Tribute Most Important Winger of Sid/Geno Era?

[ChaosAgent]

I think this would be a pretty close poll, and may be something to remember fondly as opposed to the current misery/Sullivan hostageness.

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[SEALBound]

Man that is a tough call. It's almost unfair since since they all had significant impacts at different times.

Kunitz was the monster's physical forechecker needed in 09. Good winger after.

Hornqvist was the monster physical forechecker that we needed after 2014. Tough to sell his importance on the PP short.

Guentzel is the first reliable 40g winger since Jagr.

Kessel was the first impact player since Hossa on the roster and we immediately win two cups. He gave a Conn Smyth-worthy performance in the playoffs both years.

I mean, it's just too tough. I gotta say Kessel though because I don't think we get 16/17 without him.

 

[Kristopher Letang]

Kessel.

There’s no back to back Cups without him and he had Conn Smyte worthy playoffs. He then followed it by a 92 pts and 82 pts season.

Kinda easy tbh.

 

[ChaosAgent]

Kessel.

There’s no back to back Cups without him and he had Conn Smyte worthy playoffs. He then followed it by a 92 pts and 82 pts season.

Kinda easy tbh.

My vote for Jake, however, is that his 2018 playoffs (with Sid) were Conn Smythe worthy. He just got unlucky about the rest of the team. He then clearly surpassed Kessel as our best winger in 18-19. Then a few years later, he had an insane series in 2022 against the Rangers.

Kessel and Hornqvist certainly look very important today as we see the dysfunctional PP. Without them we may have had a trash PP during the Cup runs - preventing them from happening

Sid and Jake in 2018 were our best post seasons since Sid and Geno in 2009

 

[Kristopher Letang]

My vote for Jake, however, is that his 2018 playoffs (with Sid) were Conn Smythe worthy. He just got unlucky about the rest of the team. He then clearly surpassed Kessel as our best winger in 18-19. Then a few years later, he had an insane series in 2022 against the Rangers.

Kessel and Hornqvist certainly look very important today as we see the dysfunctional PP. Without them we may have had a trash PP during the Cup runs - preventing them from happening

Sid and Jake in 2018 were our best post seasons since Sid and Geno in 2009

I actually forgot about Guentzel’s 2018 postseason…. hmmm you might be right lol

 

[Fordy]

simple math, kessel = 2 cups

 

[Malkinstheman]

Gotta be Kessel. Gave the team a third weapon that could create offense out of nothing. Dude took one wrist shot and changed the course of a game. Team doesn't win anything without him.

 

[dr robbie]

Kessel was probably the most important as the poll asked.

Kunitz and Guentzel were both long-tenured staples that played well with the stars (87 in particular).

Hornqvist was easily my favorite and the type of guy you love having on the team.

 

[Andy99]

We havent won a Cup in the Sid era without Kunitz…most important winger therefore…

 

[Big Friggin Dummy]

Phil. Honorable mention to Kunitz.

 

[Pancakes]

I voted Kunitz. Significant contributor on three cups. Scored the double OT goal vs Ottawa.

 

[Randy Butternubs]

Not my answer, but a winger that seemed to have a significant impact on at least Crosby that I don't see talked about in recent times: Bill Guerin.

 

[AuroraBorealis]

Without Phil there's only 1 Cup in the Crosby era. He gets my vote by virtue of that. His contributions were very timely.

That being said, Guentzel overall has done more to help the team, over a longer period.
He was brilliant in 2017, 2018 and 2022.
Jake's a better playoff performer than even Phil. The problem is that apart from 2017, he didn't get enough help from the rest of the team.

 

[pistolpete11]

simple math, kessel = 2 cups

Kunitz won 3 with the Pens.

 

[pistolpete11]

Kessel was probably the most important as the poll asked.

Kunitz and Guentzel were both long-tenured staples that played well with the stars (87 in particular).

Hornqvist was easily my favorite and the type of guy you love having on the team.

I agree with all of this.

They traded for Kessel and immediately won 2 Cups. Of course there were other factors as well, but he played a huge role in both

Kunitz and Guentzel's impacts would be more about longevity, though both obviously contributed to Cups.

Horny's one of my favorite Pens in the Crosby-Malkin era. Probably helps he didn't stick around for too long like Kunitz did.

 

[BusinessGoose]

Tough choice

 

[Gurglesons]

Kunitz. His trade ushered in the championship era of this franchise and Sid has spoken about how important he was in setting the vibe many times.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

I voted Kessel but it was really a tough choice between him and Kunitz.

Kessel because he was the missing piece for back to back cups. Wouldn't change that for rhe world.

 

[Sideline]

I voted Kunitz because he was so important in the first Cup. I don't think the Penguins have the same confidence in the second window with Phil without the prior victory for the core to draw from. But I completely understand if someone picks Phil because he was elite during his peak here.

 

[SomeDude]

Doesn’t qualify due to how short he was here but I don’t think you can minimize the impact Hossa had in his brief stint. The acquisition in the first place was a message that the Pens now consider themselves contenders. The experience of getting to the 2008 Finals also likely was a huge part in shaping the core moving forward and that doesn’t happen without Hossa.

Kessel was the main spark to the b2b, IMO, so I pick him overall.

 

[ColePens]

Horny

 

[Sideline]

Horny

I want to find a woman that loves me as much as ColePens loves Hornqvist

 

[Ugene Magic]

I voted Kunitz because he was so important in the first Cup. I don't think the Penguins have the same confidence in the second window with Phil without the prior victory for the core to draw from. But I completely understand if someone picks Phil because he was elite during his peak here.

While this is true, and "they were all important". Crosby and Malkin made that double run their legacy run, and that clearly doesn't happen without Phil.

It was probably totally unfair for the league, and Washington who thought they had loaded up with depth, but mostly aging depth at the deadline.

Kunitz, for his rugged play and offense, and Hornqvist ditto. People need to remember these two switched in and out on the PP net front.

Jake got added to the 2017 cup team, which is like that extra dagger in the leagues side. And no, Jake is not on Phil's level. He's basically never known life without a top center. Generational center.

Phil put them on another level being a equal to the two top stars. He did not need them on his line, though, being with Geno in the 2017 run was fantastic. Phil's PP acumen completed that #1 PP unit. Teams often got burned by the trio enough their heads were spinning. There's no more important guy to flip that switch than Phil.

Eventually, it was the defense that ended that all not re-signing other key components to their success. They "all" played for one another. They should have ran it once more with minor tweaks.

 

[StaalForOne]

Kunitz
Hornqvist
Kessel

All good choices. I was also tempted to say Hossa who wasn't an option since it was the first blockbuster trade for the competitive window, but I would still put all the options above him.

Phil and Jake both had monster runs and had some clutch scoring, but Kunitz and Hornqvist brought it every night whether they were scoring or not. Something the team ahs been missing since Hornqvist's departure.

 

[Snooki Stackhouse]

Kessel is the best player of any of those guys, in my opinion by a wide margin, and his play directly resulted in two cups.