Malkin is the best Russian player ever

[Jeremy Hronek]

When I think of the greatest players of all time I think about how they were in their prime. Ovechkin was one of the exciting players of all time in his prime years.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

I think he will be remembered as the best Russian nhler after it's all said and done. There's a lot more creativity and depth to his game than Ovechkins. And Malkin's already surpassed guys like Bure, Mogilny, Fedorov, and Datsyuk.

 

[authentic]

Think of it this way, no other Russian has been this good for a decade, they all had short peaks, or in Bure's case he just wasn't as good. The only 3 who compare, Fedorov, Datsyuk and Ovechkin had roughly 2-3 year windows of being an absolutely top of the pack player, Malkin has several seasons of this between 2007-2017, despite a few serious injuries and a lot of minor ones he played through. That's my case and I think it's a good one.

 

[authentic]

I think he will be remembered as the best Russian nhler after it's all said and done. There's a lot more creativity and depth to his game than Ovechkins. And Malkin's already surpassed guys like Bure, Mogilny, Fedorov, and Datsyuk.

Agreed.

 

[Ziggyjoe21]

I think he will be remembered as the best Russian nhler after it's all said and done. There's a lot more creativity and depth to his game than Ovechkins. And Malkin's already surpassed guys like Bure, Mogilny, Fedorov, and Datsyuk.

Yea but OV is one of the best goal scorers of all time. Sure he has no team success but his individual achievements are undeniable.

 

[authentic]

Seriously, another Pens greatest of all time post? No wonder the rest of the league hates the Penguins.

Answer is easily no. Tretiak, Federov, Kharlamov, Fetisov, Makarov, Larionov. I'd even put Ovechkin ahead of Malkin at this point.

Who is this Federov guy?

 

[Critical13]

I don't like comparing across eras. Modern era: Malkin. Post Soviet/Gretzky era: Fetisov or Federov.

 

[SPF6ty9]

I don't see how it can't be Ovechkin and Malkin 1-2. Federov was a great player and his peak was incredible...but he didn't have anything near the run at the top tier of the league that those 2 did.

 

[Winger for Hire]

Seriously, another Pens greatest of all time post? No wonder the rest of the league hates the Penguins.

Answer is easily no. Tretiak, Federov, Kharlamov, Fetisov, Makarov, Larionov. I'd even put Ovechkin ahead of Malkin at this point.

Basically Malkin needs to change his surname to "Malkinov" to have a shot

 

[Datsyukian Deke]

Bure, Fedorov, & Mogilny at least did it in a tougher & more physical era of hockey than it is now, versus top notch defensemen & goalies.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Think of it this way, no other Russian has been this good for a decade, they all had short peaks, or in Bure's case he just wasn't as good. The only 3 who compare, Fedorov, Datsyuk and Ovechkin had roughly 2-3 year windows of being an absolutely top of the pack player, Malkin has several seasons of this between 2007-2017, despite a few serious injuries and a lot of minor ones he played through. That's my case and I think it's a good one.

That's my reasoning for why he's ahead of Datsyuk and Fedorov. Malkin may have had some injury filled seasons, but he's been an elite player from the minute he stepped onto NHL ice and shows no sign of slowing down 11 years later. Datsyuk/Fedorov in comparison were elite for only a few years.

 

[sr edler]

He's not better than Putin.

^ This.

 

[aufheben]

How many of these threads do we need?

I don't know. It's tough to compare Russian (and Czech/Slovak for that matter) players that have never played in NHL to those that have.

You can report dupe threads

 

[boredmale]

Throughout the 80s I would say Viacheslav Fetisov was the best player, the Viacheslav Fetisov we saw in the 90s basically was the 30+ year old Viacheslav Fetisov who was still pretty darn good.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Well, most consider the best Russian player ever to be Vladislav Tretiak.

He's considered in the same tier as Brodeur/Roy/Hasek.

 

[Milos Krasic]

No one dominated the other Russian forwards as Makarov did in his time, and Russia is consistently great at producing forwards.

This. Makarov was insane in the Soviet league.

710 points, 322 goals in 519 games. 1.37 PPG.

 

[superstar1797]

bure, fedorov, & mogilny at least did it in a tougher & more physical era of hockey than it is now, versus top notch defensemen & goalies.

lol wut?

 

[authentic]

That's my reasoning for why he's ahead of Datsyuk and Fedorov. Malkin may have had some injury filled seasons, but he's been an elite player from the minute he stepped onto NHL ice and shows no sign of slowing down 11 years later. Datsyuk/Fedorov in comparison were elite for only a few years.

He's also at this point the best player of the post-lockout era besides Crosby, those are the only 2 who have been absolutely elite for the entire time. Lucky Pittsburgh Penguins and fans.

 

[Deplorable Lenny]

Is Malkin the best Russian player of all time? The best Russian NHLer? His competition is basically just Ovechkin. I don't see Fedorov as being their equal.

Yes. Best Russian player ever.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Malkin not in the NHL's top 100 ?

Good job NHL!!!!!

 

[MXD]

He's absolutely not the best russian player ever, BUT has a very solid case as the best Russian NHL'er.

 

[Fugazy]

I think Fedorov still has him beat. I think I would put him over Datsyuk though.

 

[ChiefWiggum]

If we put him above Bure as the greatest Russian NHLer of all time, we are doing so based on accomplishments. Bure had more speed and probably just as much skill

But I would take Makarov and Kharlamov (and maybe even Krutov or Bure) over Malkin.

 

[ChiefWiggum]

Throughout the 80s I would say Viacheslav Fetisov was the best player, the Viacheslav Fetisov we saw in the 90s basically was the 30+ year old Viacheslav Fetisov who was still pretty darn good.

Fetisov was one of the top 2 or top 3 defenseman of his time, but it is so hard to compare forwards to defensemen, especially across eras

 

[ChiefWiggum]

I think he will be remembered as the best Russian nhler after it's all said and done. There's a lot more creativity and depth to his game than Ovechkins. And Malkin's already surpassed guys like Bure, Mogilny, Fedorov, and Datsyuk.

I would say he has passed Mogilny and maybe even Datsyuk, but it may be too early to put him ahead of Bure and Fedorov IMO