Sidney Crosby's shape after 9 months of no game action?

[Land O Lakes]

Outsider here trying to get some insight on the face of the league. I'm sure I can find some comments on what Sid has shown to you guys thus far in one of the pre-season camp threads, but it couldn't hurt to get right to the point: How is he looking?

I read a few of you guys saying in the first scrim "he looks like a guy who hasn't played a game in a while." Obviously he won't have much of an issue with the transition since he's Sidney Crosby, but how does he look compared to Malkin who's been in game shape for a few months now? Do you see him hitting the ground running this season? What are your guys' expectations this first few weeks with him?

Also, how likely is it he plays with Bennett this year? I've heard a few of your fans mumbling about this.

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[mgd525]

Crosby didn't try at all, It'ss really impossible to tell from that scrim. He floated and such. No knock on him he just didn't care about it. He may have tiped a goal in but he looked like he was going at 30%. He will be fine. I'm sure he's in as good of shape as possible.

Bennett has been sent down. The kids going to get called up at soe point for a cup of coffee or injuries. He's close i'm not sure he's ready yet.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

I'm sure you've heard about his training habits. He'll be ready don't worry. I think two things were in play during the scrimmage: He was literally the last guy that had to try hard and also no one wanted to go near him and make contact. I mention the last one because it's a little hard for him to do his whirling dervish thing in the corners and look determined when no one's challenging him for the puck.

 

[spcastlemagic]

I'm sure you've heard about his training habits. He'll be ready don't worry. I think two things were in play during the scrimmage: He was literally the last guy that had to try hard and also no one wanted to go near him and make contact. I mention the last one because it's a little hard for him to do his whirling dervish thing in the corners and look determined when no one's challenging him for the puck.

Crosby's advantage has always come from the fact he can do things faster, stronger, and more abruptly than other players. That disappears if everyone involved isn't going 100%.

 

[alcanalz]

Outsider here trying to get some insight on the face of the league. I'm sure I can find some comments on what Sid has shown to you guys thus far in one of the pre-season camp threads, but it couldn't hurt to get right to the point: How is he looking?

I read a few of you guys saying in the first scrim "he looks like a guy who hasn't played a game in a while." Obviously he won't have much of an issue with the transition since he's Sidney Crosby, but how does he look compared to Malkin who's been in game shape for a few months now? Do you see him hitting the ground running this season? What are your guys' expectations this first few weeks with him?

Also, how likely is it he plays with Bennett this year? I've heard a few of your fans mumbling about this.

According to everyone at camp, he's looked his normal otherworldly self. Didn't do much at the intersquad game but the intensity levels wasn't there for everyone, it was a glorified all-star game.

With the way he prepares and dedicates himself for everything, I cannot think of any way he does not come out of the gates fast. He's just too focused and too good regardless of whether or not he's been playing. Perhaps he's not leading the league in scoring at the end of January, but I'd be shocked if he's not by the end of February.

And Bennett's been sent down.

 

[BustaKapanen]

Well 1st things 1st. Zero chance he plays with bennett off the hop cause bennent got sent down to wb. 2nd I wasn't overly impressed with either of crosby or malkin. However let's take it for face value. It was a practice. One 2 simulate a game and game situations. I wouldn't corelate any success or failures in that game into the season. Geno n sid will do their usual god willing they stay healthy. Do Iexpect crosby to be at the league tormenting pace he was on pre concussion?no Idont expect it. However it wouldn't boggle my mind if indeed he did return 2 that form at some point.

 

[MichiganWolverines]

Some people make a huge deal over nothing, on these boards.

 

[Jacob]

Crosby's always been a slow starter so I would half-expect that.

 

[Darth Vitale]

OP: he's in great physical shape... but no player can have "game legs" until they start playing actual games. But I don't expect him to be struggling compared to others who didn't play overseas. In fact I expect he'll probably have a jump on most of them, knowing his work ethic.

 

[KIRK]

Sid's shape will be the best of his life.

 

[HuskerTornado]

He has a gut now and cankles.

 

[Shrimper]

You can't tell what a player is going to be like from a scrimmage game. I'm sure that Crosby isn't going to have spent the last 9 months not doing any practice at all, he'll have been down the rink every week, I guarantee it. He'll most likely have been doing work in the summer at the least in anticipation of the season starting in October.

 

[Ugene Magic]

It's usually a couple weeks of camp and preseason games and it usually takes about another two weeks of regular season games before they're full tilt.

No preseason games other than a Black n Gold scrimmage in a one week camp.

I doubt most are not in full tilt for almost a month.

 

[Steve Durbano]

I think that Sid will have a monster year, because Malkin is going to push the hell out of him.