Joe Sakic or Evgeni Malkin

[CHGoalie27]

Substantially.

How/why?

 

[Sweetpotato]

Malkin better player
Sakic better career

due to injuries and longevity this is absolutely the right answer.

 

[Maestro84]

Sakic for now has the edge due to longevity but I’m pretty sure when Geno retires he’ll be viewed as the superior player as long as he remains healthy

 

[North Cole]

there isn't a player today including sidney crosby that is beter than Joe Sakic

Oh ho ho Haha Haha. Ha

 

[snowkiddin]

Sakic, though I’m biased because he was one of my favourites

 

[daver]

When exactly was Malkin a better player than Joe was in 01? Hart, 2nd in Selke voting, 2nd in goals scored (behind Bure), 2nd in points scored (behind Jagr whose stats got bloated up after Mario returned), fantastic in the playoffs without Foppa and with a bum shoulder, played against other team's top lines, etc. Or lets take 96, 2nd highest goal total in the playoffs of all time, 120 points, 34 playoff points in 22 games, Smythe, 5th in goals, 3rd in points behind Mario and Jagr etc.

Malkin reached a higher offensive peak in 11/12 than Sakic's best in 00/01. They had similar PPGs but 11/12 was clearly a lower scoring season. There were nine PPG players in 11/12 and thirty-one PPG players in 00/01.

When talking about superstar forwards, I take the clearly better offensive player even if one player received Selke recognition.

 

[Turin]

Malkin is better at hockey, worse at staying healthy.

 

[bobbyking]

Lol at removing jagr to make sakic look better. Pathetic

 

[Trap Jesus]

Sakic quite easily IMO. He aged exceptionally well, and, while it may be unfair to discredit Malkin for how he'll play going forward, I can't see him holding up as well as Sakic considering his health issues and being more reliant on his physical gifts.

 

[heretik27]

I feel like these threads should have age restrictions. So much arguing based on random stats and theoretical possibilities. Sure Malkin at his best is right up there, but he's missed a lot of hockey due to injuries and doesn't always give appear to be giving a shit. Sometimes it looks like he's the only one giving a shit. Malkin lacks the consistency I'd want in a player, and Joe Sakic's wrist shot was one of the most dangerous weapons I've seen in the last 25 years.

Give Geno credit where it's due though, I think he would have done quite well in the more physical 90's period of hockey. Doubt it would have slowed him down at all.

 

[Thenameless]

Boy, this is a tough one. My first instinct tells me that Malkin's the better player. Everyone has their own biases, and mine lean toward natural talent and peak offensive play, and Malkin more than Sakic can make you look silly. Having said that, their numbers really aren't that far from each other, and both benefited from playing with another great center. What makes this hard for me is that another criterion I go by is "clutchness" which is why I like Lafleur so much. But I digress. While Malkin can be really, really good when it counts, Sakic can be even better. In that 2001 Stanley Cup Final, I thought Colorado would have a lot of trouble against New Jersey without Forsberg. But Sakic came through (yes, I know it doesn't hurt to have Roy, but you still have to score).

I still maintain that Malkin is better offensively, but once you factor in Sakic's better defense, his consistency, and his clutchness it becomes too close to call for me. With the amount of respect I have for both players, I will abstain from voting. You really can't go wrong with either one.

 

[jvcjdudu jcycyxjene]

Sakic AINEC

 

[SillyRabbit]

This might be one of the most even matchups we’ve had on HF.

There’s good arguments to be made either way, it’s a coin flip for me, voted Malkin after much deliberation.

 

[Addison Rae]

It’s hilarious watching old men say “Sakic AINEC”

It’s extremely close, Malkin at his best best out two generational players for major awards and won the Conn Smythe in one of the most dominant playoff runs I’ve seen in the past 30 years.

Sakic clearly has the edge in longevity, Id take Sakic as of right now another scoring title/major trophy for Malkin and Id probably end up changing my mind.

 

[Canada Drai]

By the end of his career it will be Malkin easily.

 

[Canada Drai]

there isn't a player today including sidney crosby that is beter than Joe Sakic

 

[Future GOAT]

I'm actually having a hard time with this one. Gonna pass on this vote.

 

[nowhereman]

there isn't a player today including sidney crosby that is beter than Joe Sakic

Thanks, I needed a laugh. Crosby, OV and McDavid are clearly superior to Sakic and I don’t think there’s much debate to be had there. Throw Malkin in there, as well.

 

[authentic]

Thanks, I needed a laugh. Crosby, OV and McDavid are clearly superior to Sakic and I don’t think there’s much debate to be had there. Throw Malkin in there, as well.

Malkin and Sakic's best seasons stack up pretty evenly and Sakic was still an elite player at 37, I don't get what's so clear about it. It's very close between them, thinking otherwise is really underrating how good Sakic was.

 

[Son Goku]

I need to watch them play? Sound argument given how much of them I've seen over the years. The Lemieux parallel is absolutely hilarious btw.

If you watched them you would realize the Lemieux "parallel" is actually true.

 

[Son Goku]

More than one person (in the thread) has referenced it. Also, there's this...

​

On Marty Brodeur too

 

[daver]

When using adjusted points, it's good to keep in mind that superstars were playing 26+ minutes a night during Sakic's prime. It's not a very good comparable.

How about not using adjusted points, and not considering TOI?

It's all about how well each player stacked up against their peers which doesn't need adjusting of points. TOI becomes irrelevant, IMO, when discussing elite offensive players.

 

[Sticksandsun]

Joe but really close

 

[bathdog]

Sakic for now.

When using adjusted points, it's good to keep in mind that superstars were playing 26+ minutes a night during Sakic's prime. It's not a very good comparable.

Do you have a source for that statement? I see 1 single forward season that averaged over 26mins per night, and 5 that averaged over 25mins, since 97/98.

 

[BAM]

So Crosby and Ovi are the scorers on Lemieux and Jagr level?

In their best seasons, Sakic was the better goalscorer, far better defensively, played against tougher matchups and was markedly a better player all things considered.

This era of the NHL and the overall talent > The era Sakic played in.

I know that hurts for your nostalgic ass to hear but it's the truth. Everything evolves over time, NHL is no different.