Sidney Crosby Top 5 player of all time

[PatrikBerglund]

When you measure players from the past, you seem to compare them to their peers of the same era - who were by all counts inferior to the ones active today.

How can you then compare them to someone like Crosby?

It's as if I compared my soccer dominance on the playground as a kid, to Messi's dominance against his peers today - only to come to the conclusion that I dominated my peers more than he does today, and therefore I was a better soccer player.

Does that seem logical, rational and "fair"?

 

[AJRAYMOND]

What a dumb argument. What's Malkin's hypothetical trophy case without Sid?

Probably fuller than it is. You put Malkin with the best players on a team and he would be unstoppable. He's always played with scrubs up until James Neal (who were magical together with the give and go). You keep forgetting there is a decent sample size out there with Malkin without Sid.

 

[MrFunnyWobbl]

Crosby has a crazy good combination or both points and accolades/awards. Definitely top 5.

 

[canadianguy77]

Probably fuller than it is. You put Malkin with the best players on a team and he would be unstoppable. He's always played with scrubs up until James Neal (who were magical together with the give and go). You keep forgetting there is a decent sample size out there with Malkin without Sid.

You even watch the Pens? Good lord.

 

[AJRAYMOND]

When you measure players from the past, you seem to compare them to their peers of the same era - who were by all counts inferior to the ones active today.

How can you then compare them to someone like Crosby?

It's as if I compared my soccer dominance on the playground as a kid, to Messi's dominance against his peers today - only to come to the conclusion that I dominated my peers more than he does today, and therefore I was a better soccer player.

Does that seem logical, rational and "fair"?

Unless you've seen them it's hard to quantify. I've been watching hockey since the late 70's and can tell you without a doubt the two best hockey players by a mile were Mario and Wayne. I actually lean towards Mario because I think he did it with a lesser team . Just impossible to contain and just did everything well. Wayne was smart and could stick handle in a phone booth and had a beautiful quick release. It's not even close to third from these two. And you're right you measure players from their peers. People love to think there is a huge gap from Crosby to Malkin to McDavid and Ovechkin but there is not. You could take a plane to cover the gap from Lemieux+Gretzky to the third best player I've seen which might of been Jagr in his prime.

 

[MadLuke]

Ever considered the competition when these guys played? Pretty hard to win those awards when 99 and 66 were around.

Remove 99 and 66 and their trophy case does not grow by that much, just one Ross for Yzerman, while Jagr would not have won without Lemieux in 2001, so maybe it is a bit of a stretch to remove Jagr playing with Lemieux but that make one for Sakic, that all I think.

 

[AJRAYMOND]

You even watch the Pens? Good lord.

What the hell do you think? It's obvious you don't

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Lol at people putting friggin howie Morenz over crosby. Crosby just led his team to back to back cups while winning mvp honours both times in the salary cap era! You likely won't see that ever again.

Only thing beliveau has on crosby is he played longer while crosby already has a superior award case. And lafleur has 6 elite seasons while crosby has been a top 2 player for 12 straight years and currently holds the title with the firmest grip any player has had since lemieux

 

[stu the grim reaper]

IMO, the two biggest hurdles Crosby faces are...

1. The NHL's hard-sell of him
There's a saying in marketing - "people love to shop but hate being sold to." And the same rings true whenever a corporation or the media tries to "sell the public." Since day 1, the NHL has used every ounce of its power to oversell Crosby to the masses in hopes of gaining popularity. To the longtime, die-hard fans, this tactic has unfairly backfired and is most responsible for their dislike of Crosby IMO.

It's not jealously or envy (I'm sure to a certain extent fans are jealous Crosby doesn't play for their team) but it's the non-stop Crosby narrative that wears on fans who follow the game religiously. I compare it to a radio station playing the same song over and over and over. At some point fatigue sets in, followed by disgust. IMO, if the NHL (and media) wasn't blatantly so "Pro-Crosby", the fans would fight to give him his just due.

2. The eye test
This is the biggest hurdle IMO. I insist that Crosby is a hockey player's hockey player. The dedication, the non-stop practice, the ability to face adversity and never rattle, the pressures that come with being "the face" of the NHL and always keeping your nose clean. The ability to lead by example night after night, shift after shift. These are the things that make Crosby incredibly special.

Yes, Sid is extremely talented, let's be honest. But he doesn't fly at top speed like McDavid. He doesn't take blistering shots like Ovechkin or Laine. He doesn't dangle and make your chin drop like Kane or Malkin. He doesn't blast people through the boards like Burns or Byfuglien. I've been watching Crosby since day one and he's rarely "wowed" me. He's made some awesome plays and shots but he doesn't do it with the same flair as a Kane, Malkin, McDavid... let alone legends like Lemieux, Jagr, Orr and Bure, who "wowed" you every game.

Crosby does all the things that result in wins and making his team better - things that don't always play well on YouTube. The more I've watched Sid over the years, the more I've learned to appreciate how great he really is - but I'd take $100 out of my pocket and pay to watch Karlsson or McDavid play before I did Crosby.

this is exactly right, crosby feels like a corporate product

 

[Ms Maggie]

I think you can slide him in at five, knocking Richard down to six.

He's most certainly the greatest of this generation. Its a shame that he has the personality of a dry wetnap, but I suppose that's perfect for hockey.

He has a lovely personality, congenial, modest, extremely generous with time and money.

Funny today that's considered a negative. Far better to be a smart ass or a publicity *****, right?

 

[stu the grim reaper]

Lol at people putting friggin howie Morenz over crosby. Crosby just led his team to back to back cups while winning mvp honours both times in the salary cap era! You likely won't see that ever again.

you'd have to be able to watch hockey from different eras to see that again

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

you'd have to be able to watch hockey from different eras to see that again

Exactly only one other forward has b2b Smythes. Some scrub named mario lemieux and even he didn't do it in the salary cap league. Crosby is at the very least in the top 10 and my pick for 5.

 

[MikeK]

For what he's been able to accomplish in today's NHL plus salary cap era he is without a doubt one of the all time greats and I have him in my top 5. Not taking away from what the other greats have accomplished, but they never played against a league as competitive and with as much parity as we've seen in the game the last 10+ years.
If he were to retire today he would be one of the all time greats. I hope all the haters take a moment and appreciate his greatness because he's about as close to an actively playing legend as there can be.

 

[Reds4Life]

I don't think Sid makes it to top5 overall, but he's certainly somewhere in top15-20 by now. Special, special player.

 

[StroShow]

 

[Son Goku]

Is Sidney Crosby the greatest player currently AINEC or is it close between he and Mcdavid?

 

[PatrikBerglund]

I've been watching hockey since the late 70's and can tell you without a doubt the two best hockey players by a mile were Mario and Wayne.

Because they faced players who were inferior to the ones active today.

Just look at all the weak goals Gretzky scored back in the day.

Slapshots with no screens, from the blue line. And other easy shots/tap-ins due to goaltenders being horrible and defencemen not even OHL quality in todays level.

Of course it's easy to loik exceptional when the competition is a lot worse than that today's players are up against.

You don't think Crosby would have 250 point seasons during the 80s?

 

[YogiCanucks]

Crosby is better than all of those guys for sure, AINEC

Why can't it be close? I think Crosby is better than those guys but damn.. it's a least a little close.

Also, one thing that I think Crosby should get credit for (and often leaves something to be desired for a casual fan) is he always 100% committed to his team winning. Despite his ability to beat people 1-on-1 he consistently eats the puck along the board, chips the puck in, makes the smart pass, and doesn't get caught up ice very often.

As someone who greatly enjoys watching great players be great I can't tell you have frustrating it is to see Sidney Crosby consistently keep his shifts so short and disciplined.

 

[YogiCanucks]

Because they faced players who were inferior to the ones active today.

Just look at all the weak goals Gretzky scored back in the day.

Slapshots with no screens, from the blue line. And other easy shots/tap-ins due to goaltenders being horrible and defencemen not even OHL quality in todays level.

Of course it's easy to loik exceptional when the competition is a lot worse than that today's players are up against.

You don't think Crosby would have 250 point seasons during the 80s?

On this point. I think a lot of players of todays era would put up MONSTER numbers in the 80s.

But let's not forget players of todays era (ie Crosby) have the benefit of growing up knowing the importance of conditioning, whole body fitness, playing against high quality players all through Junior, and having hyper tailored development plans. If Crosby played in the 80s he wouldn't suddenly get to take that with him. Just some food for thought.

 

[Sentinel]

LOL at people who don't have Hasek and Jagr above Crosby.

 

[Foppberg]

Nope, top 15ish.

 

[YogiCanucks]

Before each of the last 10 seasons if you had taken a poll on who the best player in the game was I bet Crosby would have won quite a few (if not all of them). Would he have gotten every single vote? probably not for players who had their peak years. But being on top of the hill for 10 years is quite amazing.

 

[penguins1812]

Easily

 

[Dacks]

Almost a concensus 1, 2, 3, really. Not as close as Crosby vs. Kessel last year, if I remember correctly.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

LOL at people who don't have Hasek and Jagr above Crosby.

What is your case for jagr over crosby? Jagr was a cancer to his teams and has no mvp caliber playoff runs. Crosby has 4 Smythe with playoff runs and also has b2b Smythes... And if you want to bring reg season crosby will give you 2 harts 2 art ross 3 Lindsay's 2 Richards etc.

Let's bring it international?
The golden goal. WCH mvp etc?

Crosby>jagr.