Malkin is the best Russian player ever

[Martinez]

Fetisov.

 

[TerminatorBlue]

Malkin is probably the best because he is a winner, consistent and probably has the most heart out of Russian NHL players.

Ferdorov the best two way player.
Bure best pure Offensive Russian player ever.
Oveckin best Russian sniper

 

[Fugazy]

I still think Fedorov is better at this stage. Malkin definitely can overtake him for the top spot, though.

 

[BigEezyE22]

I would take Datsyuk AND Bure on my "All Soviet Team" ahead of Malkin. For every minute of game film you can find of Malkin actually driving the play (and not just being a really talented player who happens to be out there ~20 minutes a night providing one or two highlights), I feel like I can guarantee you can find 5-10 minutes of either Dats or Bure making things happen.

And I'd still take Fedorov over all of them.

You can keep Datsyuk and Bure.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Malkin is probably the best because he is a winner, consistent and probably has the most heart out of Russian NHL players.

Ferdorov the best two way player.
Bure best pure Offensive Russian player ever.
Oveckin best Russian sniper

lol u make Malkin sound like Toews

How is Bure better 'purely Offensively' than Malkin? EM has the better production in a lower scoring era.

 

[Chet Manley]

Peak Fedorov was better, but it didn't last very long. Malkin has probably had the better career. All-time lists for Russians are difficult with the iron curtain blurring things. That first wave of Mogilny, Bure, and Fedorov was pretty special but it's still hard to place them above the Soviet players from a generation before.

 

[Fugazy]

Fedorov
Malkin
Datsyuk

 

[topshelf15]

I would think so , but "The best russian center" probably fits a little better.Russian has produced some pretty dazzling wingers

 

[Whitehawk1186]

I would still take Federov over Malkin, but it is close. Federov's versatility was simply insane. He could have been a defensemen exclusively and still would have been a HoFer.

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

Nhl players seemed to think so. Many reports during Datz career that he was best player in the nhl period. Let alone best Russian player.

many years ago and the players never voted him mvp

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

Bure, Fedorov, and Mogilny are better, just off the top of my head...I'm sure there's more. Malkin will go down as a top 10 Russian skater though, that much I'm confident about.

nostalgia at its finest

 

[Son Goku]

Malkin and Ovechkin are the greatest Russian NHLers ever and honestly the gap won't get any smaller.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Malkin and Ovechkin are the greatest Russian NHLers ever and honestly the gap won't get any smaller.

I'd say Ovechkin is the best Russian player ever. While awards aren't everything, his collection is just too much to ignore. I mean 14 awards and 7x 1st AST (+4 2nd AST)? For comparison sake, the other 3 players being mentioned (Malkin, FedOrov, Bure) have a combined 14 awards (including 2 selkes which are secondary awards) and 5x 1st AST (+2 2nd AST). 14-14, 11-7. 1 guy vs 3. Only bias keeps OV from #1.

However, I think Malkin has had the best career because of his mix of awards and cups. Obviously at his best it's basically a wash with OV, but his best didn't last long enough and he's had way too many half seasons. So best player OV, best career Malkin I think is fair.

 

[rintinw]

Can't believe how much old Soviet players are overrated. The only guys who had superstar talent were Kharlamov and Makarov, and they're still a question mark since they never played NHL hockey in their primes. Krutov 'one of the best goal scorers on earth' was a flop and scored 11 with the Canucks over 60+ games.

Yes, how the *** did they manage to be at equal footing with the best Canada had to offer (Gretzky and Lemieux included). And to do it for 20+ years ... No it cannot be a talent, skill or ability. They were just COLOSSALLY lucky .

PS: I may be wrong but I remember reading that Krutov flopped in NHL because he didn't manage 'culture shock' very well and got 'physically unfit'.

 

[Acoustic]

I think Malkin is among the best Russians ever.

Having said that apparently Datsyuk and Feds were only elite 2-3 years? What are you guys on?

 

[tfong]

Kucherov will be in this conversation soon.

 

[Pip]

It's Ovechkin

 

[TheAngryHank]

He's also good at stacking up Cups.

I also like how half of the specialists in here spell Fedorov wrong constantly.

Fedorov stacked up a few.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

I think Malkin is among the best Russians ever.

Having said that apparently Datsyuk and Feds were only elite 2-3 years? What are you guys on?

Fedorov 2x hart top 5, Datsyuk 1x. So really not even 3.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Yes, how the *** did they manage to be at equal footing with the best Canada had to offer (Gretzky and Lemieux included). And to do it for 20+ years ... No it cannot be a talent, skill or ability. They were just COLOSSALLY lucky .

PS: I may be wrong but I remember reading that Krutov flopped in NHL because he didn't manage 'culture shock' very well and got 'physically unfit'.

Because the Soviets trained together all year, they lived together all year. Canada just threw a bunch of guys together for like 2 weeks. If the Canadians played together all year they would've burned the Soviets too hard.

 

[Section32]

Please....watch some classic video of the Russian teams of the past.

Malkin is amazing, but no, shouldn't be a thread.

Pen's fans enjoying their summer!!!

 

[bleedgreen]

If I had to pick one between Fedorov or Malkin for one game, Malkin wouldn't even be a thought.

He belongs amongst the great russians to play in the NHL, but not above Fedorov.

 

[KJoe88]

I would take Datsyuk AND Bure on my "All Soviet Team" ahead of Malkin. For every minute of game film you can find of Malkin actually driving the play (and not just being a really talented player who happens to be out there ~20 minutes a night providing one or two highlights), I feel like I can guarantee you can find 5-10 minutes of either Dats or Bure making things happen.

And I'd still take Fedorov over all of them.

This is exactly how I feel.

Fedorov is my favorite player of all time. And while Malkin has the clear advantage for a more successful career, Datsyuk was a more dominant player.

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

I'd say Ovechkin is the best Russian player ever. While awards aren't everything, his collection is just too much to ignore. I mean 14 awards and 7x 1st AST (+4 2nd AST)? For comparison sake, the other 3 players being mentioned (Malkin, FedOrov, Bure) have a combined 14 awards (including 2 selkes which are secondary awards) and 5x 1st AST (+2 2nd AST). 14-14, 11-7. 1 guy vs 3. Only bias keeps OV from #1.

However, I think Malkin has had the best career because of his mix of awards and cups. Obviously at his best it's basically a wash with OV, but his best didn't last long enough and he's had way too many half seasons. So best player OV, best career Malkin I think is fair.

agreed

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

This is exactly how I feel.

Fedorov is my favorite player of all time. And while Malkin has the clear advantage for a more successful career, Datsyuk was a more dominant player.

can we please stop calling a guy with zero harts and zero art ross trophies more dominant than a player like malkin?

you can argue fedorov and ovechkin, there is ZERO legit argument for anybody else

and i will remind you nostalgia warriors, HE ISN'T EVEN DONE