Is Crosby still number 1?

[Tobias Kahun]

Except the debate has been Crosby vs. ___________ (insert a number of different players) not one player consistently since 2010.

He was the best player in 16/17 so "for years" is laughable.

As many have said, you would be a fool to not put him first on your team for a playoff run.

he wasnt though

 

[Tecumseh]

Disagree. I take Crosby. McDavid has more talent but Crosby is going to win you more games.

It’s pretty unfair to hold that against McDavid. He plays on a trash team and has virtually no help.

 

[Turin]

He was the best until 2018. Torch has been handed off for now.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

You’ve picked the wrong hill to die on.

You're talking to the guy who said that Radulov was the best Russian player in the world and was going to get 80+ points in his first season back in the nhl .. with Montreal, that offensive powerhouse that they are.

It's best to just leave it be.

 

[b in vancouver]

It’s pretty unfair to hold that against McDavid. He plays on a trash team and has virtually no help.

It's not that. I get that. McDavid is amazing. His skating is unbelievable. I'd just take Crosby right now as I think he brings more to the table. I think McD is the most talented player in the league but for impact on the game and whom I'd like out there to win - I'd probably pick Crosby, Bergeron, Malkin, Kopitar - in that order. No slight on McDavid as I do think he's amazing but just think that a bit more experience kinda puts these guys above him at the moment.

 

[DearDiary]

Imagine if Ovi had that turnover that lead to the Caps game winner by Kuzy in the game 6 last year...Holy hell.

Imagine if prime Crosby put up 65 points in a season and didn't bother to backcheck every shift... Holy hell

 

[Turin]

Personally havent considered him number 1 since like 2013 lol. Reminds me so much Conor Mcregor where marketing drives up his value. NBC , CBC, and TSN were on his junk for so long it was annoying. Just like Mcgregor aint no Khabib, Crosby aint no Steve Yzerman.

Who was better when Crosby won the Art Ross by what, 17 points in 2014 despite playing the last month with a broken wrist?

 

[DearDiary]

It’s pretty unfair to hold that against McDavid. He plays on a trash team and has virtually no help.

Both Crosby and Ovechkin have played on worse teams than McDavid.

First few seasons both Crosby and Malkin were playing with 3rd and 4th line plugs as linemates. Look at the roster the year they lost in the finals to Detroit...

 

[Turin]

he wasnt though

He had basically the same ppg as McDavid, more goals, was best player in the playoffs and didn’t play with anybody as effective offensively and especially defensively as Draisaitl. McDavid passed him last season.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

He is the absolute best player in the world today? No

But I'd take him in the playoffs every single day and twice on Sunday

 

[Sam Spade]

Crosby will remain valuable for a long time. However, he offers less entertainment value than McDavid.

If we are talking entertainment value Crosby has been number one once for about 41 games in 2010. He is a pretty boring superstar.

There are about 20 guys I would pay to see before we get to Crosby.

 

[Beauner]

Where did I say that? I said HE IS A TOP 5 player in NHL.

You realize that's not what he said, right?

Sorry if you guys misunderstood my post, I was basically adding onto what @Fataldogg said

 

[ElLeetch]

he never was.

 

[Ms Maggie]

Sorry if you guys misunderstood my post, I was basically adding onto what @Fataldogg said

?

LOL. Ok.

 

[LeafShark]

i think it's obvious that the top 5 players in the league are:

1-Morgan Rielly
2-Auston Matthews
3-John Tavares
4-Cindy Crosby
5-Craig McDavid

I guess Mitch Marner lives in a dimension that surpasses the league then.

 

[Atas2000]

Idk anymore with guys like Matthews and Mcdvaid ripping apart the league offensively, do you still think there is a case to be made to say Crosby is still the best ALL AROUND player?

When you realize he never was it's not that hard on you.

 

[BruinsFan37]

In terms of physical ability, talent, etc. -- nope

When you factor in stuff like leadership, etc., he's probably still number one, at least till McDavid et all have deep playoff runs, preferably ending with a cup win.

 

[Turin]

When you realize he never was it's not that hard on you.

#staywoke

 

[bobbyking]

You have to be new to hockey to say Matthews is anywhere near Crosby.

 

[bobbyking]

Personally havent considered him number 1 since like 2013 lol. Reminds me so much Conor Mcregor where marketing drives up his value. NBC , CBC, and TSN were on his junk for so long it was annoying. Just like Mcgregor aint no Khabib, Crosby aint no Steve Yzerman.

Well yeah he's no yzerman because hes significantly better than Steve

 

[bobbyking]

I still have Crosby #1. But I also think he's a better player the last three years than he was from 2011-2014. Might not be as dominantly offensively but does everything now and doesn't lose his cool. I think both the Philly series and the Bruins series smartened him up and he became such a mature player. I take him over any player in the NHL.

I'd still probably take Malkin, Bergeron, Kopitar and Getzlaf over the young crop also. They'd probably be my top 6 with Getz possibly battling a few other guys to stay in that group.
There's a difference between putting up points, being exciting, and doing everything well to win a hockey game.

Saying he's better now then 2011 -2014 maybe the dumbest thing ever written on this site

 

[ANDI P IS CUTE]

except mcdavid wont be making the playoffs much and matthews will- on a very good team for years.

 

[DanM]

You can debate all you like but there isn't a single player in the NHL I would take over him for a playoff run. At worst, he's #2.

That said, there's a lot of dumb in this thread and I expect quite a bit more.


No, but you'd think that by his last disappearing act in the playoffs. Let's wait until Matthews does something, literally anything, before we say he's better than Sid. The guy has accomplished jack-all in his career, outside of a 5 game hotstreak to start the season, and now he's being compared with a top 5 player of all time? Give me a break...

As a Matthews fan, I have to agree with this. I do think it will be him and MsDavid going forward, but he needs to stay healthy this year, and dominate for 82 games.

 

[DanM]

You have to be new to hockey to say Matthews is anywhere near Crosby.

Career resume, 100%, it's laughable.

This year (and last if he didn't get hurt) I would say he is near that level (especially this year if he stays healthy)

BUT I still pick Sid over any player in a playoff series today, hands down.

 

[Squiffy]

Crosby has been number one for a long time, but it’s McDavid now. If I’m putting together 1 team for 1 year to win the cup, picking whoever I want, it starts with him. I understand the intangibles but give me the raw insane ability first. I’ll take Crosby 2nd, and he’ll be taken the draw in the last minute of the game, but there’s 59 minutes before that.

21y old Crosby vs 21y old McDavid, Crosby.