Is McDavid as popular as Crosby was at the same age?

[JasonRoseEh]

No disrespect to McDavid but it isn't even close. Crosby had the hype of being the next one beside a recognized pillar of hockey in Lemieux and was a member of one of the most stacked draft classes of all time due to the lockout.

More importantly the Ovechkin vs Crosby rivalry from the get go elevated them as well as the NHL.

Crosby was a far more popular player and household name.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

Hockey players are like basic math over there and even these guys you listed are virtually unknown in the majority of merica.

Ovechkin transcends hockey and is routinely voted the league's most popular player by fans by a large margin. He's known outside of the game by a ton of other athletes as well.

 

[Future GOAT]

Ovechkin transcends hockey and is routinely voted the league's most popular player by fans by a large margin. He's known outside of the game by a ton of other athletes as well.

And sadly still unknown in the majority of merica.

 

[JasonRoseEh]

And sadly still unknown in the majority of merica.

Sadly I agree and sorry I wasn't making it sound like he's Lebron popularity. Simply using the context of the NHL Ovechkin is the games biggest superstar.

 

[Machinehead]

Did you get her number

 

[Beukeboom]

No non hockey fan can name Crosby. They now Gretzky and that's it...

 

[SteelerNation]

McDavid got drafted by the worst possible city to become a star. No one cares about Edmonton outside of Edmonton. No one would ever want to visit Edmonton for any reason other than family. People go live in Edmonton to work, that’s about it. He shouldn’t have signed a long term deal. With how incompetent the organization is top to bottom, coupled with the fact that the city is completely holding back his career, he made a big mistake.

 

[Pengwins]

No. Crosby is better at everything

 

[Captain Bowie]

Even though hockey isn't a big sport at all, it seems like Crosby (even early in his career) was known by most people, even among non hockey fans. If you asked a non-hockey fan to name two hockey players, they'd probably say Gretzky and Crosby.

Only asking this because I was with a few friends the other day (non-hockey fans) and I was a little surprised to learn that none of them knew who McDavid was. But all of them knew Crosby/Ovechkin/Gretzky. This is in Canada btw.

Based on my few personal experiences, it really seems like Crosby was much more well known among non-hockey fans and in general than McDavid, even at the same age.

Is this actually the case? If so, why do you think it is?

Where the hell do you live??

 

[Snippit]

Where the hell do you live??

There's a reason those statements were in different sentences..

 

[tntkid]

If McDavid played in the United States in a big city like New York he would be considered the best NHL player ever.
lol

Instead he is stuck in Edmonton rotting some of his best years away.

 

[flamesforcup]

The Crosby marketing hype was OUT OF CONTROL about 10 years ago. These are just a few where he's a focal point.







And this is not including the NHL live (at least I think it was) commercials where it showed him scoring a goal and then the text card said Goal: Crosby, Assists: Malkin, Staal

AND another NHL live commercial that started with Crosby scoring some stupid good goal and Steigerwald losing his mind and then the narrator pops up "If Crosby scores a goal in Pittsburgh... will you see it Los Angeles?"

This is also not taking into account there must've been at least 2 other Penguins/Crosby commercials that were not as prominent

All of this from about 2006-2009

It was ****ing unbearable.....


The Rays went to the World Series in 2008 and by contrast, the Penguins got more airtime and marketing on my Tampa TV than they did.....



McDavid probably has a ton of stuff but I have yet to see it if ever. You'd forget he even exists here in Tampa. 10 years ago NHL marketing didn't let you breathe without reminding you that Crosby was THE thing

Thanks for the insight. I would give u a like if i could.

 

[tsujimoto74]

In general? Like is he as well-know a household name? I think no. Playing up in Alberta for a team that hasn't made much noise with him on it, a lot of Americans have no idea who he is, even though those same (very) casual fans absolutely knew the name Sidney Crosby at the same stage of his career. Again, nothing to do with McDavid the player. Just where his team is both geographically and in the standings.

 

[BrodieOnTheCorner]

No. The NHL has somehow gotten worse at marketing their stars.

 

[SwaggySpungo]

Crosby had the most hype of any player since Eric Lindros in 1991.

He was vastly over-hyped, in my opinion. He is one of the best players in the league, but nowhere close to being "the next Gretzky" or "the next Lemieux".

 

[Goose]

I personally feel like Crosby was more hyped.

Also, him scoring that Montreal shootout goal top shelf with the leg kick and the flying water bottle felt like Signature Moment #1 of many sure to come.

I haven’t had a moment I’ve personally seen of McDavid’s to match the overall “living up to all the hype in one moment” of Crosby’s MTL goal.

 

[puckIuck]

McDavid got drafted by the worst possible city to become a star. No one cares about Edmonton outside of Edmonton. No one would ever want to visit Edmonton for any reason other than family. People go live in Edmonton to work, that’s about it. He shouldn’t have signed a long term deal. With how incompetent the organization is top to bottom, coupled with the fact that the city is completely holding back his career, he made a big mistake.

this is very true

 

[MadLuke]

Crosby had the most hype of any player since Eric Lindros in 1991.

He was vastly over-hyped, in my opinion. He is one of the best players in the league, but nowhere close to being "the next Gretzky" or "the next Lemieux".

If people were really serious with Greztky/Lemieux yes, but for him to be the best of the mortal potential at #5 they could have been right, he was injured so soon in is career and lost a explosiveness and a step with that leg injury that it is a bit hard to judge what could he have been (same goes if it does not get stopped in that 2010-2011 era when he was arguably even better than before that first injury with all those heads/neck one), 120 point second season and leading the league in point when he get injured season 3.

Despite the injuries in is prime he look really good in the list of player with the most top 10 points (and 8 of those are being in the league top 3):

G. Howe*	21
W. Gretzky*	16
B. Hull*	14
J. Beliveau*	12
C. Denneny*	12
J. Jagr	11
A. Delvecchio*	11
M. Richard*	11
B. Cook*	11
S. Crosby	10
J. Sakic*	10
M. Lemieux*	10
P. Esposito*	10

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

There is 3 season where he was not too many games missing to make it, He could still finish equal to Jagr/M Richard if he pull a last one before the end, and at the same time he combined that regular season impressive track record with:

1.	Wayne Gretzky*	1979-99	382
2.	Mark Messier*	1979-04	295
3.	Jari Kurri*	1980-98	233
4.	Glenn Anderson*	1980-96	214
5.	Jaromir Jagr	1990-18	201
6.	Paul Coffey*	1980-01	196
7.	Brett Hull*	1986-06	190
8.	Doug Gilmour*	1983-03	188
	Joe Sakic*	1988-09	188
10.	Sidney Crosby	2005-19	185
	Steve Yzerman*	1983-06	185

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Has a shot to the top 3 in playoff points, should at least reach the highest non-Oilers dynastie in the league history, quite the track record.

One metric were Crosby look really impressive, the most top 3 finish in points in league history:

W. Gretzky*	13
G. Howe*	12
S. Crosby	8
M. Lemieux*	8
P. Esposito*	8
J. Jagr	7
S. Mikita*	7
M. Richard*	7
B. Hull*	6
B. Orr*	6
J. Beliveau*	6
C. Denneny*	6
M. Dionne*	5
G. Lafleur*	5

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Only Gordie Howe and Greztky did it more often

 

[Esko6]

Crosby was more popular, but he also had much more haters.

 

[ES]

I think Crosby was more loved but also more hated.

 

[ovythegiraffe]

McDavid is a great player but outside of his skillful playing there's not much to talk about. Most people just acknowledge him as the best player in the league, while Crosby vs. Ovy was an endless discussion. Also racking up those points in edmonton isn't too exciting. If he was in a cup contender team things would be much different

 

[613Leafer]

Crosby at that age had the "Cry Baby Crosby" reputation (earned or not, it was out there).

He may or may not have been a more well known name, but in the hockey community I'd say he was less popular and had a decently large group that didn't really like him.

 

[Jyrki Lumme]

I think Crosby was more loved but also more hated.

He was just more relevant, which leads to an increase in either end of the spectrum. Mostly because he was A) better and B) a winner very early in his career.

 

[LamorielloAndSon]

Not even close to as popular

 

[Field of Dreams]

Crosby always had team success. If McDavid played for Calgary for example, he would be alot more popular.