Crosby is impossible to rank. If he comes back, stays healthy, and plays like he was pre-injury, then he's absolutely the best player in the world, but that's a big if. He obviously not the best if he's not playing.
Ignoring Crosby, I'd rank the tiers as:
Malkin
Stamkos, Datsyuk, Toews
Giroux, H Sedin, D Sedin
Kovalchuk, Spezza
That's forwards only. I don't really like ranking forwards, dmen and goalies together, they're just too different. Regardless, I don't think there's a "big 3", and I also don't quite have Giroux as a top 3 (or top 4) forward in the league, although he's close.
These last few months of the season are going to be really telling as to whether Sid is still in the top 3.
More like weeks? If they reach the cup finals we could have it extend to months.
Look, I expect him to step right in as if he has not missed a day, like he did last return. He has looked amazing in practice, best player on the ice, and the team includes Malkin. But if he has a slow start I am not sure writing his career off would be warrented.
More like weeks? If they reach the cup finals we could have it extend to months.
Look, I expect him to step right in as if he has not missed a day, like he did last return. He has looked amazing in practice, best player on the ice, and the team includes Malkin. But if he has a slow start I am not sure writing his career off would be warrented.
lol yeah I guess it would be more like "weeks" now that I think about it. Maybe I'm just hoping for a long playoff run.
Giroux is one of the worst 1st line centers out there. Malkin is pretty good overall and so is Stamkos but they are not "on a different level" compared to the Sedins, Keslers, Datsyuks and Toews.
Giroux has a chance to hit 100 points this year, and this is in a season when scoring is way down. i personally never saw him as a possible 100 point player, I saw him as somewhere between 75-90 each year. Until proven otherwise, Crosby is still one of the top few players in the NHL.
I'd like to see Giroux stay on this level for another season before putting him on the same level as Malkin and Stamkos who have proven they can play at this level for multiple seasons. That said, I do hope Giroux can continue playing like this and that his concussion won't have a lasting, negative effect on his game.
Geno is above everyone else right now in terms of elite. He can take over a game in ways that no one else has really been able to since Lindros. I'd put Giroux and Stamkos under him. And I love giroux, and I absolutely despise Malkin.
But to say Giroux isn't elite is a little ridiculous. People who've watched him knew how good he was for the last 2-3 seasons. We knew what he could become, but he was stuck behind Richards and carter last season. This year he has really shown that he flourishes when put in the spotlight and given the reigns to the team. Stamkos is obviously above him a this point because he's done it for longer, but it's hard to argue that, at least right now it's 1. Malkin 2. Stamkos 3. Giroux. All 3 of them have a legitimate shot at the art ross and the hart this season imo. Regardless of what anyone says, Crosby's future IS uncertain. Until he comes back and proves that he can play like he always has for an extended period of time his place on the top players list has an * next to it.
Do any non-Pittsburgh fans remember how Crosby was playing pre-concussion? Remember how people used to call them the Pittsburgh Crosbys for a little while? He was a man on a mission. Just absolutely dominant, it was a joy to watch. I hope Sid comes back healthy and better than ever.
Also wondering, how would you Pens fans compare between Malkin's current play and Crosby's 66 points in 41 games last season (other than saying "we are not worthy!")
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheMicrowave
Is the big three going to sign with Florida to play together?
I believe the quote you're looking for is: Will the Big Three take their talents to South Beach?
Do any non-Pittsburgh fans remember how Crosby was playing pre-concussion? Remember how people used to call them the Pittsburgh Crosbys? He was a man on a mission. Just absolutely dominant, it was a joy to watch. I hope Sid comes back healthy and better than ever.
How would you Pens fans compare between Malkin's current play and Crosby's 66 points in 41 games last season (other than saying "we are not worthy!")
I believe the quote you're looking for is: Will the Big Three take their talents to South Beach?
As an Ottawa fan I do not think I have seen a player in my lifetime dominate in 1 series as Crosby did against us in the 10-11 first round playoffs.. Holy ****..
no such thing as a big 3 atm. big 2 if crosby is healthy and malkin. stammer's close. giroux's not. whole point of the big 3 was that they crapped all over everyone else, which this "big 3" doesnt. might be the best 3, but 3-4-5-6 is pretty open. never used to be.
Who else is getting ready to accept these three as the faces of the league?
Pending Crosby's career status (not promising) and Ovechkin continuing to suck (shell of former self), I'm more than ready to accept people saying these players are on a different level than the rest of the league, and the league should be marketing them as such.
Crosby still leads the NHL in points per game. And he could miss an entire year from this point and still be just entering his prime.
The 12 points in 8 games is the reason why he's still in the discussion.
__________________
George McPhee....The Teflon GM. 15 years of failure and counting....
6 - Number of playoff series the Capitals have won since George McPhee took over as General Manager in 1997 (which makes him the third-longest-tenured GM in the League), three of which came in McPhee's first season on the job.
I suspect that soon, maybe as soon as Sunday, Crosby will be firmly back in the discussion. By all accounts he has looked amazing in practice. Best player by far on the ice. Considering who is on that team, it should not be long before Crosby reclaims his perch on top.
This is the big 3 this year. Next it will be different just like it used to be the big two: Crosby and Ovechkin. People are writing Ovechkin off too early, IMO.
