I don't understand your insistence on ES production with our top six?
Does Malkin, Crosby, and Kessel producing on a PP lose us games?
Two reasons.
1) Because the vast majority of the games are played at ES - something like a 70-80% split. Which means if your top players are only producing in 25% (or whatever the actual number is) of their icetime when they're on the PP, your team is in trouble.
2) Because you can still win a cup with a shit PP (see Boston 2010*), but the odds of you winning a cup with shit ES scoring is next to nil.
Bottom line is that while good/great special teams can win you games here and there, and will dramatically increase your overall odds, they will not compensate for a team that just isn't scoring at ES. Last time I looked (couple games ago), a full 50% of our goals since acquiring Sheahan had come from the PP. Which would be amazing if we were scoring 4-6 goals a game. But when we're only scoring 1-3, it's a serious issue.
* Probably other examples as well, but that's the one I remember off the top of my head.
Crosby isn't producing. Proper championship caliber teams have the depth to cover for that. Rutherford messed up this summer in terms of addressing our depth and its showing right now.
Also, do you just assume Sheahan, Kuhn, McKegg, Reaves, and Hags are just going to start producing if Crosby does?
As I've pointed out, it's a lot more than just Crosby - although he's easily the biggest culprit. And if it was just him - you'd be right, and we probably would have the depth to cover for that. But it's not - it's our entire top 6, with the exception of Kessel (and even his ES production is down).
And no, I do not think the rest will magically start producing once Crosby and the rest of the top 6 does - at least not to an extent that we (and I include myself) would be satisfied and content with. But at least at that point, the team should be playing better overall hockey, and at least with some of the individuals they can be better assessed then.