SeanMoneyHands
Registered User
- Apr 18, 2019
- 14,315
- 13,181
Prime Messier vs Prime Malkin: Who do you take for a cup run?
- Thread starter SeanMoneyHands
- Start date
Flying Dego
Registered User
- Apr 30, 2013
- 5,253
- 6,433
Give me this guy. Malkin is a true enigma, he was literally unstoppable during stretches of his career and his Conn Smythe run. When he was fired up and gunning not even Sid was better.
I should also mention Geno did all this with poor wing support vs what Messier was rolling out with 5v5.
Obviously Messier was incredible but Geno was electric and one of the most entertaining players hands down.
If I get ‘09 playoffs Malkin, I’d take him, but I think Messier was more consistent in the playoffs with some really high highs himself, so I think he’s more likely to be better if we’re just rolling the dice on what they’re going to do
bigbabybuda
Registered User
jetsforever
Registered User
- Dec 14, 2013
- 27,598
- 23,719
Which era are they playing in?
If it's current, Malkin no question. Messier can't run around cheap shotting and elbowing everyone, that's half his game gone.
If it's current, Malkin no question. Messier can't run around cheap shotting and elbowing everyone, that's half his game gone.
Legionnaire
Help On The Way
Messier only has 1 Conn Smythe, and has never led the playoffs in scoring. Based on his reputation as a monster playoff performer/leader, I was expecting more; especially with 6 Cup wins. But my memory of him is probably a bit inflated due to his legend,
Even the 2 Cups where he was clearly head honcho (without Gretzky) in 90 and 94, the Smythe went to other players.
Gotta go with Malkin here if talking about absolute peak performance.
Even the 2 Cups where he was clearly head honcho (without Gretzky) in 90 and 94, the Smythe went to other players.
Gotta go with Malkin here if talking about absolute peak performance.
Last edited:
Nasti
Registered User
Points aren’t everything, people. Messier by a long shot. Arguably the greatest leader in the history of the game.
TheGoldenJet
Registered User
JackSlater
Registered User
- Apr 27, 2010
- 18,507
- 13,438
Bouboumaster
Registered User
- Jul 4, 2014
- 9,942
- 8,081
- Jun 22, 2018
- 7,418
- 16,723
Malkin is way more skilled, but Messier would probably actually murder someone to win
I’ll go with Malkin because murder is bad
I’ll go with Malkin because murder is bad
- Feb 10, 2010
- 13,798
- 10,455
Peak Malkin is simply the better player.
- Apr 27, 2005
- 34,175
- 31,075
Malkin by miles. Dude could take over a game better than anyone since Mario.
DickSmehlik
Registered User
Agreed, peak Messier would be unavailable for a good chunk of the time as he'd either be sitting in the box or suspended going by today's standards.
Now if we were going on a cup run pre-2000, I'd take Messier.
You guys act like Messier wouldn’t adjust his game to just hit guys cleanly instead. It’s not like he has to elbow people, he’s still a big strong dude who can impose himself physically in other ways.
MadLuke
Registered User
- Jan 18, 2011
- 9,831
- 5,435
Chance are good that no one in history would have outscored Gretzky in 4 of those.
In is 2 non Gretzky cup, he was tie with 31 points in 22 games in 1990 (Simpsons winning with the most goals tie breaker) and in 1994 he was second with 30 points in 23 games behind one of the best playoff run of all time in Leetch.
Run like 34 points loosing to Gretzky 43 points is the equivalent of leading the playoff in some other years.
Healthy prime Malkin is hard to pass on.
I Hate Blake Coleman
Bandwagon Burner
McFlash97
Registered User
- Oct 10, 2017
- 7,469
- 6,513
MadLuke
Registered User
- Jan 18, 2011
- 9,831
- 5,435
Malkin played 170 of the pens 183 playoff games during is career, that a 76 games by 82 type of rate. In the regular season in comparison he played 940 of the 1,182 games a 65 games rate, which could indicate that he play in the playoff injuried (or had the chance to not have too rush return because is team made the playoff without him), all that to said that in the playoff Crosby-Malkin did tend to miss little time career wise after all.
Messier did play 100% of the Oilers game it is a difference, but not that big and really not misleading I would say.
Malkin was second in playoff ppg in is first 13 season, Messier was 4th not far from the non Gretzky top spot.
This is true, and I think talk of constant suspensions is a bit much, but I do think the current league limits the impact of someone like Messier’s physicality a bit. He could still wear down teams over time, but I don’t think he would have the same intimidation factor, and some of the dirtier plays he used to get away with would do more to limit other players physically than he could today.
Messier wasn't like that though.
Sure he was a strong guy who could drop the mitts, but he wasn't some physical stalwart who could impose himself on other players at will.
His reputation as a physical player came from his elbows, charges, etc. He was a predatory player who exerted his influence usually only when he had an advantage.
Interestingly, he rarely had to answer for his actions either; and not because he was some great fighter (he was actually an average fighter) but moreso because he would do anything to anybody to win. Legal or not. I think players were afraid of him. He was crazy.
Last edited:
HugeInTheShire
You may not like me but, I'm Huge in the Shire
Messier couldn't thug it up in today's game and Malkin wouldn't have survived back then.
