Conn Smythe Tournament (Post 2000's) Round 1: 2010 Toews vs 2017 Crosby

[blundluntman]

MATCHUP #8 (Round 1): Jonathan Toews (2010) vs Sidney Crosby (2017)

Jonathan Toews (2009-10):
22 GP 7 G 22 A 29 Points

Sidney Crosby (2016-17):
24 GP 8 G 19 A 27 Points

Round 1 Matchups:
01 Roy vs 21 Vasilevsky Thread
02 Lidstrom vs 22 Makar Thread
03 Giguere vs 11 Thomas Thread
04 Richards vs 14 Williams Thread
06 Ward vs 12 Quick Thread
07 Niedermayer vs 19 O’Reilly (Still Active) Thread
08 Zetterberg vs 09 Malkin Thread
10 Toews vs 17 Crosby
13 Kane vs 18 Ovechkin
15 Keith vs 20 Hedman
16 Crosby vs 23 Marchessault

Click to read more...

 

[JaegerDice]

Toews was better, but he also had better support around him, as that 2017 Penguins team was basically a glass cannon BEFORE the injuries piled up. Nowhere near as dominant as the team the year before (2016).

All of Toews’ underlying numbers are better, Crosby was actually underwater those playoffs, but pretty much the whole team was because Sullivan essentially turned them into a bend-dont-break counter-punch team to deal with the injuries.

TL; DR version: Toews was better, Crosby was more valuable. I can see the argument for either depending on your philosophy.

Homer voted Toews

 

[tabness]

I know it's fashionable to hate on Toews and all but the guy seems to always have been underrated on HF

 

[um]

Toews easily.

Maybe the best forward performance in these polls after Malkin and Zetterberg.

Toews was better, but he also had better support around him, as that 2017 Penguins team was basically a glass cannon BEFORE the injuries piled up. Nowhere near as dominant as the team the year before (2016).

All of Toews’ underlying numbers are better, Crosby was actually underwater those playoffs, but pretty much the whole team was because Sullivan essentially turned them into a bend-dont-break counter-punch team to deal with the injuries.

TL; DR version: Toews was better, Crosby was more valuable. I can see the argument for either depending on your philosophy.

Homer voted Toews

I recall Letang being hurt but who else was out?

 

[bobholly39]

I recall Letang being hurt but who else was out?

Matt Murray, their #1 goalie was the other big injury. He missed the first 2 rounds.

 

[JaegerDice]

Toews easily.

Maybe the best forward performance in these polls after Malkin and Zetterberg.


I recall Letang being hurt but who else was out?

My memory may be playing tricks on me, but I seem to remember both Hagelin and Hornquist missing a bunch of games that playoff as well.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Toews was better, but he also had better support around him, as that 2017 Penguins team was basically a glass cannon BEFORE the injuries piled up. Nowhere near as dominant as the team the year before (2016).

All of Toews’ underlying numbers are better, Crosby was actually underwater those playoffs, but pretty much the whole team was because Sullivan essentially turned them into a bend-dont-break counter-punch team to deal with the injuries.

TL; DR version: Toews was better, Crosby was more valuable. I can see the argument for either depending on your philosophy.

Homer voted Toews

Toews underlying numbers were better because his team's Dmen and wingers were better at every level

 

[JaegerDice]

Toews underlying numbers were better because his team's Dmen and wingers were better at every level

True. The 2010 Blackhawks were a much better, deeper team than the 2017 Penguins at every position other than goalie.

But the team was also better with Toews on the ice than without him, on account he was the only elite centerman on the team.

He was driving play and uplifting his teammates every bit as much as they were helping him.

 

[dalewood12]

I will always maintain that Crosby deserved the 2017 Conn Smythe, despite agreeing with many who had Kessel over him in 2016.

Crosby's performance in Game 5 of the 2017 SCF was masterful. He absolutely carried the team on his back.

I give the edge to Sid over Toews.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Lol crosby not close

 

[JaegerDice]

Lol crosby not close

On what planet is it ‘not close’?

 

[Paul4587]

Toews feasted on weak opponents the first few rounds but was MIA in the finals.

 

[JackSlater]

Toews by a bit, sort of a mid level Conn Smythe versus one of the lowest ones in the polls.

 

[Voight]

Lol crosby not close

Crosby is one of the worst options in the entire poll series.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Crosby is one of the worst options in the entire poll series.

27 points. Great all around game. Faceoff beast. Leading scorer in the finals. Yeah he sucked

 

[Ace Card Bedard]

27 points. Great all around game. Faceoff beast. Leading scorer in the finals. Yeah he sucked

Toews had more points in fewer games
over 60% at the dot
Beast of a two-way player

The only thing Crosby had was a better Finals but of course Nashville had lost Johansen to injury so Crosby was matched up against 36-yr old Mike Fisher? I sure hope he had a better finals.
Crosby was also under 50% at the dot, faceoff beast, what?

 

[Johnny Tomala]

Toews.

 

[Regal]

Toews by a bit, sort of a mid level Conn Smythe versus one of the lowest ones in the polls.

Crosby is one of the worst options in the entire poll series.

Are you two thinking of the 2016 Crosby year? Curious why this one would be considered one of the worst

 

[Bouboumaster]

One of them is one of the best hockey player ever and the other is Sydney Crosby

Voted for Jonathan The GOAT Toews

 

[JackSlater]

Are you two thinking of the 2016 Crosby year? Curious why this one would be considered one of the worst

No, 2016 is pretty much the clear worst one. At least among skaters. It's just a very generic Conn Smythe win.

 

[CokenoPepsi]

Toews had more points in fewer games
over 60% at the dot
Beast of a two-way player

The only thing Crosby had was a better Finals but of course Nashville had lost Johansen to injury so Crosby was matched up against 36-yr old Mike Fisher? I sure hope he had a better finals.
Crosby was also under 50% at the dot, faceoff beast, what?

To be fair Toews was a - player for the playoffs and was really, really bad in the final

 

[x Tame Impala]

Toews had more points in fewer games
over 60% at the dot
Beast of a two-way player

The only thing Crosby had was a better Finals but of course Nashville had lost Johansen to injury so Crosby was matched up against 36-yr old Mike Fisher? I sure hope he had a better finals.
Crosby was also under 50% at the dot, faceoff beast, what?

Not to mention Philly had beast mode Pronger who was a force the first 4 or so games.

 

[wetcoast]

I will always maintain that Crosby deserved the 2017 Conn Smythe, despite agreeing with many who had Kessel over him in 2016.

Crosby's performance in Game 5 of the 2017 SCF was masterful. He absolutely carried the team on his back.

I give the edge to Sid over Toews.

Went with this as Crosby was much better in the finals as well overall but Toews had a great run as well poll is 44-40 for JT and it really should be this close.

Letang missing the entire playoffs certainly puts Crosby's performance ina better light as well.

All that being said I took about 4 or 5 minutes to compare the 2 runs and we really aren't doing much justice here with these polls and a gut reaction form 75% of voters are we?

 

[Video Nasty]

Worth noting that Toews had a 13 game point streak through the end of the Western Conference Finals, where he had 7 goals (3 GWGs) and 25 points. Chicago went 11-2 during that run.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

I’m never bought in those past attempts to say that Toews was overall better than Crosby (as was an inane talking point for a few years there among some talking head circles), but comparing these two playoff runs I’d honestly give the edge to Toews.