Your Penguins MVP at the quarter mark?

[stardog]

A quarter of the way into the season and I am curious as to who y'all think the MVP has been thus far?
I'm sure Crosby will get his share of the votes but with how inconsistent he has been for the past 11-12 games or so I'm going with:
M.A.F.

If you would have told me during the summer how consistently good he has been night in and night out right from the get go I'd have laughed. But I think this is the best he has ever looked (yes, I know...sample size...but this thread calls for only this sample size).

His demeanor is totally different and it doesn't seem like he has those back breaking soft goals every other game. Or those horrendous off games every 5 or 6 games out.
Sure he has looked good in the regular season before but it seems like he has been the one saving catalyst for our team during this time where our top lines are struggling and for that I'd give him my vote.

Other than Sid (an obvious runner up no doubt) I'd like to give honorable mention to the Määtta and Bort pairing. They've looked solid, poised and the main thing, consistent. Määtta also gets an honorable mention by himself for not only forcing his way onto a roster at age 19, but forcing himself into a top four role as well as a rotation on the PK unit. Pretty amazing stuff.

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[Captain Hook]

Yeah, I can't think of another Pens player that's been more consistent than Fleury so far. I still don't trust him in the playoffs but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. He's doing great right now.

 

[madinsomniac]

Craig Adams

 

[orby]

Fleury.

 

[Scandale du Jour]

I have to go with Fleury, he has been our best player so far and he kept us in pretty much every game. If he can bring that level of play in the playoffs, we should do good.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I've got to give it to MAF. It's still the regular season, but he's been as consistent as anyone can be and has held it together through the latest round of injuries.


Bylsma answer: Dugladams

 

[Whakahere]

I love maf play but the player we seem to not do without in Martin. For me it is a toss up between those two.

 

[wgknestrick]

Scuderi. Not even close. We all see how well this team plays without it's MVP now. The right choice might be nobody considering Scuderi's season is just about ruined.

MAF has played well, but still has cost us a game here or there. I don't see a big difference from last year IMO. Not a bad choice though to pick him.

Meanwhile, our 3 best players, Crosby, Malkin, and Letang are having career worst seasons at the same time.

 

[Waffle Fries]

Scuderi. Not even close. We all see how well this team plays without it's MVP now. The right choice might be nobody considering Scuderi's season is just about ruined.

MAF has played well, but still has cost us a game here or there. I don't see a big difference from last year IMO. Not a bad choice though to pick him.

Meanwhile, our 3 best players, Crosby, Malkin, and Letang are having career worst seasons at the same time.

I don't think I agree with anything you said

 

[No Chance of Fluerys]

Scuderi. Not even close. We all see how well this team plays without it's MVP now. The right choice might be nobody considering Scuderi's season is just about ruined.

MAF has played well, but still has cost us a game here or there. I don't see a big difference from last year IMO. Not a bad choice though to pick him.

Meanwhile, our 3 best players, Crosby, Malkin, and Letang are having career worst seasons at the same time.

Isn't he still leading the league in points and on pace for 100+ this season?

 

[Speaking Moistly]

I love maf play but the player we seem to not do without in Martin. For me it is a toss up between those two.

Martin is on my list of players that can't be injured, Fleury is at the top of it right now though.

Martin has been good Martin, but I think the big thing is that Orpik becomes useless without him so you lose two defensemen but Orpik is still there being a liability. Bylsma's solution to Martin getting injured was also problematic, Engelland is not a suitable replacement and neither is Niskanen.

 

[Til the End of Time]

it was crosby for the early part of the season. but hes stunk recently (so many 0 or 1 point games recently... could this be his worst stretch of ~10 games? seems like it) so i'd give it to either fleury or martin.

 

[Wes C Addle]

I don't think I agree with anything you said

Sheesh, how about it.

Have to say Fleury as well. He's played consistently well but I think his play has been even more vital because of the backup situation.

 

[Syrinx]

First thought when I saw the title was Fleury so I'll go with him. He's been excellent (other than a small handful of games). Can't argue with Martin either.

 

[Syrinx]

Oh and by the way - the Penguins are 4-2 with Megna in the lineup and only 9-6 without him. Maybe it's him.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Marc-Andre Fleury.

He's the only player that has provided a high level of consistency in every game he's played in, which is a new thing for him and something we all hoped for from him, earlier on in his career. I really want to see him rebound, though. He needs that Vezina type year to really move past the confidence/mental issues he has had the last 4yrs in the playoffs, the moment he's a top 3 netminder all year long and considered one of the elite, he'll start believing it himself and not let bad games get him down. So far, it hasn't. That's a trend that needs to continue indefinitely.

Paul Martin would be my runner up with Olli Maatta and Robert Bortuzzo. Scuderi would likely be joining Paul Martin, but he got injured early.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Fleury has had 2 bad games, other then that he has given the team a chance to win ever game and that's what you want from him

Besides Fleury, Crosby and a big + to our rookie Maatta

 

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

Nobody has picked the guy tied for the league lead in points yet?

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

MAF/Crosby, in spite of the latter's relatively crappy recent stretch.

 

[Le Magnifique 66]

Nobody has picked the guy tied for the league lead in points yet?

I think we just expect that from both Sid and Geno so it's simply not surprising. Fleury going into the season we had no idea what to expect from him and most of us didn't want him here no more and wanted Vokoun as the starter prior to the start of training camp. He has played solid since the start and deserves the praise, now he needs to keep it up and carry this into the playoffs

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

I brought this up in the GDT last night, it's Fleury without a doubt. How many bad games has he had? He's never looked this good in the regular season before. I can't believe I'm saying this but he has been the model of consistency so far.

 

[Waffle Fries]

Nobody has picked the guy tied for the league lead in points yet?

Didn't you hear? Apparently he's having a career worst season

MAF/Crosby, in spite of the latter's relatively crappy recent stretch.

I agree with this.

 

[Don'tcry4mejanhrdina]

Nobody has picked the guy tied for the league lead in points yet?

He hasn't exactly been playing well (for his standards) in recent games, in fact half of the games they've played he's been below par. Fleury has played very well for most of his starts, regardless of how well the team in front of him plays.

 

[vodeni]

unfortunately Flower. not even close. and that is not good

 

[radapex]

MAF/Crosby, in spite of the latter's relatively crappy recent stretch.

Those two are definitely the most responsible for the Penguins being where they are in the standings. I'll give the edge to Fleury because he's been a bit more consistent than Crosby.

Honourable mention has to go out to Martin, Scuderi (even though he's out), and the Maatta-Bortuzzo pairing (when they're the third pairing).