Why exactly do you think Malkin is an underrated as he is?

Fiji Water

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Canadian media bias is probably the biggest reason. During the Pens Leafs game a couple days ago, the Hockey Night in Canada broadcasters literally said "You could argue that Geno has not been the most valuable player on his own team because Crosby has played as well as him"...completely ignoring the fact that Malkin has 11 more points and 17 more goals than Crosby in 4 less games and with 4 fewer empty net points than Crosby. These clowns are also the reason why Geno did not make the top 100 list.
 

AverageJoeFan

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Let me play devil's advocate here for a second, but never doubt my Malkin mancrush.

He's had some points in his career he has looked very nonchalant and unmotivated. Even during the course of games this year he has had some WTF moments with lazy passing. I truly think this year has been one of his best all around, but there were some holes there throughout the years. I think if he had dedicated more of his youth to improving his conditioning like he does in the past couple of years it would have made him even better and perhaps he plays a bit more and misses less due to injuries.

Kovalev had some of the same issues.

Now, back to Malkin mancrush mode. He should be a 1st ballot HoFer. He should be in the top 50, never mind the top 100. Canadian media sucks when it comes to Russian players. Bure, Datsyuk, etc.. The list goes on where our northern friends marginalized those players.

EDIT Malkin is shooting 18.8% this year. That is pretty insane.
 
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Shady Machine

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Let me play devil's advocate here for a second, but never doubt my Malkin mancrush.

He's had some points in his career he has looked very nonchalant and unmotivated. Even during the course of games this year he has had some WTF moments with lazy passing. I truly think this year has been one of his best all around, but there were some holes there throughout the years. I think if he had dedicated more of his youth to improving his conditioning like he does in the past couple of years it would have made him even better and perhaps he plays a bit more and misses less due to injuries.

Kovalev had some of the same issues.

Now, back to Malkin mancrush mode. He should be a 1st ballot HoFer. He should be in the top 50, never mind the top 100. Canadian media sucks when it comes to Russian players. Bure, Datsyuk, etc.. The list goes on where our northern friends marginalized those players.

EDIT Malkin is shooting 18.8% this year. That is pretty insane.

Your devil's advocate should apply to every other star in the NHL today, maybe save Crosby. Ovechkin has had off years as well. Same with Stamkos, although injuries have contributed there, similar to Geno.

I get it, you have to try to understand the reasons for him being underrated, but I just don't think those things apply to Malkin to a larger degree than they should to everyone else.
 

imouttahereEdWinger

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Your devil's advocate should apply to every other star in the NHL today, maybe save Crosby. Ovechkin has had off years as well. Same with Stamkos, although injuries have contributed there, similar to Geno.

Crosby is living off of reputation. He dogs it for large parts of seasons the last few, which I'm fine with really since he and Malkin have been injured more than their fair share.
 

Jaded-Fan

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Your devil's advocate should apply to every other star in the NHL today, maybe save Crosby. Ovechkin has had off years as well. Same with Stamkos, although injuries have contributed there, similar to Geno.

I get it, you have to try to understand the reasons for him being underrated, but I just don't think those things apply to Malkin to a larger degree than they should to everyone else.

Exactly. And Ovechkin has been arguably much more loved by a large portion of the media than Crosby for most of their careers.
 

pistolpete11

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Apr 27, 2013
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Let me play devil's advocate here for a second, but never doubt my Malkin mancrush.

He's had some points in his career he has looked very nonchalant and unmotivated. Even during the course of games this year he has had some WTF moments with lazy passing. I truly think this year has been one of his best all around, but there were some holes there throughout the years. I think if he had dedicated more of his youth to improving his conditioning like he does in the past couple of years it would have made him even better and perhaps he plays a bit more and misses less due to injuries.

Kovalev had some of the same issues.

Now, back to Malkin mancrush mode. He should be a 1st ballot HoFer. He should be in the top 50, never mind the top 100. Canadian media sucks when it comes to Russian players. Bure, Datsyuk, etc.. The list goes on where our northern friends marginalized those players.

EDIT Malkin is shooting 18.8% this year. That is pretty insane.

Would you not say the same about Ovechkin? Or even Crosby? Every player goes through that. It's just more noticeable with the superstars because you are comparing it to when they play like superstars.
 

Dacks

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Malkin is obviously underrated publicly, and most posters have pointed out why. I really like the nickname "Mr. 101” and think we should start pushing it.

But Ovechkin is getting seriously underrated in this thread, my goodness. (By some.)
 

Jaded-Fan

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Malkin is obviously underrated publicly, and most posters have pointed out why. I really like the nickname "Mr. 101” and think we should start pushing it.

But Ovechkin is getting seriously underrated in this thread, my goodness. (By some.)

I think of Ovechkin as one of the elite offensive players to ever play the game. I know, not much of a stretch or going out on a limb saying that, right?

But with that said, if I were building a team when they were drafted I would take Malkin every day of the week. And said so at the time and consistently since.

No knock on Ovechkin at all saying that. And it is not because Ovechkin's teams never advanced past the second round, he always did what was expected and more in the playoffs, that was on the team around him. However I do not believe that the Pens would have three cups if Ovechkin were on this team instead of Malkin.
 
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Scandale du Jour

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Crosby won a Rocket Richard, was third in scoring before that and won two Smythes the last few years.

Yet, there were long stretches in which he didn't really try. Which is fine and which is WHY he has been healthy enough to win all these thing.

He could go 100% playoff efforts all the time, but he'd play 50 games a year. Pacing himself is a good thing, a smart thing, not a critique. He isn't 20 anymore and the season is long.
 

KIRK

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Have avoided commenting in this thread, but honestly I think it's because the Canadian hockey media is inundated with morons. Heard it intoned on a Sportsnet feed of the Flames game and heard it again directly on NHL radio this morning . . . 'how can Malkin be the MVP of the league when he may not even be the MVP of his own team with Crosby there'. It's the same mentality that led to the exclusion of Malkin from the NHL 100 list.

Some here look at what Malkin has done over the last 30 games (51 points) and say 'that's approaching Mario territory, an even better pace than Sid's insane half season in 2010-11 and he's doing it without high end talent on his wings or a crazy number of PP points and getting as many of the tough matchups as anyone on the team'.

The moron caste of the Canadian hockey media looks at it and says 'well, he's a little hot and they have the best PP and he plays with Kessel and Sid is on that team'. Unfortunately, there's a level of dumb from which there is no return, and it's an unhappy coincidence, as far as recognition for Malkin goes, that 2/3 of the Canadian hockey media occupies that space.
 
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SirBrad

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Agreed with the Canadian media bias. Since it appears no Canadian team may ever win a Stanley Cup again, they at least want to protect the reputation of supplying the NHL with the best players.
 
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Jaded-Fan

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Agreed with the Canadian media bias. Since it appears no Canadian team may ever win a Stanley Cup again, they at least want to protect the reputation of supplying the NHL with the best players.

If that were the case they would not have been all over Ovechkin for all of these years and he would not have won any Hart Trophies which is entirely based on media voting.
 

KIRK

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If that were the case they would not have been all over Ovechkin for all of these years and he would not have won any Hart Trophies which is entirely based on media voting.

For my part, I didn't say it was because they're anti-Russian. Part of it is being on the same team as Crosby. And, part of it is they don't bother to watch Malkin; they just look at the scoresheet. Add it all up, and THAT is why 2/3 of the Canadian hockey media is stupid.
 
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Scandale du Jour

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For my part, I didn't say it was because they're anti-Russian. Part of it is being on the same team as Crosby. And, part of it is they don't bother to watch Malkin; they just look at the scoresheet. Add it all up, and THAT is why 2/3 of the Canadian hockey media is stupid.

If all they do is watch the scoresheet, that would explain why Ovechkin beat Malkin for the Hart that one year.
 
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KIRK

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If all they do is watch the scoresheet, that would explain why Ovechkin beat Malkin for the Hart that one year.

Not all of them, but a lot of them do.

I mean, Sid's play has improved lately, but what person-- a guy with a Hart vote no less-- has watched the Pens and says in effect 'Malkin may not be the MVP of his own team because of Crosby'? I mean, you COULD have made that argument as lately as a month ago, but that would have been because of Kessel, and anyone who watches the Pens oh, say, EVER would know that.

Just embarrassing to think guys like that get to vote on anything. Not SURPRISING, mind you, but embarrassing.
 
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Scandale du Jour

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Not all of them, but a lot of them do.

I mean, Sid has been better, but what person-- a guy with a Hart vote no less-- has watched the Pens and says in effect 'Malkin may not be the MVP of his own team because of Crosby'. I mean, you COULD have made that argument as lately as a month ago, but that would have been because of Kessel, and anyone who watches the Pens oh, say, EVER would know that.

Just embarrassing to think guys like that get to vote on anything. Not SURPRISING, mind you, but embarrassing.

They too often vote based on their own agendas/what would make the best story. They are in it to sell their own product, not to reflect the real quality of the players. I hated media-voted awards in every sports.
 
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Jaded-Fan

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For my part, I didn't say it was because they're anti-Russian. Part of it is being on the same team as Crosby. And, part of it is they don't bother to watch Malkin; they just look at the scoresheet. Add it all up, and THAT is why 2/3 of the Canadian hockey media is stupid.

There are a lot more reasons to call the Hockey media - why limit it to Canadian or 2/3rds? - stupid.

You would have had most of us with the simple statement of stupidity in general.
 

KIRK

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There are a lot more reasons to call the Hockey media - why limit it to Canadian or 2/3rds? - stupid.

You would have had most of us with the simple statement of stupidity in general.

I had @Scandale du Jour, who read what I wrote and, I suspect, saw a similar collection of biases towards French Canadian players of past and present.

Doesn't mean OTHER people don't have their own biases, but let's not pretend that the English speaking Canadian hockey media isn't the most dominant voice in hockey media or that the impact of their biases isn't most pronounced.
 
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Jaded-Fan

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I kind of suspect that it is more a human nature thing rather than actual bias or stupidity, although both exist.

There always is a tendency to fight against the prevalent story. Once the Pens got Crosby, and then Malkin as well, they became the story that dominated. You could not watch much about the NHL without hearing about Crosby and the Pens.

Then add to it that the Crosby and the Pens fulfilled the hype. It is human nature to look for a counter story. Ovechkin became part of that, and Malkin I think got the short end because of it. It destroys the counter story if another Russian is talked about as good or better than your counter story Russian and he happens to be on the team that is the dominant story.
 

vodeni

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I had @Scandale du Jour, who read what I wrote and, I suspect, saw a similar collection of biases towards French Canadian players of past and present.

Doesn't mean OTHER people don't have their own biases, but let's not pretend that the English speaking Canadian hockey media isn't the most dominant voice in hockey media or that the impact of their biases isn't most pronounced.
you guys are fools to even discuss canadian media, I bet you anything if Pittsburgh Penguins media voted for Penguins' MVP, people that are supposedly watching games, they would still find the way to have someone else voted for MVP, or would be really close.
Geno has been ALWAYS first to point fingers unless he is in complete out of this world mode, everyone in the media pretty much except Rob Rossi :sarcasm:
 

KIRK

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I kind of suspect that it is more a human nature thing rather than actual bias or stupidity, although both exist.

There always is a tendency to fight against the prevalent story. Once the Pens got Crosby, and then Malkin as well, they became the story that dominated. You could not watch much about the NHL without hearing about Crosby and the Pens.

Then add to it that the Crosby and the Pens fulfilled the hype. It is human nature to look for a counter story. Ovechkin became part of that, and Malkin I think got the short end because of it. It destroys the counter story if another Russian is talked about as good or better than your counter story Russian and he happens to be on the team that is the dominant story.

I don't disagree with that. And, it doesn't disprove the point that a number of English speaking Canadian media people with Hart votes don't actually watch the Penguins and nonetheless are voting based on their belief that Malkin may not be the MVP of his own team because of Crosby being the team MVP. I don't know how one frames this as anything EXCEPT stupid, but it's something you hear a lot on Canadian TV and radio broadcasts, as well as from Canadian media personalities interviewed on NHL radio. If you want to argue that it's not exclusive to Canada or not affecting 2/3 of the Canadian media, then that's fine . . . doesn't change the point that one reason he gets so little respect is a lot of the quote unquote authorities out there never actually watch him.

you guys are fools to even discuss canadian media, I bet you anything if Pittsburgh Penguins media voted for Penguins' MVP, people that are supposedly watching games, they would still find the way to have someone else voted for MVP, or would be really close.
Geno has been ALWAYS first to point fingers unless he is in complete out of this world mode, everyone in the media pretty much except Rob Rossi :sarcasm:

Nobody in the Pittsburgh media would've voted Crosby MVP this season. Until a month ago, they'd have voted for Kessel. Over the last month, it's swung hard to Malkin, and I think you'd be hard pressed to find one of them argue now that it's anyone but Malkin.
 
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Jaded-Fan

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you guys are fools to even discuss canadian media, I bet you anything if Pittsburgh Penguins media voted for Penguins' MVP, people that are supposedly watching games, they would still find the way to have someone else voted for MVP, or would be really close.
Geno has been ALWAYS first to point fingers unless he is in complete out of this world mode, everyone in the media pretty much except Rob Rossi :sarcasm:

Off the topic, but thank you for reminding me of the time when Rossi asked Geno and Neal which one was the F3 on the team. I can not hear his name without remembering that interview where they completely ripped him to shreds.
 

vodeni

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Off the topic, but thank you for reminding me of the time when Rossi asked Geno and Neal which one was the F3 on the team. I can not hear his name without remembering that interview where they completely ripped him to shreds.
good times:laugh:
 

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