Is Evgeni Malkin Now The Penguins' Best Player?

Matsun

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Aug 15, 2010
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Crosby was better in the playoffs but Malkin is better than Crosby lately imo. Malkin has 112 points (46+66) in his last 82 games, Crosby has 91 (29+62) and Kessel has 97 (39+58) in their last 82. In 2018 Malkin has more points than anyone including McDavid.
 
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daver

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The same.
They are both insane and easily in top 25 players of all time.

Crosby is likely #8 or #9 in the HOH rankings, Malkin is likely somewhere in the #30 to #40 range. If you focused only on the last 3 to 4 seasons, then it becomes closer than what their careers have been.
 

Yuri35

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Mar 11, 2018
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Crosby is likely #8 or #9 in the HOH rankings, Malkin is likely somewhere in the #30 to #40 range. If you focused only on the last 3 to 4 seasons, then it becomes closer than what their careers have been.

If I remember well, Malkin had 1 more Art Ross and 1 more CS (and what CS, one of the best CS run of all time) than Sid before the last 3-4 seasons....strange for someone who was supposedly so much weaker than Sid during that spell of time.
Oh and Malkin is definitely closer to #20 than to #30-40 in the HOH, just for the fact he has a HUGE case for being the best Russian player ever is a testament to that.
 

bobholly39

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Mar 10, 2013
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Crosby was better in the playoffs but Malkin is better than Crosby lately imo. Malkin has 112 points (46+66) in his last 82 games, Crosby has 91 (29+62) and Kessel has 97 (39+58) in their last 82. In 2018 Malkin has more points than anyone including McDavid.

I know I'm a known Crosby fan and i'll likely be accused of being biased but - I still don't think that makes Malkin better.

I feel as though Crosby has paced himself a lot the past couple of seasons to ensure playoffs success. He was lighting 16-17 season on fire all year long - and then there was a noticable dip in his production at the end (and McDavid distanced him for easy Ross win) - but then he came up big in playoffs, cup/smythe.
Last year when the Pens were stumbling in dec/jan - it's Crosby who initially spearheaded their rise up the rankings. Malkin quickly joined in but Crosby started it. And then again - Crosby took his foot off the gas a bit - but come playoffs he was ready and had arguably his best 2 round offensive effort ever (he was notably better than Malkin - I think i heard Malkin may have been injured, but not sure how bad).

If the playoffs were starting next week - I take Crosby #1 above anyone else (Malkin and McDavid included). To me that's still the best. Malking is extremely close - you could even say he's equal if you want - but i wouldn't call him better.
 
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daver

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If I remember well, Malkin had 1 more Art Ross and 1 more CS (and what CS, one of the best CS run of all time) than Sid before the last 3-4 seasons....strange for someone who was supposedly so much weaker than Sid during that spell of time.
Oh and Malkin is definitely closer to #20 than to #30-40 in the HOH, just for the fact he has a HUGE case for being the best Russian player ever is a testament to that.

Then you are misremembering.

Top Ten Art Ross finishes up to 13/14

Crosby- 1,1, T2, T3, 3, 6

Malkin - 1, 1, 2


After 13/14

Crosby- 2, 3, 3

Malkin - 4


That doesn't really scream "equal" does it?
 

ijuka

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Malkin's been the best player of Penguins for a couple of years now.
 

Mr Jiggyfly

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Jan 29, 2004
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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

Crosby is always used in a shutdown role and matched agt the other teams top lines.

Not sure what you are talking about... just making things up I suppose.
 

end

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Placed in the position of a coach tasked with defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins, I do not believe that many people pushing Malkin > Crosby would dedicate their best checking line and top defensive pairing to covering Malkin.

For the people pushing that Malkin was superior 2007-2013, it so happens you've selected from a range of years in which Crosby got injured while leading the league in scoring on three separate occasions (2008 ankle sprain while tied with Lecalvier, 2011 neck issue while destroying the league, 2013 puck to the face while a dozen points ahead). In 2012, Malkin's best year, Crosby lead the league in points per game upon returning after having his neck issue properly diagnosed.
 

daver

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I’m not saying I disagree with you, but during this season Malkin had 72 pts in 60 GP with a 28pts conn Smythe worthy run.

Close in PPG, close in playoff performance, not close in total points =/= better nor even equal

Crosby was argubly closer to Malkin last year when the playoffs are included than Malkin was to Crosby the year before.
 

412 Others

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He's been a top 2/3 player in the league for most seasons since '07. For some stretches, he can be the best player on the team. For most stretches over the years, it's been Crosby.
 

daver

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Malkin was the with Crosby and OV as co-best players in the world (based on performances over a 2- 3 year period) after the 2009 season. He dropped down after mediocre,injury-filled seasons after that, He got back up there as co-best with Crosby after the 11/12 season but again dropped off after a mediorce season and injury-filled seasons.

I don't have an issue with him being viewed as better than Crosby if he outplays him again in the regular season and also in the playoffs.
 

waitin425

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Jan 10, 2009
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Crosby is the better player all around. Hockey is more than offence. He does everything elite. I also believe that by the end of the year he will have passed Malkin in points. He’s just warming up. Malkin is still under rated around these parts though.

McDavid
Crosby
Malkin
MacKinnon
Matthews

Are the top 5 centres in that order
 
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Yuri35

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Mar 11, 2018
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Then you are misremembering.

Top Ten Art Ross finishes up to 13/14

Crosby- 1,1, T2, T3, 3, 6

Malkin - 1, 1, 2


After 13/14

Crosby- 2, 3, 3

Malkin - 4


That doesn't really scream "equal" does it?

Yeah, surely the kind of achievements people will remember in 20-30 years....
The only things people usually remember about a player and what makes the difference are the number of collective and individual trophies, the records set and eventually the career ppg.
 

Yuri35

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Mar 11, 2018
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Malkin was the with Crosby and OV as co-best players in the world (based on performances over a 2- 3 year period) after the 2009 season. He dropped down after mediocre,injury-filled seasons after that, He got back up there as co-best with Crosby after the 11/12 season but again dropped off after a mediorce season and injury-filled seasons.

I don't have an issue with him being viewed as better than Crosby if he outplays him again in the regular season and also in the playoffs.

I never denied Sid was overall the better player anyway
 

Yuri35

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Mar 11, 2018
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and mind you doesnt play vs other teams first lines because crosby is too busy doing that

And mind you, guess what, Malkin had his best season ever (and possibly the most dominant season by any player of the last decade) playing the whole year at first line and contrary to Sid with Geno, without even having had the luxury of having Sid in PP for 75% of the season.
Argument killed, next :p
 

daver

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And mind you, guess what, Malkin had his best season ever (and possibly the most dominant season by any player of the last decade) playing the whole year at first line and contrary to Sid with Geno, without even having had the luxury of having Sid in PP for 75% of the season.
Argument killed, next :p

It is interesting hen that Malkin had a higher PPG that season when Crosby was in the lineup for 22 games.

Argument killed.
 

daver

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Yeah, surely the kind of achievements people will remember in 20-30 years....
The only things people usually remember about a player and what makes the difference are the number of collective and individual trophies, the records set and eventually the career ppg.

For the casual fan, maybe. For those who take a serious look at where players should be rated all-time, they take a lot closer than the two best seasons of a player.

So......Crosby - Top 10ish, Malkin - Top 30 to 40ish.
 

Yuri35

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It is interesting hen that Malkin had a higher PPG that season when Crosby was in the lineup for 22 games.

Argument killed.

And it was Malkin who was playing at first line even when Sid came back so I don't know what's your point.
Especially on such a short sample of games (22)
 

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