Nathaniel
Registered User
- Oct 18, 2013
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Where do you rank crosby as an all time center. Last time crosby was ranked 22nd.
How about now?
How about now?
Where do you rank crosby as an all time center. Last time crosby was ranked 22nd.
How about now?
So i'd have him ahead of everyone but Lemieux, gretzky, Morenz and Beliveau. And I think top 3 after Gretzky and Lemieux is still within his grasp - though it will take some "big" moments to surpass Beliveau. Whether a legendary playoff run, or a few more hart/ross trophies.
Right now, he has comparable point-per-game to Marcel Dionne and Peter Forsberg. Dionne never won a Stanley Cup.
Just throwing this in here, relating strictly to career points-per-game, Crosby is advantageously comparable to Joe Sakic and Phil Esposito...
The top centers list is two years old, what's he really done since then that would cause him to move up significantly?
The top centers list is two years old, what's he really done since then that would cause him to move up significantly?
There is one thing, however : Competition. I see forwards as the weak link ATM (it's probably D-G-F, but real close between G and F), and centers as nothing special and comparatively weak (in other words, there seems to be more elite players on the wing than at center, at least compared to "historical" levels). I also really dislike how what's probably the best damn center in the league will once again get insignificant Hart consideration compared to his real output. But that's just me.
This needs some more explanation.
Since Crosby has been in the league, other than OV, it seems the forwards who would be in a Top 3 discussion are centres: Thornton, Malkin, Datsyuk, Stamkos. Only in the past year would you legitimately consider wingers like Kane and Benn in that discussion.
I'm definitely not giving explanations as to the meaning of "at the moment".
I'm definitely not giving explanations as to the meaning of "at the moment".
I personally believe he has surpassed forsberg and Sakic by this point. He's looking to lock up another top 5 scoring finish and maybe a hart nomination.
A Smythe will do wonders for his career and all time ranking
Crosby over Sakic is a very tough sell. They peaked at the same level, and Sakic played a lot longer and has an extra Cup run playing at Smythe-level.
I'd put him around Syl Apps.
I think I had him right around Ullman and Gilmour in my round 1 list in the centers project (both who I had rated higher than most people) but by the time it was his turn in round 2, he looked really good compared to the other players that round.
I can't see him being "only" an Apps at this point - he's so far ahead of his contemporaries on a "per game" basis and over a longer period than Apps even played. At the same time, even though he's easily peaked higher than Yzerman I find it unfair on a playoffs and longevity basis to put Crosby ahead of him. So I could see him 14th right now.
Crosby has a clearly longer peak/prime, how ever one chooses to define it. Sakic had as many seasons where he was in the pack as he had where he was at the ahead of the pack.
If Crosby is not ahead of the Sakic/Yzerman/Trottier tier at this point, another season or two of prime play should move him ahead.
Besides total playoff points, wouldn't Crosby be ahead on peak playoff performance? Not sure that should be viewed as a differentiator.
I think I had him right around Ullman and Gilmour in my round 1 list in the centers project (both who I had rated higher than most people) but by the time it was his turn in round 2, he looked really good compared to the other players that round.
I can't see him being "only" an Apps at this point - he's so far ahead of his contemporaries on a "per game" basis and over a longer period than Apps even played. At the same time, even though he's easily peaked higher than Yzerman I find it unfair on a playoffs and longevity basis to put Crosby ahead of him. So I could see him 14th right now.