Is Sidney Crosby on track to be (or already is) the 4th best forward ever?

[KPower]

Looks like he’s going to finish on 99 points...that sucks.

 

[Leafs87]

I put Crosby in the Sakic/Yzerman tier.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Looks like he’s going to finish on 99 points...that sucks.

Nope haha

 

[Koolboss]

100 points - what an honor to witness a legend

 

[TheGuiminator]

Sidney Crosby did what he does best and that’s prove people wrong. Almost everyone (including myself) thought he wouldn’t sniff 100 points again.

That season sure helps his legacy and ranks him higher among the all time greats

 

[Koolboss]

Rk	Name	Born	Pos	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-	PPG	SHG	GWG	G/GP	A/GP	P/GP
1		Wayne Gretzky	1961	F	208	122	260	382	66	86	34	11	24	0.587	1.250	1.837
2		Mark Messier	1961	F	236	109	186	295	244	42	24	14	12	0.462	0.788	1.250
3		Jari Kurri	1960	F	200	106	127	233	123	88	25	10	14	0.530	0.635	1.165
4		Glenn Anderson	1960	F	225	93	121	214	442	67	22	1	17	0.413	0.538	0.951
5		Jaromír Jágr	1972	F	208	78	123	201	163	30	24	2	16	0.375	0.591	0.966
6		Paul Coffey	1961	D	194	59	137	196	264	57	21	6	8	0.304	0.706	1.010
7		Brett Hull	1964	F	202	103	87	190	73	13	38	4	24	0.510	0.431	0.941
8		Joe Sakic	1969	F	172	84	104	188	78	-2	27	4	19	0.488	0.605	1.093
9		Doug Gilmour	1963	F	182	60	128	188	235	27	20	2	13	0.330	0.703	1.033
10		Steve Yzerman	1965	F	196	70	115	185	84	-11	26	3	12	0.357	0.587	0.944
11		Sidney Crosby	1987	F	160	66	119	185	77	22	19	0	9	0.413	0.744	1.156

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[TheTang58]

Amazing coincidence how everyone who plays with Ovechkin has career years.

Who is everyone? Did Ovi get Kunitz onto Team Canada?

 

[Golden Puppers]

Rk	Name	Born	Pos	GP	G	A	P	PIM	+/-	PPG	SHG	GWG	G/GP	A/GP	P/GP
1		Wayne Gretzky	1961	F	208	122	260	382	66	86	34	11	24	0.587	1.250	1.837
2		Mark Messier	1961	F	236	109	186	295	244	42	24	14	12	0.462	0.788	1.250
3		Jari Kurri	1960	F	200	106	127	233	123	88	25	10	14	0.530	0.635	1.165
4		Glenn Anderson	1960	F	225	93	121	214	442	67	22	1	17	0.413	0.538	0.951
5		Jaromír Jágr	1972	F	208	78	123	201	163	30	24	2	16	0.375	0.591	0.966
6		Paul Coffey	1961	D	194	59	137	196	264	57	21	6	8	0.304	0.706	1.010
7		Brett Hull	1964	F	202	103	87	190	73	13	38	4	24	0.510	0.431	0.941
8		Joe Sakic	1969	F	172	84	104	188	78	-2	27	4	19	0.488	0.605	1.093
9		Doug Gilmour	1963	F	182	60	128	188	235	27	20	2	13	0.330	0.703	1.033
10		Steve Yzerman	1965	F	196	70	115	185	84	-11	26	3	12	0.357	0.587	0.944
11		Sidney Crosby	1987	F	160	66	119	185	77	22	19	0	9	0.413	0.744	1.156

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

What am I looking at here?

 

[FinProspects]

If you'd bothered to check goal scoring stats since 2005 you'd know that only Ovechkin and Stamkos have score more goals in that time. Unless you're saying that there's only two goal scorer in the entire NHL?

Ive no idea what you meanm but what I meant is that even though Sid is not considered as goal scorer, he still has been really, really good at it. Arguably top3-4 of his generation on scoring goals. Tells much about his versatility.

 

[solidmotion]

What am I looking at here?

top playoff scorers all-time. looks like crosby has a decent shot at moving into the top 5 or 6 in the coming weeks.

 

[FinProspects]

I get what you're saying, completely. Except that's it an all-time list. - and that matters.

Lindros went from a trajectory that could've taken him into the all-time top 10 to waiting forever for a HHOF recognition because of injuries.
Forsberg is much farther down on lists than his game-to-game impact would dictate.
Paul Kariya was arguably the best player in the world for awhile.
Cam Neely's 50 goals in 44 games isn't recognized because he was playing on one knee and missed so many games.
Mike Bossy left a lot undone.
Bure was arguably the best player in the world for awhile.

even his contemporaries like Malkin and Bergeron never had the careers they should have because of injuries and drop on lists.

The same should apply to Crosby. Sad but true. I like Crosby and think he's consistently been the best player in the game during his career. I think as fans, we were robbed of a lot of great hockey, but the actual reality of his accomplishments isn't as impressive as it should've/could've/would've been. Without injuries I think he would've been 4-8. With injuries he simply has to be dropped down a good few notches. - at least at the moment as hopefully he has a lot of good years left.

Bit more context again. Lindros, Forsberg, Malkin etc were very,very injury prone players. Their injuries were caused due to reckless playing style, perhaps lack of conditioning etc. And they were injured constistently+their level of play dropped due to injuries. Sid has actually (unlike many state) been bery durable in his career. His major injuries were just extremely bad luck, with even more bad timing.

What makes Sid special that he actually came back from those and has continued to play very consistent high quality seasons. After concussion+puck to the jaw ,he has wonwHart,Art,Lindsay,Rocket,few smythes,cups and this season will be hart nominee and selke nominee most likely+100points.

Sid isnt a "what if" player (anymore), not even close. The most accomplished player of his generation, despite missing 3 peak seasons. Think about that.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Tied for 5th in points. Nice bounce back year for Sid

11 top 10 scoring finishes now.
1,1,2,2,3,3,3,3,5,6,10

 

[Son Goku]

Ive no idea what you meanm but what I meant is that even though Sid is not considered as goal scorer, he still has been really, really good at it. Arguably top3-4 of his generation on scoring goals. Tells much about his versatility.

ahh well excuse my response then.

 

[daver]

I put Crosby in the Sakic/Yzerman tier.

Did they also have the a Top 5 career after 14 seasons/by age 31?

 

[RorschachWJK]

Did they also have the a Top 5 career after 14 seasons/by age 31?

Maybe, maybe not. But the real question is: how long was their grace period ?

 

[EightyOne]

Outside of the overall Gretzky effect, Crosby has meant more for marketing and growing the sport than any of those other players.

 

[daver]

Maybe, maybe not.

Maybe Sakic and Yyzerman were Top 5 all-time after 14 seasons? I would like to hear that argument.

 

[TheGuiminator]

Say what you want, but Crosby has the best first 14 seasons of any players not named Gretzky and Lemieux. Dude has not a single weakness in his resume (aside of injuries).

Not to mention his playoffs successes : he could crack the top five all time in points at 31. So yeah, He’s definitely top 4 forwards

 

[RorschachWJK]

Maybe Sakic and Yyzerman were Top 5 all-time after 14 seasons? I would like to hear that argument.

We wish for many kinds of things, yet just a few are granted. Any updates on Crosby's current grace period?

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Say what you want, but Crosby has the best first 14 seasons of any players not named Gretzky and Lemieux. Dude has not a single weakness in his resume (aside of injuries).

Not to mention his playoffs successes : he could crack the top five all time in points at 31. So yeah, He’s definitely top 4 forwards

Howe first 14 seasons: 5x hart, 5x Ross, 4x rocket, 7x 1st AST

That's better than Lemieux and easily better than Crosby.

 

[TheGuiminator]

Howe first 14 seasons: 5x hart, 5x Ross, 4x rocket, 7x 1st AST

That's better than Lemieux and easily better than Crosby.

Howe is right there in the mix, but Crosby has also a case. He has minimum 4 Art Ross and 4 Hart if he plays full seasons in 10/11 & 12/13, which is harder to do in modern NHL with parity and 30-31 teams instead of 6. Plus, Crosby never went under ppg in his first 14 seasons, he’s the only player to do so along with Gretzky and Lemieux

 

[daver]

We wish for many kinds of things, yet just a few are granted. Any updates on Crosby's current grace period?

Why are you in this thread if you are too scared to present an argument?

 

[HockeySniper]

Crosby needs more individuals awards and wins to become even consider for being ranked that high.

 

[kugelbahn]

Top five forward needs quite a few more 40+ goals seasons and 80+ assists seasons, 2+1 does not cut it, imo.
Using "extrapolation technique" and looking back into this from eg 2040, I just do not see Crosby in top 5, only few people will remember 20-year-old PPGs and what-ifs.
Besides all players have these what-ifs. From 20-years-back view of Crosby's career, he is top 10, along with OV.

 

[RorschachWJK]

Why are you in this thread if you are too scared to present an argument?

I am here because it is cozy here. And as an experienced poster, I am on my grace period.