forgotten debate: Sidney Crosby VS Jonathan Toews

[Big Friggin Dummy]

I'm not sure there was any genuine belief Toews was better than Sid, ever, outside of places like Chicago, DC, and Philly.

 

[66-30-33]

Only idiots thought Toews is better.

 

[Night Shift]

Sounds like a job for Tip of the Iceburgh Podcast.

 

[Night Shift]

The question is who was better in 2015, not who is the better player.

Sid outscored JT in the regular season by 18 points. However, The Pens were 1 and done in the playoffs with Sid scoring 4 points. JT on the other hand, Hawks won the cup and JT I think was one of the higher scorers in the playoffs with 21 points.

 

[Pancakes]

Jonathan Toews only one time in his career was a PPG player, and that in a shortened season.

At no point was his defense enough to make up for the massive amount that Sid was better at offense.

 

[tom_servo]

At no point have I ever thought Toews was the better player. I will say it felt pretty grim in '15 when the Hawks won their third Cup to our one. So glad it turned around.

 

[Turin]

The question is who was better in 2015, not who is the better player.

Sid outscored JT in the regular season by 18 points. However, The Pens were 1 and done in the playoffs with Sid scoring 4 points. JT on the other hand, Hawks won the cup and JT I think was one of the higher scorers in the playoffs with 21 points.

I would like to point out that Sid in 2015 was playing with a bum wrist and with Mike Johnston as coach.

 

[Peat]

I wasn't there for it

And think that defensive centres get a harsh rap in this game they don't deserve

But nevertheless

Stone me, the list of people they tried to say were better than Sid.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Also during that period Chicago and LA traded the Cup back and forth. So there was some argument that Sid/Ovechkin/Geno put up the stats but balanced Western Conference teams won Cups.

It didn't help that Chicago bitchslapped us head to head for a decade.

 

[metalan2]

Considering the recent toews news....

In the summer of 2015, how many of you thought toews was the better player?

i know a bunch of my friends thought crosby put up empty stats, while toews was more important to winning. I think the NHL media was split 50/50 on the debate. obviously this argument ceased to exist post- 2016.

It wasn't a debate then and it is an even sillier thought now. There would be no gm or coach in the NHL then or now that would have taken Toews over Crosby.

 

[Zap Rowsdower]

Toews was better for one brief period, he worked his arse off and really was a better leader. Don't remember when but maybe it was that year. But other than that, Crosby was obviously better most years

 

[pistolpete11]

Not even f***ing close. Malkin vs. Toews isn't even f***ing close.

I still remember arguing on a different forum with Chicago fans after Toews and Kane signed their extensions. I was saying how that was the end of their dynasty. They had won due to their depth and the new deals would kill that. They were getting paid significantly more than Crosby and Malkin, but weren't as good as Crosby and Malkin, couldn't carry a team like Crosby and Malkin, and I had seen what happened when both of Crosby and Malkin's deals kicked in.

They lost in the first round which they said "They lost a close series in 7 games the year after winning the Cup" which, yeah, fair enough. But they got swept in the first round the next year and the only reason they made the playoffs since was because of COVID. As bad as things got for the Pens at times, it never got that bad...at least until Crosby and Malkin were in their mid-30's.

Also, though, ya know....more power to them. They were great players and they made the best of their window. 3 Cups and 2 other conference finals in 7 years is a helluva run. In the long run, I'd obviously rather take Crosby-Malkin, but until the back-to-backs, the Blackhawks were unquestionably the team of the generation.

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Toews was better for one brief period, he worked his arse off and really was a better leader. Don't remember when but maybe it was that year. But other than that, Crosby was obviously better most years

No he wasn't.

 

[ziggyjoe212]

I don't think even the biggest Blackhawk homer could ever believe that Toews was ever anywhere near Crosby's level.

Toews was better for one brief period, he worked his arse off and really was a better leader. Don't remember when but maybe it was that year. But other than that, Crosby was obviously better most years

Crosby at his worst is still superior to Toews' peak.
Don't be a homer.

 

[dr robbie]

There were times when some off-player would randomly join Crosby/Ovi in the debate of who was the best player. Stammer, Malkin, Giroux, and Toews were all in this discussion at some point - usually after a strong season or showing. I don't think any of them ever surpassed Crosby or Ovi, but they were sometimes right alongside them.

In 2015, Toews had a great season that was capped off with a Cup. Even with that, unless you thought some crazy momentum shift was about to occur, I don't think many would take Toews over Crosby.

 

[Rakell67]

I'd argue Jordan Staal is better than Toews.

 

[ChaosAgent]

I'd argue Jordan Staal is better than Toews.

That's a little far now.

Setting aside the captain/intangibles stuff, Toews was the 1C for a team that won 3 Cups in 6 years. He was a seriously great player on the best team of its era.

 

[Andy99]

Why hasnt a mod locked this thread yet? It’s ridiculous…

 

[pistolpete11]

That's a little far now.

Setting aside the captain/intangibles stuff, Toews was the 1C for a team that won 3 Cups in 6 years. He was a seriously great player on the best team of its era.

Who's closer?

Staal to Toews? Or Toews to Crosby?

 

[ChaosAgent]

Who's closer?

Staal to Toews? Or Toews to Crosby?

If we're talking when Toews was actually good, then I think that is a nice distribution of 3 players.

For their careers I think Staal/Toews/Backstrom/Kessel is a healthy debate honestly. 4 guys who will be forever linked.

 

[backtobackplus1]

Why hasnt a mod locked this thread yet? It’s ridiculous…

Why lock it? wether we like to admit it or not, this debate was argued.

Sidney Crosby vs. Jonathan Toews: Which Player Is More Valuable To His Team?

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks are two of the most dynamic young forwards in the NHL. At 23 and 22 years of age, respectively, they have each accomplished a lot in their careers...

bleacherreport.com

What We Learned: Is Jonathan Toews better than Sidney Crosby?

Hello, this is a feature that will run through the entire season and aims to recap the weekend’s events and boils those events down to one admittedly superficial fact or stupid opinion about each team. Feel free to complain about it.

sports.yahoo.com

 

[Andy99]

Why lock it? wether we like to admit it or not, this debate was argued.

Sidney Crosby vs. Jonathan Toews: Which Player Is More Valuable To His Team?

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks are two of the most dynamic young forwards in the NHL. At 23 and 22 years of age, respectively, they have each accomplished a lot in their careers...

bleacherreport.com

What We Learned: Is Jonathan Toews better than Sidney Crosby?

Hello, this is a feature that will run through the entire season and aims to recap the weekend’s events and boils those events down to one admittedly superficial fact or stupid opinion about each team. Feel free to complain about it.

sports.yahoo.com

these articles are 9+ years ago…it’s like having a thread on the Oilers site: who’s better? Jari Kurri or Mike Bossy…

 

[Ugene Magic]

 

[CascadiaPenguin]

Why lock it? wether we like to admit it or not, this debate was argued.

Sidney Crosby vs. Jonathan Toews: Which Player Is More Valuable To His Team?

Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks are two of the most dynamic young forwards in the NHL. At 23 and 22 years of age, respectively, they have each accomplished a lot in their careers...

bleacherreport.com

What We Learned: Is Jonathan Toews better than Sidney Crosby?

Hello, this is a feature that will run through the entire season and aims to recap the weekend’s events and boils those events down to one admittedly superficial fact or stupid opinion about each team. Feel free to complain about it.

sports.yahoo.com

Yeah boy, that Alison Myers of "Bleacher Report" is a veritable sportswriting legend, likely sporting dozens of followers. Glad to see such monumentally important debates resurrected.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Crosby was third in scoring in 2015. Where did toews rank?