Game 7 SCF - Would you rather have Peak Crosby or Current McDavid?

[BraveCanadian]

McDavid

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Crosby for sure, not even close.

 

[banks]

I picked Sid. I just think McDavid needs to win one before he can win this type of comparison.

 

[The Abusement Park]

Crosby is great and an all timer. But this is easily McDavid.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Depends on the era. Dead puck I pick Crosby, more free following McDavid.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

There are dozens of players I would take over Crosby, and McDavid is definitely one of them.

 

[Video Nasty]

Crosby is one of those guys that gets every free pass in the book given to them. He didn’t even play half of Game 7 against Detroit during Pittsburgh’s first win and underperformed during each and every Finals appearance, but sure, let’s pretend he’s this SCF god.

For someone who gets so much hype based on a moment (The so-called Golden Goal), he sure doesn’t have them in the Finals.

Nothing that even resembles what McDavid has done the past two games.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

There are dozens of players I would take over Crosby, and McDavid is definitely one of them.

Dozens is crazy

 

[HarrySPlinkett]

Who would you rather have on your team in game 7 of the Stanley cup final?

Should the Oilers pull this off, 97.

Until then, Sid. Big game player on every stage, and he’s as good as McDavid everywhere but a straight line.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Current McDavid. Crosby only has 2 good SCFs out of his 4 appearances and none were great:

6 games, 6 points, +1
7 games, 3 points, -3
6 games, 4 points, even
6 games, 7 points, +4

 

[EdJovanovski]

McDavid has been playing at a 150 points/82 games pace in the playoffs since his first run.

At the same age Crosby had 114 points in 95 playoff games, McDavid has 117 in 72.

Him without a second thought.

Different era.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

Different era.

A 35% higher scoring era?

 

[EdJovanovski]

A 35% higher scoring era?

Something like that lol, especially on the high end with more powerplays and crackdowns on obstruction

 

[Albatros]

 

[LuGBuG]

Sid is my favourite non Duck of all time.

For years I would’ve said Sid no matter what.

Still love Sid more than McDavid but I think it’s clear now that McDavid is a Top 5 player of all time AT LEAST.

Sid’s a beast, a winner and a leader and a top 10 player of all time AT LEAST. Connor is just able to dominate differently though.

I might still take Sid until McDavid wins one. If it’s a full series though at this point you take McDavid no matter what.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

*Malkin
*Kessel
*Malkin

 

[Video Nasty]

Different era.

Different era doesn’t explain away Crosby leading the playoffs in scoring once, or zero times during a Cup winning run.

 

[Canovin]

There still can be a debate right now. If Oilers win this series, there's no debate especially if McDavid beat the playoffs points record

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

With the entire world watching and with the media on his case…



Crosby scores the biggest goal of his generation. Give me 87

 

[Sasha Orlov]

With the entire world watching and with the media on his case…



Crosby scores the biggest goal of his generation. Give me 87

McDavid would have scored in this moment as well except it would have been on an end to end rush where he walked 4 players and went bar down

 

[CokenoPepsi]

McDavid not close

 

[Hockey Outsider]

Crosby is one of those guys that gets every free pass in the book given to them. He didn’t even play half of Game 7 against Detroit during Pittsburgh’s first win and underperformed during each and every Finals appearance, but sure, let’s pretend he’s this SCF god.

As of today, Crosby has a legitimate case for #5 all-time. There are several players who are in contention for that spot, but he might have a stronger case than anybody else. (I fully expect McDavid will pass him, sooner or later).

But one thing that's always bugged me about Crosby's resume is underwhelming numbers in the Stanley Cup finals. 20 points in 25 games is, frankly, disappointing for a player of his calibre. Most of the other top ~20 forwards look better (Gretzky, Lemieux, Howe, Beliveau, Hull, Lafleur, Trottier, Bossy, Messier, Clarke, Mikita, Sakic, etc.) scored at a higher rate, with many of them being substantially higher. The same is true of some of his peers (even if Crosby is a better playoff performer overall - Ovechkin, Kane, Kucherov, Zetterberg, etc).

There are a few counter-arguments - 25 games is a small sample size. He was a good two-way player. And this was during a lower scoring era than today. All those points are valid - but I don't know if that explains such weak output.

Even with this weakness, Crosby is still probably the top playoff performer of the post-lockout era, and he's arguably #5 all-time (until McDavid most likely passes him). But this is a legit weakness in his resume.

 

[bobbyking]

he has back to back 4 point finals games

 

[Craft Beer Lover]

Look at the poll...a landslide! The people have spoken.

 

[Pig Papi]

Mcdavid.

Significantly superior player.