When did Malkin establish himself as the 3rd best player of his generation?

[Varan]

I remember seeing a lot of posts on this board and other websites where, prior to the Pens' back-2-back titles, many were claiming Toews was the 3rd best player of his generation by virtue of his 3 cups, or even Carey Price who was playing out of his mind. Some even mentioned Karlsson and even Lidstrom. After Kane had his career year in 2016, people started to mention him as the 3rd best due to his accomplishments.

Rarely saw Malkin though.

Fast forward to now, and Crosby/OV/Malkin are without a doubt dubbed as the "Big 3" of this generation. When did he establish himself as the 3rd best? (to me he always was)

Edit: Here is a link to a recent thread from 2015 discussing this

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/thre...op-3-players-mentioned-from-this-era.1954317/

Click to read more...

 

[TheGoldenJet]

Since about 2009.

 

[3074326]

He had two 100+ point seasons, a Calder and a Smythe by the end of the 2009 season. The Smythe sealed the deal.

 

[volcom92886]

Hes not, Toews is better, just ask the people who voted on the Top 100 NHlers of all time

 

[nowhereman]

Malkin has been the 3rd best player of his generation from pretty much the start. It's just that hockey fans are fickle and have the memory of a goldfish, so he's often forgotten in favor of the flavor of the month.

But the moment Malkin started to be mentioned in the "Big 3" was 2008/09. Then he won an Art Ross, Conn Smythe, and a Stanley Cup and everyone had him firmly cemented at #3. Then, the next year, Toews won a Stanley Cup and everyone thought that being a good two-way center on a stacked team meant you're a top player in the world.

 

[93LEAFS]

He's been in poll position since his 1st Hart and 2nd Art Ross Trophy (combined with arguably the best playoffs performance post-lockout). I'd say the back to back cups cemented it, but he'd been in the lead for awhile. Well, atleast outside of whoever voted on the NHL top 100.

 

[BeastoftheEast85]

I would stay starting around 2007 when you watched the Pens to see Crosby you would find your self as often as not equally as impressed by Malkin. By the 2009 cup run there was no way you could say Crosby was generational without saying the same about malkin. Things have changed a bit since then due to Malkin’s injury and consistency issues but still felt like there was no player you could slide ahead of him except Crosby and a Ovy until McDavid.

 

[Tuna Tatarrrrrr]

In 2009, with his first Art Ross and Conn Smythe, the real "Big 3" (Ovechkin/Crosby/Malkin) of this generation started right there. McDavid broke it for good now.

And Toews as the best 3rd player of this generation was just a f***ing joke.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

He was the 3rd best player in the league by the end of his second season imo, unanimously by the end of his third season. When Crosby got injured in 08 people thought the pens would miss the playoffs. Instead they got even better (record wise) and Malkin went on a tear ending up at 106 points. He followed it up with a 113 point season and 36 point playoff the next year. He cemented himself as the 3rd best player of the generation with his 2nd art ross and 109 point season in 2011-12.

 

[Sky04]

2009

 

[MessierII]

2007-08 season when Crosby missed over a month with an injury everyone was oh my god pens are screwed without Crosby and then Malkin just started putting up Crosby numbers.

 

[Newsworthy]

Karlsson is so underated.

 

[GreatGonzo]

He had a lot of talk after 2009, but IMO he sealed his rep as one of the top of his generation after his 2012 season. It truly showed us how dominant he really is, and not having Crosby furthered that.

 

[Semantics]

Never, Ovechkin is better.

 

[Ms Maggie]

Never, Ovechkin is better.

Third. Re-read OP.

Semantics?

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

In Malkin's 2nd and 3rd season, he had 229 regular season points in 164 regular season games and 58 playoff points points in 44 playoff games in back to back years. Nobody besides McDavid, Crosby, or Ovechkin has done anything close to that since then and people only forgot about Malkin because of injuries.

 

[Voight]

2012, when he sort of came out from 8/87s shadow and had that peak year people always look for.

yes by June 2009 he was one helluva player but 2012 was his way of showing he can lead the Pens without Crosby around/be "the guy" on a. team.

 

[Riddum]

Malkin better than Croby, better than Ovi. Malkin underrated. Ovi and Crosby overrated

 

[Nico Hischier]

When he was left off NHLs best 100 players ever list

 

[Empoleon8771]

As others have said, Malkin really cemented himself as #3 when he had that historic playoff run in 2009. Winning the Art Ross and coming in 2nd in 2 years definitely helped, but it was the 36 point playoff run that really established him on that level.

 

[Jesus Take the Wheel]

Another reason for Malkin at this point is the level of consistency he has had. Yes other guys have put up incredible seasons and get a mention here and there, but Malkin since 2009 has produced at a rate that nobody else has been capable of matching besides Sid himself

 

[Ozz]

many were claiming Toews was the 3rd best player of his generation by virtue of his 3 cups, or even Carey Price who was playing out of his mind. Some even mentioned Karlsson and even Lidstrom. After Kane had his career year in 2016, people started to mention him as the 3rd best due to his accomplishments.

Rarely saw Malkin though.

Says a lot about the populous...

Since about 2009.

That's about right.

 

[Varan]

Malkin better than Croby, better than Ovi. Malkin underrated. Ovi and Crosby overrated

why do you hate crosby and OV so much

 

[TheAngryHank]

Before McDavid , and he has no grace.

 

[Regal]

I think it was more of a case of Malkin's injuries and the Pens playoff struggles before the 2nd cup that caused people to overreact around 2015 and suggest he wasn't the 3rd best moreso than him solidifying his place after that. As others have said, he was generally seen as the 3rd best fairly consistently since his Conn Smythe win. It's just after the back to back cups and a 98 point year this year, people have come back to their senses again