Kessel over Crosby???

[Bobby Orr's Knees]

JExactly as advertised. AO more of the sniper, Crosby more of the wizard setting up the play. Again, not that each are not good at the other facet, but everyone going in pretty much said this about each of them and it seems to be playing out in just that way.

I disagree. Was young Lindros just a sniper? Bure was. AO is much more than that - he has a great all-around game. Get beyond the numbers. Watch AO in defensive zone, watch him skate non-stop on each shift. Watch him set up plays only to have them wasted by his linemates. An watch him sacrifice his body. He has no fear; to me, that's the most impressive thing about him.

 

[Jaded-Fan]

I disagree. Was young Lindros just a sniper? Bure was. AO is much more than that - he has a great all-around game. Get beyond the numbers. Watch AO in defensive zone, watch him skate non-stop on each shift. Watch him set up plays only to have them wasted by his linemates. An watch him sacrifice his body. He has no fear; to me, that's the most impressive thing about him.

I have enormous respect for the talent AO is - that said to give him an edge over Crosby means that you have not taken the time to watch the kid play. They both have been more than even I thought that they would achieve at this point. I stand by them being a wash, and also stand by my statements above, they are playing pretty much as predicted with the strengths of each coming out almost exactly as most had said.

 

[Le Golie]

Crosby may be younger but he's played in North America all his life.

First people said Crosby would be a bust because he's never been tested against men, yet Ovechkin had been playing against men for years. Now it's Crosby's advantage? Come on.

BOK, you say you expected Crosby to come in and have a Gretzky-like impact right from the start.... did you expect Crosby at 18 to play like Gretzky in his prime? Because unless you expected that, then explain why you are dissapointed because Crosby's numbers so far are very comparable to Gretzky's rookie stats.

 

[Absolut]

First people said Crosby would be a bust because he's never been tested against men, yet Ovechkin had been playing against men for years. Now it's Crosby's advantage? Come on.

I don't remember anyone saying Crosby was a BUST - because he's never been tested against men, or for any other reason.

 

[Mothra]

First people said Crosby would be a bust because he's never been tested against men, yet Ovechkin had been playing against men for years. Now it's Crosby's advantage? Come on.

You beat me to it.....if anything coming into this season I would have given those edges to Ovechkin for sure.....like you said, he has been playing against men for several years, last season he played in all the major tournys, with the worlds best players regardless of age....he has worked on english and although he has a way to go that is not and will never require an adustment period...not sure if the other poster was saying its been easier on Crosby because of all these things, because I dont think thats the case at all.....

what are the chances that Kessel plays in the NHL next season I wonder?

 

[Bobby Orr's Knees]

BOK, you say you expected Crosby to come in and have a Gretzky-like impact right from the start.... did you expect Crosby at 18 to play like Gretzky in his prime? Because unless you expected that, then explain why you are dissapointed because Crosby's numbers so far are very comparable to Gretzky's rookie stats.

You are not getting the point. Crosby was hyped as the Next One. That implies he's head & shoulders above other players of his generation, like Gretzky was. Yet the reality of it is, Crosby is just on of several amazing young players in the NHL. The hype around Crosby makes it difficult to appereciate his achievements, because it makes it difficult for these achievements to meet expectations.

 

[Le Golie]

You are not getting the point. Crosby was hyped as the Next One. That implies he's head & shoulders above other players of his generation, like Gretzky was. Yet the reality of it is, Crosby is just on of several amazing young players in the NHL. The hype around Crosby makes it difficult to appereciate his achievements, because it makes it difficult for these achievements to meet expectations.

I guess maybe you didn't understand what people meant when they were hyping Crosby as the Next One. Nobody was saying Crosby at 18 would have the impact Gretzky had at 24. If you were expecting that then I'm not sure what to say to you. As for the hype itself, Crosby still very much has the potential to dominate the way the greats have dominated once they entered their prime years.

Unfortunatly for extreme Crosby hypers, and VERY fortunately for us hockey fans, we are blessed by two potential generational talents in back to back draft years. Saying Crosby is head and shoulders above everyone in his age group is accurate, if Ovechkin wasn't in the picture Crosby would be head and shoulders above everyone even near his age.

The bottom line is, anyone saying Crosby has failed to live up to expectations either had f'd up expectations or just refuses to acknowledge they were wrong about him.

 

[KariyaIsGod*]

I disagree. Was young Lindros just a sniper? Bure was. AO is much more than that - he has a great all-around game. Get beyond the numbers. Watch AO in defensive zone, watch him skate non-stop on each shift. Watch him set up plays only to have them wasted by his linemates. An watch him sacrifice his body. He has no fear; to me, that's the most impressive thing about him.

So, are you implying Crosby doesn't do these things?

 

[gbl1p]

You are not getting the point. Crosby was hyped as the Next One. That implies he's head & shoulders above other players of his generation, like Gretzky was. Yet the reality of it is, Crosby is just on of several amazing young players in the NHL. The hype around Crosby makes it difficult to appereciate his achievements, because it makes it difficult for these achievements to meet expectations.

YOu should spend more time watching the kid, less time watching the hype. That goes for all those "bothered by the hype". If people actually stop worrying about who called who the next one, and actually SEE what Sidney has done over the last few years there would be less problems.

 

[AgentNaslund*]

I guess maybe you didn't understand what people meant when they were hyping Crosby as the Next One. Nobody was saying Crosby at 18 would have the impact Gretzky had at 24. If you were expecting that then I'm not sure what to say to you. As for the hype itself, Crosby still very much has the potential to dominate the way the greats have dominated once they entered their prime years.

Unfortunatly for extreme Crosby hypers, and VERY fortunately for us hockey fans, we are blessed by two potential generational talents in back to back draft years. Saying Crosby is head and shoulders above everyone in his age group is accurate, if Ovechkin wasn't in the picture Crosby would be head and shoulders above everyone even near his age.

The bottom line is, anyone saying Crosby has failed to live up to expectations either had f'd up expectations or just refuses to acknowledge they were wrong about him.

very well done.

 

[Mothra]

I guess maybe you didn't understand what people meant when they were hyping Crosby as the Next One. Nobody was saying Crosby at 18 would have the impact Gretzky had at 24. If you were expecting that then I'm not sure what to say to you. As for the hype itself, Crosby still very much has the potential to dominate the way the greats have dominated once they entered their prime years.

I know you didnt direct this to me...but its worth pointing out that Gretzky won the Hart in 79-80....pretty sure that was his rookie season....whats odd is, he didnt win the Calder

 

[KariyaIsGod*]

I know you didnt direct this to me...but its worth pointing out that Gretzky won the Hart in 79-80....pretty sure that was his rookie season....whats odd is, he didnt win the Calder

He wasn't eligible to win the Calder. Someone could enlighten you on the exact reason but I believe it had to do with his WHA days...

 

[Genghis Keon]

I know you didnt direct this to me...but its worth pointing out that Gretzky won the Hart in 79-80....pretty sure that was his rookie season....whats odd is, he didnt win the Calder

Since he played in the WHA, he was considered to already be a professional coming into the NHL, so the league deemed that he wasn't eligible for the Calder. As if Ray Bourque didn't have enough great things to tell his grandchildren about his career, he can also say that he was the rookie of the year in Gretzky's first year in the league.

 

[Lionel Hutz]

I know you didnt direct this to me...but its worth pointing out that Gretzky won the Hart in 79-80....pretty sure that was his rookie season....whats odd is, he didnt win the Calder

As the poster above stated, he wasn't eligible for the Calder, he had played in the WHA which merged into the NHL, which also, IMO, explains goes a long way to explaining the Hart Trophy in his first NHL season, well, that and the fact that he is the most amazing player ever.

 

[espo*]

I guess maybe you didn't understand what people meant when they were hyping Crosby as the Next One. Nobody was saying Crosby at 18 would have the impact Gretzky had at 24. If you were expecting that then I'm not sure what to say to you. As for the hype itself, Crosby still very much has the potential to dominate the way the greats have dominated once they entered their prime years.

Unfortunatly for extreme Crosby hypers, and VERY fortunately for us hockey fans, we are blessed by two potential generational talents in back to back draft years. Saying Crosby is head and shoulders above everyone in his age group is accurate, if Ovechkin wasn't in the picture Crosby would be head and shoulders above everyone even near his age.

The bottom line is, anyone saying Crosby has failed to live up to expectations either had f'd up expectations or just refuses to acknowledge they were wrong about him.

at least we don't have to listen to the "Daigle whisperers"anymore around here,we've moved beyond that thankfully,after about the second game he played in no-one has had the balls to be so off base as to chirp stuff like that anymore.But they've switched their tactics now of course................now he has to score 110 goals this year to be able to shake off the "not the next Gretzky tag" You can see it coming a mile away eh?

The kid has been just fine and sometimes great so far this year,he's the real deal as far as being the type of player we have'nt seen come into the league for awhile at such a tender age IMO.All at barely 18,he's met the hype.....................not that some are gonna admit it.

 

[Bobby Orr's Knees]

I guess maybe you didn't understand what people meant when they were hyping Crosby as the Next One. Nobody was saying Crosby at 18 would have the impact Gretzky had at 24.

Not at all. I was talking about Gretzky's rookie season. I remember how dominant he was - his skill level was above and beyond anything I had ever seen. He was clearly on the way to being one of the best ever, barring injuries. And he was the best rookie by a mile.