away with half his dangles in today’s NHL? Defenders are sooo much quicker and better.

But yes they were fun to watch back then.

Depends on what you mean by "today's NHL". If it's the same league that Crosby played in for much of his career, then yes, Datsyuk had no problem doing it, and Malkin has had his fair share of incredible dangles. Jagr wasn't exactly slow in his prime. Today's defenders may be quicker and more mobile, but they really like relying on their stick before playing the body now, which I think Jagr would abuse for some highlights. Hands that good are producing highlights in any era.

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Call me boring, but plays like the deflection goal he had last game are still commonpace for Sid and qualify as highlights to me.

Precision plays that require a deft touch and perfect timing are just as impressive to me as Dangles McSnipeshow.

 

[Gurglesons]

Call me boring, but plays like the deflection goal he had last game are still commonpace for Sid and qualify as highlights to me.

Precision plays that require a deft touch and perfect timing are just as impressive to me as Dangles McSnipeshow.

Part of my issue with McDavid is his diversity of attack isn’t as cool as Sid’s.

 

[Darren McCord]

Call me boring, but plays like the deflection goal he had last game are still commonpace for Sid and qualify as highlights to me.

Precision plays that require a deft touch and perfect timing are just as impressive to me as Dangles McSnipeshow.

Ya this is why I think people have just gotten use to it. It’s like people in Detroit fawning over Datsyuk. Datsyuk wasn’t super electric but they have nothing even close to that. Like even Bedard is was the suppose to be the next best thing and the do is meh to watch.

Once Sid is gone it is going to really set in for some people how special he is.

There are 32 teams in the league and over the past 25 years how many truly generational players have there been? Like 3 lol.

We will be lucky to get anything close to Sid in the next like 50+ years.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I don’t like the arguments regarding play style with regards to NHL history because it’s pretty regularly used to either discredit Gretzky and Lemieux due to shitty goaltending from the 80s or discredit Crosby because he somehow wouldn’t have survived the physicality of playing in the 80s.

The arguments made are things like “Ovechkin would have scored 150 goals a season had he played against the goaltending Gretzky did” while ignoring that Ovechkin born in 1960 wouldn’t be Ovechkin born in 1985. The same thing goes the other way, Lemieux wouldn’t be ripping heaters in the locker room had he been playing in the NHL today rather than the 80s and 90s.

 

[PamBallam]

Trevor Zegras has tons of cool flashy highlights. Give me Sid every day over him.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Call me boring, but plays like the deflection goal he had last game are still commonpace for Sid and qualify as highlights to me.

Precision plays that require a deft touch and perfect timing are just as impressive to me as Dangles McSnipeshow.

Indeed. Just last season alone he had like 5 of those absolutely nasty subtle-touch plays/goals.