Or maybe Geno wouldn't set the playoff mark due to his better linemates stealing some of his points?
You think Mcdavid got less points because he had Hyman on his line and RNH? Lol. Sid also got the benefit of his line having great chemistry and so did others that put up points. That's the point gms aim for by getting players, to hope for surrounding talent with more talent. Malkin has always been shafted with that, he's been used as a placeholder for Crosby's line. There's very small stretches in his career where he's had a unit of wingers for more than 2 seasons. If even that.
But what Evgeni Malkin did with a busted Sykora, Fedotenko, and Talbot is nothing short of one the best playoff performances since the lockout, period. But because it's Malkin, he never gets the credit he deserves. They couldn't even see it fit to put him in the top 100 players, which was one of the most ridiculous things I've ever seen by these idiots that make those lists.
Malkin will go down as the second best Russian to play the game for most and that's fine. But the Penguins also don't accomplish any of the things Sid is hailed for, without Malkin. Same goes for Mcdavid without Draisaitl.
If Malkin had better wingers, something this team has refused to do on the regular as long as Sid has had his unit of winfgers, Malkin's career would be with less doubts for many. That playoff is goated for Malkin and will remain that way. He turned Talbot into a local legend.
Blokes here get super riled up because it undermines some player they think to be better when it isn't the case. It's showing admiration for a HHOF caliber player that did something very few generational players in this current era, are capable of. Even if you hate the Pens, that should be something you find remarkable.
