Tribute Most Important Winger of Sid/Geno Era?

[ChaosAgent]

Bump!

 

[BusinessGoose]

Bump!

No change. Poll still accurate

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

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.

Summed exactly how I feel. I can't choose. They all brought different elements

 

[Pens1566]

The answer is Phil. He was able to draw heat from Sid/Geno and create on his own like no others in the list.

Kunitz is a distant 2nd.

 

[wej20]

I think it is probably Kessel but I think Kunitz on Timonen is my favourite Pens hit of all time.

 

[Allie Kitsune]

Dupuis, of course.

And how dare any haters think differently.

(/sarcasm)

 

[Turin]

Kessel, Hornqvist, Kunitz

 

[molon labe]

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.

The bold is why I chose Hornqvist.

He scored when the rest of the fancy pants team could not. Often. [Cup clinching goal not even withstanding]

The latest rosters have all been variations of a scoring line with 9 guys who do nothing and bring nothing... Hornqvist was always there to get a clutch PP goal, a gritty goal, and even had some occasional brilliant goals / backhands. We not only don't win those cups without him, our place in the standings shifts drastically.

That being said they're all amazing choices.

 

[Khelandros]

Marian Hossa… not just for his run that year but I never thought in a million years they would acquire someone of his caliber. Going forward it kind of set the tone that the penguins were all in and wouldn’t be afraid to go for a big acquisition.

This is the right answer, but the wrong reason.

When Hossa lol'd and left pretty much saying the Pens weren't good enough. You know Sid spent the summer all,

Then everything that was said above.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Craig Adams.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

The bold is why I chose Hornqvist.

He scored when the rest of the fancy pants team could not. Often. [Cup clinching goal not even withstanding]

The latest rosters have all been variations of a scoring line with 9 guys who do nothing and bring nothing... Hornqvist was always there to get a clutch PP goal, a gritty goal, and even had some occasional brilliant goals / backhands. We not only don't win those cups without him, our place in the standings shifts drastically.

That being said they're all amazing choices.

No player can match the legend of Patric Hornqvist, not even Hornqvist himself. Playing at a 27 goal pace on the #1PP and with Crosby as your linemate just isn't that impressive. He was a guy who regularly underperformed in the playoffs.

 

[JRS91]

I think it's Kessel, without a doubt.

I'll be honest, I didn't think this team needed Kessel in 2015, but they obviously did. He added a dynamic to the team, that was never there. He was that third player that took pressure off Crosby and Malkin. He was clutch when they needed them.

I think second is probably Guentzel, he's the best homegrown winger they've had since Naslund. Which is wild to think that it took 25 years to draft a winger like that. Third is probably Kunitz. Fourth is probably Guerin. FIfth I'd say is Hornqvist or Rust. It's hard to really say, but I think they were all pivotal at some point.

 

[Ogrezilla]

Phil was more important for a shorter time. But I go kunitz. This group never won without him. He pushed us over the top for the first. Still brought what he needed to bring even when the wheels were gone and we all screamed for his head. I want him benched and the cheeky f***er sends us to the cup in OT.

And then there’s still the seasons in between the cup runs where we had Kunitz. Sure we all want cups but that isn’t the only hockey that happens. Does Sid have the same career through that chunk without him? Does geno? Does sid stay happy here through 16 without him?

Kessel was more important to the teams as they won those cups, but I put Kunitz ahead for overall what he meant to this franchise all-in. But it’s close. And guentzel has the same credit in non-cup years too.

 

[BobCole]

No player can match the legend of Patric Hornqvist, not even Hornqvist himself. Playing at a 27 goal pace on the #1PP and with Crosby as your linemate just isn't that impressive. He was a guy who regularly underperformed in the playoffs.

Can't agree with this take at all. Guy was great in 16 & 17. Not great afterwards, but neither was the entire team. Guy was a spark plug and we haven't replaced him. Oh, not to mention the whole game winning goal in Game 6 to win the Cup.

 

[Al Smith]

Max Talbot for that statue-worthy moment in Philly, his oscar-worthy commercials, and his two goals in Detroit. But other than that, Kessel.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Max Talbot for that statue-worthy moment in Philly, his oscar-worthy commercials, and his two goals in Detroit. But other than that, Kessel.

Cha-chee-chee too you as well.

 

[Gurglesons]

It’s Chris Kunitz without question IMO.