Crosby passes Lemieux in games played, will he pass total career points?

[SML2]

The best Penguin of all time

I have hated every Penguin who ever played, so I'm being completely objective here when I tell you that's just crazy talk. I despise Lemieux, but he's the best damn player I ever saw, because I missed the first 6 years of Wayne Gretzky and I never saw Orr.
Mario was ridiculously dominant with the two line pass rule, with hooking and holding completely ok, with defensemen able to lumberjack you like Paul Bunyan and not get a second look from the ref. That guy with todays rules would make a mockery of this whole league. I think a pre-cancer Mario Lemieux in 2019 could literally destroy any record on the books.

 

[NextYear67]

I have hated every Penguin who ever played, so I'm being completely objective here when I tell you that's just crazy talk. I despise Lemieux, but he's the best damn player I ever saw, because I missed the first 6 years of Wayne Gretzky and I never saw Orr.
Mario was ridiculously dominant with the two line pass rule, with hooking and holding completely ok, with defensemen able to lumberjack you like Paul Bunyan and not get a second look from the ref. That guy with todays rules would make a mockery of this whole league. I think a pre-cancer Mario Lemieux in 2019 could literally destroy any record on the books.

 

[Riddum]

I'd argue Crosby as the more important Pen.. obviously Lemieux was better, obviously his illness was not his fault, but if you're talking how much a player mattered to his franchise.. the case can be made.

There is no case. Without Lemieux, that franchise would have been bankrupt. Crosby would have eneded up God-Knows-Where and God knows how his career would have gone.

 

[Riddum]

I have hated every Penguin who ever played, so I'm being completely objective here when I tell you that's just crazy talk. I despise Lemieux, but he's the best damn player I ever saw, because I missed the first 6 years of Wayne Gretzky and I never saw Orr.
Mario was ridiculously dominant with the two line pass rule, with hooking and holding completely ok, with defensemen able to lumberjack you like Paul Bunyan and not get a second look from the ref. That guy with todays rules would make a mockery of this whole league. I think a pre-cancer Mario Lemieux in 2019 could literally destroy any record on the books.

People seem to think it's a joke when it is said that Lemieux would score goals with a dude literally hanging on his back.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

There is no case. Without Lemieux, that franchise would have been bankrupt. Crosby would have eneded up God-Knows-Where and God knows how his career would have gone.

Once again, I feel like the NHL woulda saved the Pens, but that'll always be hypothetical.

It's against HF standards, but.. you're right. I'm more saying that if you just look at cups/dynasty or if you're younger you might think Crosby before you think Lemieux. That ain't right, but it's how some will think and I'm just giving that view a voice. You are right, though, Mario is the only correct answer for "greatest Pen."

 

[SML2]

Don't come at me with this crap like its some kind of evidence. These blowhards could send a sailboat from New York to London in one episode.

 

[SML2]

People seem to think it's a joke when it is said that Lemieux would score goals with a dude literally hanging on his back.

That defenseman committed 10 minutes worth of minors by today's standards on the same play and still wound up a minus one.

 

[NextYear67]

Don't come at me with this crap like its some kind of evidence. These blowhards could send a sailboat from New York to London in one episode.

Just saying it's not so crazy to have that opinion.

 

[Maestro84]

I'd argue Crosby as the more important Pen.. obviously Lemieux was better, obviously his illness was not his fault, but if you're talking how much a player mattered to his franchise.. the case can be made.

I respectively disagree. Crosby is one of the greatest all time in his own right, but I don't think any athlete was so important to a city as Mario was to the Steel City (even more than Richard to Montreal, Brady to Boston, Duncan to San Antonio, LeBron to Cleveland, Magic to Los Angeles, Ruth to NYC, etc).

Mario is a MASSIVE reason why Pittsburgh is such a popular team throughout the league these days, he also saved the franchise from relocating due to bankruptcy and conquered cancer while still managing to dominate the league. He's called Super Mario for a reason!

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

People seem to think it's a joke when it is said that Lemieux would score goals with a dude literally hanging on his back.

Ridiculous goal. Lemieux was unstoppable

 

[Video Nasty]

It’s possible but doubtful. Crosby has been pretty healthy for awhile now but it really wasn’t too long ago most were lamenting all the time he missed. He’s played a lot of hockey either way. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him pass Lemieux in points or completely miss the mark. It doesn’t really matter. Crosby has his own legacy but it’s not of the caliber of Lemieux and taking an extra 500-600 games to pass him in points wouldn’t bolster it in any way regardless.

 

[CpatainCanuck]

Career point totals are often largely dependent on being lucky enough to maintain health into your late 30s or early 40s. Most of the players in the top 50 in all-time scoring were never top-5 players in the league, they just were able to have a 20 year career and/or played in a high scoring era.

 

[NoMessi]

Just saying it's not so crazy to have that opinion.

It still is. Its beyond dumb. It shows that you are young and uneducated in icehockey.

To say Howe, Orr or Gretzky was better would be fair, even though I dont agree. Crosby doesnt belong in the same tier, or even close.

Note, this is not talking down Crosby, hes great, 2 other players from his era is too - but they are not even close to the big 4.

I still think Jagr was better than both our current greats in Penguins (but Its not unreasonable to have Crosby highest among these) and remember that Lemieux was lightyears ahead of Jagr.

 

[NextYear67]

It still is. Its beyond dumb. It shows that you are young

Remind me how young these guys are again

 

[rosscow]

Mario played for and was worth so much that he was the team's largest individual creditor in their bankruptcy. He turned that debt into equity to own part of the team. He literally played without getting paid and then bought the team to keep them in Pittsburgh. No player will ever matter more to a franchise than Lemieux has for the penguins.

Lemieux is by far the greatest penguin ever but he never bought the team to keep it from moving. That was just an extra benefit. He bought the team to make sure he would get the money he was owed.

 

[Legionnaire11]

Lemieux is nowhere near Gretzky or Howe IMO.

I never thought there would be a clear and definitive worst post in HF history... But dang, there it is!

 

[heysmilinstrange]

I never thought there would be a clear and definitive worst post in HF history... But dang, there it is!

This isn't even Midnight Judges' worst post.

 

[RorschachWJK]

Crosby will never reach Mario's level. Regardless of points accumulated. Simple as that.

 

[compan]

Neither Crosby, Ovechkin or McDavid are near as dominant as Mario was ...and that is OK.

Crosby could pass Mario’s point totals, but Mario would still be the better player and Penguin.

 

[someguy44]

Once again, I feel like the NHL woulda saved the Pens, but that'll always be hypothetical.

It's against HF standards, but.. you're right. I'm more saying that if you just look at cups/dynasty or if you're younger you might think Crosby before you think Lemieux. That ain't right, but it's how some will think and I'm just giving that view a voice. You are right, though, Mario is the only correct answer for "greatest Pen."

No way the NHL would come in and save the Penguins. This is the 80's we're talking about (and I guess again later). This is before Gary Bettman was the Commish. As much as we hate Gary, he did prevent several franchises from moving (whether good or bad). Anyways, the 90's Nordiques moved so the 80's Pengs would've definitely moved without Mario. The early 2000's Pengs is a different story though, but that's thanks to both Lemieux and Crosby. However, without Lemieux, there wouldn't even be a Pittsburgh team as they would've left in the 80's.

 

[Asheville]

Nope

Don't.

 

[La Bamba]

Crosby will never reach Mario's level. Regardless of points accumulated. Simple as that.

Don't think the thread said he would reach Mario's level

 

[Kunta Kinte]

Ray Whitney is the only one not in the Hall of Fame (Jagr and Alfie are getting in) from that group. Pretty good company.

Adam Oates is 5th... such an underrated and underappreciated talent overall..

St. Louis 8th

 

[SML2]

Remind me how young these guys are again

Never put it past a sports radio or TV host to fire off a controversial take to generate buzz. They've been doing it forever and always will. Not to mention you want to keep the guy who is still playing happy in case you need something.

 

[CHGoalie27]

Sid will never be a better player than Mario, he'll never even be close. Whether or not he's a "greater Penguin" I guess is purely a matter of opinion.

Kind of a Gordie Howe vs. Steve Yzerman thing. Was Steve Yzerman a better hockey player than Gordie Howe? Hell the **** no. Was he a "greater Red Wing"? They didn't plaster him across an entire building facade downtown as "Detroit's adopted son" for nothing.

...wait this sounds like now someone is saying Yzerman is historically more important to the Red Wings than Gordie Howe?

This is why.