Jagr vs Ovechkin vs Crosby: Who is the best offensive player

[slapKing]

As the title says

This poll is simply who is the best offensive player, nothing more.

Some data here for all three players

Jagr:
5 Art Rosses
3 Assist Titles
1x 60+ goal season, 3x 50+ goal seasons, 6x 40+ goal seasons, 15x 30+ goal seasons
2x 80+ assist season, 2x 70+ assist seasons, 8x 60+ assist seasons, 9x 50+ assist Seasons
5x 100+ point seasons, 10x 90+ point seasons, 10x 80+ point seasons, 15x 70+ point seasons
Goal Finishes: 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9
Assist Finishes: 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 3, 5, 7, 7, 9
Point Finishes: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 5, 6, 8, 9

Ovechkin:
1 Art Ross
9 Rocket Richards
1x 60+ goal season, 8x 50+ goal seasons, 11x 40+ goal seasons, 15x 30+ goal seasons
4x 50+ Assist Seasons
4x 100+ point seasons, 5x 90+ point seasons, 9x 80+ point seasons, 11x 70+ point seasons
Goal Finishes: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 4, 5
Assist Finishes: 6, 6, 10
Point Finishes: 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 7, 8

Crosby:
2 Art Rosses
1 Assist Title
2 Rocket Richards
1x 50+ goal season, 2x 40+ goal seasons, 9x 30+ goal seasons
1x 80+ assist season, 2x 70+ assist seasons, 6x 60+ assist seasons, 8x 50+ assist Seasons
6x 100+ point seasons, 6x 90+ point seasons, 10x 80+ point seasons, 11x 70+ point seasons
Goal Finishes: 1, 1, 7, 7
Assist Finishes: 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 7, 7, 7, 8, 9
Point Finishes: 1, 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 5, 6, 10

All data from Hockey Reference

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[amnesiac]

Jagr>Sid>Ovie

in your stats I would throw in their respective career PPG (GP)

NHL All-Time Points per Game Leaders

CROSBY 1.28 (984 GP) 6th all-time
JAGR 1.11 (1733 GP) 25th
OVIE 1.11 (1152 GP) 24th

 

[Pukboy5kroner]

Between Sid and Alex, it's arguable. Neither is quite at Jagr's level yet, career wise, but it's easy to see both being there with him or above him.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

OV
Jagr
Crosby

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Crosby has no season that matches up to Jagr 98/99 or OV 07/08. Not even close. He is an easy last place here.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Crosby has no season that matches up to Jagr 98/99 or OV 07/08. Not even close. He is an easy last place here.

[mod] Ovechkin has like 5 more career points in 150 more games played. Crosby has 186 playoff points in 164 games while ovechkin is below a ppg. Crosby also has. By far the better scoring finishes. [mod]

 

[amnesiac]

Crosby has no season that matches up to Jagr 98/99 or OV 07/08. Not even close. He is an easy last place here.

[mod] Ovechkin has like 5 more career points in 150 more games played. Crosby has 186 playoff points in 164 games while ovechkin is below a ppg. Crosby also has. By far the better scoring finishes. [mod]

nevermind him, always has an agenda

 

[bobholly39]

Crosby has no season that matches up to Jagr 98/99 or OV 07/08. Not even close. He is an easy last place here.

That's true from a full season perspective, but i don't think that's what OP is after. He's asking for better offensive player, in a vacuum it seems. Crosby's strength is his prime, and consistency. He's never dipped below a certain level in his career. He's been a top 6 scorer every single season of his career minus those with many injuries (in most of which he seemed like he was pacing to finish closer to first place than 2nd had he not been injured) and the one lone year of 2017-2018 where he finished 10th instead (on the heels of back to back cup/smythe runs, so a bit of a hangover perhaps, and still wasn't even a bad season).

Don't think either Ovechkin or Jagr can compete with that consistency in the long run. Maybe if Crosby had never matched either player's peak, you overlook his consistency edge - but there's a very strong argument to make that for level of play/ability Crosby could be #1 for peak - he just didn't hit that perfect storm of a full season statistically. So - at best, they're all close - over the long run, I think Crosby gets the edge.

Ovechkin's consistency at goal-scoring is insane - but for overall offense he loses some lust career/prime-wise.
If we were talking of only top ~5 year stretch or so - i'd be tempted to go Jagr 1st place, because he's hard to beat in the late 90s. But as i'm taking this question from a broader overall perspective - I think Crosby is #1, Jagr #2, and Ovechkin #3.

The answer really changes the more you specify what exactly OP is looking for though.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

nevermind him, always has an agenda

What agenda? It's common sense. Go make a poll. Actually there was a series done recently about best post lockout seasons. OV had 3 go before Crosby's best. Guess everyone who voted "had an agenda" right?

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

[mod] Ovechkin has like 5 more career points in 150 more games played. Crosby has 186 playoff points in 164 games while ovechkin is below a ppg. Crosby also has. By far the better scoring finishes. [mod]

[mod] I didn't say anything about career.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

That's true from a full season perspective, but i don't think that's what OP is after. He's asking for better offensive player, in a vacuum it seems. Crosby's strength is his prime, and consistency. He's never dipped below a certain level in his career. He's been a top 6 scorer every single season of his career minus those with many injuries (in most of which he seemed like he was pacing to finish closer to first place than 2nd had he not been injured) and the one lone year of 2017-2018 where he finished 10th instead (on the heels of back to back cup/smythe runs, so a bit of a hangover perhaps, and still wasn't even a bad season).

Don't think either Ovechkin or Jagr can compete with that consistency in the long run. Maybe if Crosby had never matched either player's peak, you overlook his consistency edge - but there's a very strong argument to make that for level of play/ability Crosby could be #1 for peak - he just didn't hit that perfect storm of a full season statistically. So - at best, they're all close - over the long run, I think Crosby gets the edge.

Ovechkin's consistency at goal-scoring is insane - but for overall offense he loses some lust career/prime-wise.
If we were talking of only top ~5 year stretch or so - i'd be tempted to go Jagr 1st place, because he's hard to beat in the late 90s. But as i'm taking this question from a broader overall perspective - I think Crosby is #1, Jagr #2, and Ovechkin #3.

The answer really changes the more you specify what exactly OP is looking for though.

Yeah if it's career I don't have a problem saying Crosby is 1st. I value peak more though so I'd put him last. Agree with your analysis though.

 

[Nathaniel Skywalker]

Yeah if it's career I don't have a problem saying Crosby is 1st. I value peak more though so I'd put him last. Agree with your analysis though.

Do us a favour and read the OP first then.

 

[Sasso09]

Jagr
Sid
Ovi

Pretty easy order

 

[Plural]

Sid is #1 and rather easily too. It's not a huge difference but I think it's quite clear.

Ovechkin and Jagr are a wash for me. I prefer Ovechkin but I can see argument for Jagr too.

 

[Hisch13r]

Sid
Jagr
Ovi

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Do us a favour and read the OP first then.

"who is the best offensive player".

99% of the time when someone says "best", it's referring to peak. A guys 7th best season for example has nothing to do with him at his absolute best. Op does not say peak, prime or career. Relax tough guy.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Ovechkin > Jagr > Crosby

 

[amnesiac]

"who is the best offensive player".

99% of the time when someone says "best", it's referring to peak. A guys 7th best season for example has nothing to do with him at his absolute best. Op does not say peak, prime or career. Relax tough guy.

thats not true at all, I would say "best" is more a question of prime/career.

eg. Carey Price had a better peak than Lundqvist, but by no means is Price the better goalie.
Markus Naslund, better peak than guys like: Hossa, Kariya, maybe Iginla.... no way is the "best" of the 4.

Hell, Naslund wasnt even in the TOP 60 Wingers list from years ago, which is essentially the "best 60 wingers" HOH Top 60 Wingers of All Time

 

[wetcoast]

Jagr>Sid>Ovie

in your stats I would throw in their respective career PPG (GP)

NHL All-Time Points per Game Leaders

CROSBY 1.28 (984 GP) 6th all-time
JAGR 1.11 (1733 GP) 25th
OVIE 1.11 (1152 GP) 24th

I went with this as well based mainly on prime, both Crosby and Ovi hit the ground running though but that's a different question.

I also use 3 years for peak and 7 for prime, if we extend it out longer than Crosby gets the edge as he has been elite for 15 straight years.

 

[wetcoast]

Do us a favour and read the OP first then.

When I read the OP it looks like he was looking at the whole picture so I changed my vote Crosby slightly ahead of Jagr both over Ovechkin.

If it's peak or 7 year prime it's Jagr though.

 

[amnesiac]

When I read the OP it looks like he was looking at the whole picture so I changed my vote Crosby slightly ahead of Jagr both over Ovechkin.

If it's peak or 7 year prime it's Jagr though.

yeah I agree with that, Jagr started to fall after 06-07 which would have made him "elite" for about 13-14 seasons.

But in terms of offense, I give the edge to Jagr for with his 5 Art Rosses. I mean right now, most would have Crosby above Jagr on an all-time list, but that has a lot to do with leading the Pens to 3 Cups and 2 Conn Smythes (yes, one was questionable).

PPG is obviously well in Crosby's favour, but Jagr's only dipped into his late 30s.

 

[wetcoast]

[mod]

Yeah if it's career I don't have a problem saying Crosby is 1st. I value peak more though so I'd put him last. Agree with your analysis though.

He just used a different standard for answering the OP which is fair game.

 

[Thenameless]

Jagr, Crosby, Ovechkin because it actually happened. With theoretical adjustments, I can see Crosby ahead of Jagr. Amazing that possibly the greatest goal scorer of all time is ranking third on most lists. One needs to really be a dual threat to be considered one of the best all time offensively.

It's good that people aren't forgetting how good Jagr was. For a few years there, Jagr was an offensive juggernaut. Nobody wanted to pick second in a hockey pool because Jagr had such a big advantage over the field.

 

[filinski77]

At their very best: Ovechkin, Jagr, Crosby

Over their whole careers: Jagr, Crosby, Ovechkin

 

[Gurglesons]

At their very best: Ovechkin, Jagr, Crosby

Over their whole careers: Jagr, Crosby, Ovechkin

Jagr outproduced anything Ovie or Sid did in the salary cap era at 33 on a pathetic Rangers squad.

Jagr’s biggest issue was the fact his game was offensive only, but since 1992 he was the best offensive weapon in the league not named Mario Lemieux. His pure offensive ability is like top three all time.