Is Evgeni Malkin Now The Penguins' Best Player?

[Son Goku]

That's not necessarily true.

Crosby and Malkin need different types of wingers.

That said, really since the firing of Bylsma, there have been 2 Malkin's . . . the healthy one who has been at worst a top 5 forward in the league, and the one who is/plays hurt.

Geno on a bad night is still a top 5 player

 

[SEALBound]

Malkin is a guy everyone loves to underrate because no one ever wants to truly accept just how damn good he is.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

I consider them the same level. Crosby is a bit more well rounded, but Malkin is better offensively at this point.

 

[Carlzner]

No

 

[Son Goku]

Malkin is a guy everyone loves to underrate because no one ever wants to truly accept just how damn good he is.

For whatever reason I don't understand

 

[Frank Drebin]

Malkin is a guy everyone loves to underrate because no one ever wants to truly accept just how damn good he is.

He's nearly as great as Crosby

 

[Tom Hanks]

In terms of last year he was our best and this season he’s probably the best in the league (at the moment).

Career wise Sid still has the advantage but it’s a ****ing great problem to have

 

[Gurglesons]

Letang.

 

[bleedgreen]

One game tomorrow night, for all the marbles? I'd have a hard time not putting my money on Sid - and I've never really cared for either one of them. I used to hate Sid, but I couldn't help but to start respecting the work ethic. Unparalleled amongst elite players.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Pens fan here - Sid & Geno are both the best players on this team on any given night.

They are good problems to have and we love having that problem.

 

[KidLine93]

No. Love Geno. But Crosby is the better all-around player and is far more consistent in the defensive zone. Crosby is the one who gets the tough assignments.

Ask McDavid and Matthews. Sid shut them down 5-on-5.

Couldn’t u say Mcdavid shut Crosby down 5v5 as well since he didn’t score 5v5? Mcdavid had as many points as Crosby that game and beats him head to head pretty handedly as far as points go. Crosby isn’t ever in a shutdown role, it should always be him outplaying his opponent (who would be in the shutdown role) since he is #1a/b in the world . Malkin is the one who usually lights up the oilers



As for Crosby vs malkin they are both 100pt guys when on their game. One can be better than the other on any given night

 

[Icebreakers]

Im under the impression that If Malkin wants to be the best player in the world then he's the best player in the world.

 

[Smart Alek]

Some days it's Crosby, some days it's Malkin.

And there it is... in eight words, all that needs be said on the topic.

Well... we could also say that it's more often Malkin than Crosby these days, but still.

 

[Elitersson]

Couldn’t u say Mcdavid shut Crosby down 5v5 as well since he didn’t score 5v5? Mcdavid had as many points as Crosby that game and beats him head to head pretty handedly as far as points go. Crosby isn’t ever in a shutdown role, it should always be him outplaying his opponent (who would be in the shutdown role) since he is #1a/b in the world . Malkin is the one who usually lights up the oilers



As for Crosby vs malkin they are both 100pt guys when on their game. One can be better than the other on any given night

Look at the difference in depth with these two teams. If I'm Crosby, I'm focusing 100% on shutting down McDavid since the Malkin line will easily outmatch the other Oilers lines.

McDavid isn't focused on shutting down Crosby. If McDavid doesn't score, Edmonton loses 9/10 times

 

[North Cole]

No. Love Geno. But Crosby is the better all-around player and is far more consistent in the defensive zone. Crosby is the one who gets the tough assignments.

Ask McDavid and Matthews. Sid shut them down 5-on-5.

Yep. That's why he has like 10 points in 4 games vs the Pens. Crosby bottled him right up

 

[Honour Over Glory]

And there it is... in eight words, all that needs be said on the topic.

Well... we could also say that it's more often Malkin than Crosby these days, but still.

It depends, both do something to help each other.

You can't go up against the Pens thinking Geno is going to have a monster game and not pay attention to Crosby, he'll burn you.

[Mod]

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Yep. That's why he has like 10 points in 4 games vs the Pens. Crosby bottled him right up

Here's what you miss, while McDavid is focused on trying to light up Crosby (and it's what, 9pts vs 3pts? omg, brutalizing!), what are the numbers of Malkin and Kessel in that same amount of time?

Oh and have the Pens lost to the Oilers in the McDavid era?

It's a team sport, if you are going to focus your skills on one guy, you better hope the other talent is focused on scoring.

 

[Future GOAT]

Yep. That's why he has like 10 points in 4 games vs the Pens. Crosby bottled him right up

Shhh you're going to ruffle some feathers. Some people can't cope with the fact that McDavid has dominated Crosby head to head.

 

[Jumptheshark]

I know he plays behind Crosby and Sid was a lot better in the latest playoffs, but this guy just keeps racking up points, and between him and Crosby he is more of a threat to win the Art Ross at this stage in my opinion.

I'm hesitant to say he is better than Crosby, but he's been a maniac offensively since the 2017 Cup.

this is a joke right?

over all he is not the best all time player on his team--let alone when you talk about a guy like Mario

 

[Madifer]

Both Sid and Geno are aging with grace. They are both still very fearful opponents and are still nearly in their prime.

Whats the point of discussing whos better?

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Shhh you're going to ruffle some feathers. Some people don't like hearing that.

Nah, we're focused on team awards.

You can focus on those individual awards.

 

[Future GOAT]

Both Sid and Geno are aging with grace. They are both still very fearful opponents and are still nearly in their prime.

Whats the point of discussing whos better?

As athletes they are both still in their prime. Just watching Malkin in todays game should be proof enough to any naysayer thinking he is past his prime. The guy is still a beast.

On a side note, remember when that guy said Matthews was better than Malkin?

 

[Turin]

As athletes they are both still in their prime. Just watching Malkin in todays game should be proof enough to any naysayer thinking he is past his prime. The guy is still a beast.

On a side note, remember when that guy said Matthews was better than Malkin?

No, they aren’t. That they’re still elite among their peers speaks to how good they were in their prime.

 

[Future GOAT]

No, they aren’t. That they’re still elite among their peers speaks to how good they were in their prime.

Actually they are... These are athletes we're talking about here, not an average joe which you seem to be lumping them into. An athelete has several years longer prime than an average human male. As athletes with their training, they are actually still in their prime at their ages and can continue to be well into their mid 30s.

 

[Madifer]

This is why I ask myself, how the hell can anyone rank Nathan Mckinnon over Malkin. It's absurd. Give Malkin his wingers the NHL would not know what to do with Malkin. Not to say Kessel sucks by any means but yall get what I am saying..

I wonder why he never had the balls to be 1C on any other team.

Guess some guys arent ambitious, which is regrettable!