Ovechkin adding rockets is different than Crosby winning though. Crosby doesnt have the shot to win rockets and much more of an overall game is needed to win a hart or art ross. I just dont really see Crosby doing it over the current young group of players in the league. Sakic and St Louis won those awards in a weird transition time for the NHL before the new guard was fully in the league but before the old guys had fully left. A SMythe is possible but I cant see his team doing much in the post season for a couple more years, maybe if they re-tool, but by then hes even older.
The smart money is on guys like Kucherov, McDavid, Mackinnon and others who are all 25ish and just hitting their stride. Yes, Crosby could win another one but I really doubt it,the league isnt as nice to older players as it used to be
I agree. I think Crosby would have to be close to his peak full season form, which is asking a lot at age 32, and even more so every subsequent year. I think that's highly unlikely, since Crosb6%y was unusually rested for the '14 season (99 RS GP in previous 3 seasons). If we assume he maxes out around the best of his past 5 seasons, that would be '17:
N = # of teams in league
'17 Crosby: 120% of top 1N scorers, 133% of top 2N scorers, 143% of top 3N scorers
Excluding the '13 lockout season, these are worst R0ss-winning seasons since '05 lockout (if you exclude Crosby in '07 & '14):
Vs. 1N, 2N, 3N
'14 Getzlaf 116%, 129%, 139%
'15 Benn 121%, 131%, 140%
'07 Thornton 125%, 141%, 154%
'18 McDavid 126%, 142%, 154%
So it would probably take a trough similar to '14 & '15 for Crosby to really have a good chance at winning another Ross. Another single season like either of those would probably require:
A. McDavid to sustain a substantial injury (improbable, but very possible)
B. Kucherov to not come anywhere close to his '19 season (probable?)
C. MacKinnon to not improve substantially from his age 22-23 seasons (improbable, but very possible)
D. Gaudreau to not improve substantially from his age 25 season (probable?)
E. Kane (1 yr. younger than Crosby) or Malkin (1 yr. older) not edging him out (Kane did in '19, Malkin in'18)
McDavid could get injured, but even then Crosby would likely have to be in his best age 28+ form and battle at least a couple of Kucherov, MacKinnon, Gaudreau, Kane/Malkin, etc. for the Ross.