Was Crosby the most hyped NHL prospect of all time?

[PepsiMayWest]

The most hyped I've seen that I can remember, but that doesn't stretch too far back since i was born in '89. I specifically remember him being referred to as "The Next One" before the lottery draft.

 

[PepsiMayWest]

if youre under 40 you shouldnt answer this thread

Or you could simply put out qualifiers like "since I've been watching" or "from what I've seen"

 

[PinkFly]

Yeah, like the OP thinking Lebron was the most hyped ever and that there is no argument to that. What a ridiculous statement.

LeBron alone had more hype than Gretzky, Lemieux, Orr, Crosby, McDavid, Tavares and Lindros combined. Don't kid yourself, kiddo.

 

[enviro61]

LeBron alone had more hype than Gretzky, Lemieux, Orr, Crosby, McDavid, Tavares and Lindros combined. Don't kid yourself, kiddo.

You have to put qualifiers on it, otherwise where do you draw the line. Any athlete coming out of China like Yao Ming is going to get more hype worldwide than anyone in NA. Soccer players get more hype than any of us would ever realize.

The post has to be about Hokey players most hyped that you witnessed in your lifetime.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Lindros had way more hype.

This...Lindros by a mile.

 

[EastonBlues22]

Another vote for Lindros. The hype for Gretzky started far younger and the expectations for him were huge, but more than a few people thought he had some warts.

Lindros was built up to be the perfect hockey player. A RHS center that was huge, mobile, ultra skilled, and ultra-physical. The hype surrounding him when he was drafted was insane.

 

[Fantomas]

HFBOARDS is insignificant in this regard.

Disagree.

 

[VanIsle]

In my life.

Lemieux
Lindros
Thornton
Ovechkin
Crosby
*McDavid*

So far they deserve it, ***.

 

[voxel]

Another vote for Lindros. The hype for Gretzky started far younger and the expectations for him were huge, but more than a few people thought he had some warts.

Lindros was built up to be the perfect hockey player. A RHS center that was huge, mobile, ultra skilled, and ultra-physical. The hype surrounding him when he was drafted was insane.

Yup. He was supposed to be Lemieux and Gretzky in one. The Next One they called him. A power forward who could do it all and whom nobody could stop.

I didn’t see the same hype with McDavid and Crosby. If either was 6’4 and were vicious power forwards then yeah.

 

[glovesave_35]

I'd argue McDavid was probably the most hyped prospect of all time just because of the social media aspect and how it had grown by the time he came on the scene . Lindros holds up pretty well too considering the package Philly gave up to get him. Then there is Crosby who had casual fans watching CHL games and his Mem Cup run just to see what all the fuss was about.

I'm just curious, but what do you mean specifically when you refer to the social media aspect of McDavid's time vs Crosby. My initial reaction is that Crosby had more hype surrounding him than McDavid and that the internet was in full steam ahead mode in Crosby's draft time. Twitter wasn't around and Facebook was (I think) still just for people with a ".edu" email address, but fans were still consuming massive amounts of print, visual, and audio media. So I'm genuinely curious, how has the social media prevalency of the current era aided in hyping up McDavid more than Crosby.

 

[BobbyShehan]

Yeah but was he known outside of Quebec?

Punch Imlach was his coach. The whole league wanted him. But it was a small world compared to the Lindros era. Even Gretzky was never hyped as much as Lindros. Everyone after pales in comparison, including Crosby.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Yeah, like the OP thinking Lebron was the most hyped ever and that there is no argument to that. What a ridiculous statement.

LeBron is easily the most hyped ever. ESPN televised his HIGH SCHOOL games on national TV ffs. Never done before and hasn't been done since.

 

[maacoshark]

This...Lindros by a mile.

Most of the Lindros hype was because he refused to go to Quebec. And then the big trade by the Flyers to get him. It ended up working out well for Colorado. Lindros and Crosby were both very hyped up.

 

[WolfgangPuck]

I’m old enough to remember the Mario Lemieux sweepstakes.
Penguins tanked hard to finish dead last to guarantee they could pick #1
Think that was one of the reasons NHL changed the rules and ran a draft lottery for losing teams for the right to draft first.

 

[enviro61]

Most of the Lindros hype was because he refused to go to Quebec. And then the big trade by the Flyers to get him. It ended up working out well for Colorado. Lindros and Crosby were both very hyped up.

Not even close, that was just the final straw.

As a previous poster mentioned, imagine a prospect with the skill set and production of Crosby who was 6'4" 240 pounds and as angry as a speared bull.

 

[daver]

Not even close, that was just the final straw.

As a previous poster mentioned, imagine a prospect with the skill set and production of Crosby who was 6'4" 240 pounds and as angry as a speared bull.

Crosby was better offensive prospect and had the higher offensive upside which was proven to be case in the NHL. This is why Lindros' hype is greater. His offensive game was overhyped.

 

[maacoshark]

Crosby was better offensive prospect and had the higher offensive upside which was proven to be case in the NHL. This is why Lindros' hype is greater. His offensive game was overhyped.

Lindros put up some decent offensive numbers. I'd take a player like Lindros over Crosby in a heartbeat.

 

[daver]

Lindros put up some decent offensive numbers. I'd take a player like Lindros over Crosby in a heartbeat.

Just saying he didn't have the skill set and production of Crosby, and he relied on his physicality to enhance that production too. Once the physicality went away, so did his production.

 

[enviro61]

Crosby was better offensive prospect and had the higher offensive upside which was proven to be case in the NHL. This is why Lindros' hype is greater. His offensive game was overhyped.

[mod] In hindsight Crosby had a much more successful NHL career but that's not what were talking about.

Do whatever stats analysis you want but clearly state your bias upfront. Iw as around and of age to observe both and have no bias that I am aware of either way.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Lindros hype was huge. Bigger than Crosby. Take the hype for Crosby, now imagine if he was a 6'4" 245 lb wrecking ball on top of that.

I was too young to really be aware of it but considering Gretzky was called the Great One at 13, I'm guessing he was pretty hyped as well.

 

[daver]

[mod] In hindsight Crosby had a much more successful NHL career but that's not what were talking about.

Do whatever stats analysis you want but clearly state your bias upfront. Iw as around and of age to observe both and have no bias that I am aware of either way.

It's quite simple. Crosby was more dominant in juniors production-wise than Lindros. Crosby was much closer to Wayne and Mario as an offensive prospect than Lindros. There is no bias to hard statistical evidence.

Lindros' draft year - 57 games, 71 goals, 149 points, PPG - 2.61
The next top scorers in the OHL had 128, 125, 122 points. Avg. GF per team - 4.47

Crosby's draft year - 62 games, 66 goals, 168 points - PPG - 2.71
The next top scorers, who weren't Crosby's linemates, in the Q had 108, 97, 90 points. Avg. GF per team - 3.4

It's not really close at all is it.

 

[Tawnos]

I think it’s gotta go to Lindros. There’s one important difference between his hype and everyone else’s that I knew of (basically back to Gretzky).

No one else was hyped as being someone who would change the whole game. Be all-time great players? Sure. Lindros was supposed to change the game. And Lindros did.

 

[voxel]

I think it’s gotta go to Lindros. There’s one important difference between his hype and everyone else’s that I knew of (basically back to Gretzky).

No one else was hyped as being someone who would change the whole game. Be all-time great players? Sure. Lindros was supposed to change the game. And Lindros did.

Even back in junior... you just knew Lindros would be hoisting Olympic Gold for Canada one day. Such a physical beast with such skill. With Crosby and McDavid it was less certain. Mario had red flags as recall. Had friend watch him in junior and said he floated often and saw him smoking either between periods or before/after the game (don't take my word for it).

 

[Tawnos]

Even back in junior... you just knew Lindros would be hoisting Olympic Gold for Canada one day. Such a physical beast with such skill. With Crosby and McDavid it was less certain. Mario had red flags as recall. Had friend watch him in junior and said he floated often and saw him smoking either between periods or before/after the game (don't take my word for it).

Well that doesn’t make sense considering pros weren’t allowed in the Olympics until 1998...

 

[voxel]

Well that doesn’t make sense considering pros weren’t allowed in the Olympics until 1998...

Or World Cup or Canada Cup or whatever tourney they had back then. Your point is correct though... fake memories