blogofmike
Registered User
- Dec 16, 2010
- 2,362
- 1,208
Not sure why you aren't acknowledging that McDavid had as much support, if not more support, than Crosby did in 2009 leading up to the SCF.
Because he didn't. Not even if you cherrypick the first three rounds (and the only apparent reason for doing so is to pump up Crosby.)
[TABLE=collapse]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Points[/TD]
[TD]Team GF[/TD]
[TD]Share of TmGF[/TD]
[TD]Lead over 2nd place[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]McDavid 2024[/TD]
[TD]
31
[/TD][TD]
63
[/TD][TD]
49%
[/TD][TD]
11%
[/TD][/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Crosby 2009[/TD]
[TD]
28
[/TD][TD]
65
[/TD][TD]
43%
[/TD][TD]
0%
[/TD][/TR]
[/TABLE]
Even through 3 rounds, McDavid scored a higher percentage of team offense, McDavid outscored his next best teammate, and Fleury was better than Skinner.
Changed #7 in the OP to:
7. Crosby's 2018 run and 2010 run is more impressive than McDavid's 2023 run
Crosby's 2010 run gets especially underrated due to the Pens being viewed as blowing a chance to beat an easier on-paper opponent and for Crosby to win 3 straight Cups.
3 straight? Now you're giving Crosby an extra Stanley Cup?!?
Once that narrative is pushed aside, a challenge for some, it was his best 2 round performance once all the arguments for McDavid are applied:
- He faced great goaltending
- his performance is not reflected in points, great underlying stats
- lack of team support, notably from Malkin
- bad goaltending for his team
He obliterated the Sens with 14 points in 5 games (the best series stat-wise between the two) and then played great against the Habs.
The 2023 Oilers faced stronger opponents, and based on regular season records it's not even close. (Also the 22 Knights, you know, went on to win the Stanley Cup....)
Adin Hill's .932 save percentage was #1 in the 2023 NHL playoffs, and better than Halak, who posted an .884 against the Flyers one round later. The Sens were not a good defensive team. Again, look at the table in Post 26. The Sens were 18th in GA. McDavid's never faced a team that ranked that low.
In 2010 Crosby lacked team support so much that Alex Goligoski outscored him against Montreal.
In the series when they were eliminated, here are their main goaltenders, ranked by save percentage:
2018 Murray .905
2010 Fleury .892
2023 Skinner .875
Also, hate to burst your bubble, but McDavid's done better than 2010 Crosby did against the Sens, and he did so against better teams.
[TABLE=collapse]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]Opponent[/TD]
[TD]Opp GA Rk[/TD]
[TD]Points[/TD]
[TD]PPG[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Crosby 10[/TD]
[TD]Sens[/TD]
[TD]18th[/TD]
[TD]
14
[/TD][TD]
2.33
[/TD][/TR]
[TR]
[TD]McDavid 22[/TD]
[TD]Flames[/TD]
[TD]3rd[/TD]
[TD]
12
[/TD][TD]
2.40
[/TD][/TR]
[TR]
[TD]McDavid 24[/TD]
[TD]Kings[/TD]
[TD]3rd[/TD]
[TD]
12
[/TD][TD]
2.40
[/TD][/TR]
[/TABLE]