Per TSN, Prime Malkin or Prime Draisaitl

[Pancakes]

Drai has had more points in a season
Drai will have 2 years of more points than Malkin's peak after this year
Drai has had more goals in a season (Malkin has 1 50 goal year Drai will have 4+ after this year)

Is all of that undone with the Smythe? The one where Malkin got 36 points in 24 games, Drai has a 2ppg playoff year where he had 32 points in 16 games

Their primes came in different eras so I don't think it's as simple as comparing the raw numbers they put up.

It was generally harder to score in the era Malkin played than it has been in Draisaitl's career.

Anyways, as a Pens fan, I don't think you can go wrong with either one of them.

 

[daver]

Drai has had more points in a season
Drai will have 2 years of more points than Malkin's peak after this year
Drai has had more goals in a season (Malkin has 1 50 goal year Drai will have 4+ after this year)

Is all of that undone with the Smythe? The one where Malkin got 36 points in 24 games, Drai has a 2ppg playoff year where he had 32 points in 16 games

Malkin was indisputably more dominant in 11/12. Draisaitl is matching Malkin's 08/09 level of play this year and in19/20. In 2008, Malkin famously cranked up his scoring while Crosby was out.

Malkin was also dominant in the 2008 playoffs before getting injured in Game 1 of the ECF; an excuse given as to why Draisaitl fizzled out in 2023 and 2024. He was also leading in scoring after two rounds in 2017 but, like Draisaitl in 2022, I wouldn't be giving him as much credit for his performance as his numbers would indicate.

Injuries obviously affected Malkin and some people may choose Draisaitl based on this but Malkin, at his best, was better than Draisaitl.

 

[daver]

Malkin 2012 was better than Crosby ever was, and better than Draisaitl.

How so? Crosby had a 1.61 PPG in 99 games from 10/11 to 12/13.

 

[eXile3]

Prime Malkin beat prime OV and Sid for a scoring title before going on to win a Conn Smythe. He was absolutely dominant.

Drai obviously plays in much higher scoring era. It’s a shame we didn’t get to see OV, Sid, and Malkin in their primes playing in today’s game. Would have torn it up.

 

[FDBluth]

Draisaitl is reaaaaallllllllyy good but I don't think he's as independently as good a player as Malkin was in his prime. Even in McDavid's "down" years, Draisaitl benefits from him to a much greater extent than Malkin did with Crosby.

 

[Fatass]

Not arguing the conclusion itself, it might well be true, but hockey isn't basketball. It is completely possible to be a better player than someone and have fewer trophies. A way of looking at it is perhaps to ask what that player could have done in place of the other. Malkin was certainly a key player on multiple cups, but could the result have been the same with Draisaitl in his place? Would the Oilers have been any closer to a cup with prime Malkin instead of Draisaitl?

It might be tempting to disregard the complexity of a team and all its variables, but I don't think it's fruitful to make these cup based assertions when comparing players head-to-head.

Imo Draisatl is great but Malkin is great and a proven winner.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Peak Malkin>Peak Draisaitl
Prime Draisaitl>Prime Malkin

Malkin's monster 2011-2012 was on a different level of dominant relative to the rest of the NHL that I don't think Draisaitl has matched. That said, Malkin was very rarely at that level and had multiple seasons with injuries and poor play. Draisaitl's level has been more consistent while Malkin's peak was higher.

 

[Phil68]

It’s not insurmountable, but until Drai collects a Cup or two, it’s Malkin.

Let me add. Two out of the 3 cups the Pens have Malkin led the playoffs in points with one Conn Smythe

 

[tanti9]

Hard decision to be honest as (I think) are similar players. A coin flip for me with maybe an edge to Drai but Malkin has the Conn and cup rings. I would be ecstatic with either one lol

 

[thadd]

I take Drai.

After this year he should have two Hart trophies.

Malkin wouldn't have any Conn Smythe trophies in Drai's place.

 

[joestevens29]

Have Leon, so I'd say Leon as I like what he brings and helps keep McDavid around.

However, if I'm a team with neither I don't care which one. Talents like that you take if you can get them and just respect the others.

 

[Duke74]

Probably Malkin due to his cups and Conn Smythe but anyone saying "AINEC" is completely ignorant or a troll.

 

[le_sean]

I take Drai.

After this year he should have two Hart trophies.

Malkin wouldn't have any Conn Smythe trophies in Drai's place.

You mean the Malkin that dominated an elite Red Wings team in the Finals? All of Drai’s playoff points came against the lousy Kings and the 3rd string Canucks goalie. He was pedestrian at best against the Stars and awful against the Panthers.

 

[Duke74]

You mean the Malkin that dominated an elite Red Wings team in the Finals? All of Drai’s playoff points came against the lousy Kings and the 3rd string Canucks goalie. He was pedestrian at best against the Stars and awful against the Panthers.

You do realize he was injured against both the Stars and the Panthers last year? Funny how some people overlook obvious facts to suit their narrative.

 

[Habssince89]

The controversy shows what a good question this is. I can see both sides. Malkins Conn Smythe year was ridiculous but Drai has been so good in recent years while injured etc. Love the debate

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

Drai has had more points in a season
Drai will have 2 years of more points than Malkin's peak after this year
Drai has had more goals in a season (Malkin has 1 50 goal year Drai will have 4+ after this year)

Is all of that undone with the Smythe? The one where Malkin got 36 points in 24 games, Drai has a 2ppg playoff year where he had 32 points in 16 games

now compare scoring environments between the two during their primes

draisaitl is playing in a far, far more offensively friendly league. malkin played his prime in DPE 2.0

 

[Warh1ppy]

It bugs me that i'm going down this road because Malkin in 2012 and through their back to back runs was so dominant.

But Draisatl

Hold on, hear me out.

Look at the respective line ups both players have/had. In every possible aspect Malkin almost always had a far better cast behind him from net to defence to line mates.

At days end, Malkin is going to retire on a team that will send no less than 4 maybe 5 jerseys to the rafters and at least 4 names in to the HoF

Draisatl has...McDavid. Great player ya, but they aren't even married to each others lines the same way they used to be even 4 years ago.

A dominant player is a dominant player and Malkin was ungodly when he was healthy and younger before the injuries really stacked up. But a great player is still only as great as the team around him and we'd almost have to put Draisatl with comparable players like Letang, Dupuis, vintage Neal, Fleury, Kunitz, Kessel, Bonino.

Malkin had the benefit of quality role players on his line and coupled with his insane talent it made him unstoppable. Draisatl doesn't have that same benefit or has not had that benefit at this stage of his career

 

[le_sean]

You do realize he was injured against both the Stars and the Panthers last year? Funny how some people overlook obvious facts to suit their narrative.

Sounds like an excuse and he couldn’t stand tougher competition

 

[Duke74]

Sounds like an excuse and he couldn’t stand tougher competition

An excuse? Broken ribs and a broken hand are an excuse?

Have you ever incurred a serious injury before? Or, in Draisaitl's case, two at the same time? You probably wouldn't get out of bed let alone play competitive hockey.

 

[Video Nasty]

An excuse? Broken ribs and a broken hand are an excuse?

Have you ever incurred a serious injury before? Or, in Draisaitl's case, two at the same time? You probably wouldn't get out of bed let alone play competitive hockey.

Don't even bother. He'll do the deep dive when the player wears a Penguins sweater, but stare off into space and feign ignorance when it comes to anyone else. We all knew Draisaitl was handicapped just by watching the games and then it was confirmed once the respective postseasons in question were concluded.

 

[PamBallam]

It bugs me that i'm going down this road because Malkin in 2012 and through their back to back runs was so dominant.

But Draisatl

Hold on, hear me out.

Look at the respective line ups both players have/had. In every possible aspect Malkin almost always had a far better cast behind him from net to defence to line mates.

At days end, Malkin is going to retire on a team that will send no less than 4 maybe 5 jerseys to the rafters and at least 4 names in to the HoF

Draisatl has...McDavid. Great player ya, but they aren't even married to each others lines the same way they used to be even 4 years ago.

A dominant player is a dominant player and Malkin was ungodly when he was healthy and younger before the injuries really stacked up. But a great player is still only as great as the team around him and we'd almost have to put Draisatl with comparable players like Letang, Dupuis, vintage Neal, Fleury, Kunitz, Kessel, Bonino.

Malkin had the benefit of quality role players on his line and coupled with his insane talent it made him unstoppable. Draisatl doesn't have that same benefit or has not had that benefit at this stage of his career

No offense, dude, but claiming Malkin has had better linemates is laughable. A better team, sure. But outside of a few years of James Neal and Phil Kessel, Geno has basically always played with the scraps that Sid didn't want. Hell, he scored 36 points and won a conn smythe playing on a line with Ruslan Fedotenko and Max Talbot. Draisaitl's most common even strength linemates this season are... Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman! Last year? You guessed it, Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman! Two years ago? What do you know, Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman! Drai is a great player, and would be even without McDavid, but those two play together A TON. Pretending they don't is just silly.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Prime Malkin could kill a bear bare hands

 

[JPeeper]

So when they got to the finals who lead their team to a Cup and who didn't?

I'm going to go with the one who did. Malkin AINEC, never will be. Draistail is the ultimate loser, he can have all the goals and assists and women and money, don't matter, he'll NEVER win a Cup.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Malkin was the best player and carried his lines. Draisaitl has been the best, but he has played A TON with Connor McDavid.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Not arguing the conclusion itself, it might well be true, but hockey isn't basketball. It is completely possible to be a better player than someone and have fewer trophies. A way of looking at it is perhaps to ask what that player could have done in place of the other. Malkin was certainly a key player on multiple cups, but could the result have been the same with Draisaitl in his place? Would the Oilers have been any closer to a cup with prime Malkin instead of Draisaitl?

It might be tempting to disregard the complexity of a team and all its variables, but I don't think it's fruitful to make these cup based assertions when comparing players head-to-head.

Very confident the Penguins do not win in 2009 or 2017 with Draisaitl in Malkin's place