Where do you rank Crosby and Ovechkin's rivalry all time?

[Jim MacDonald]

I think these two have a nice rivalry going already. If you throw in a few more postseason battles, especially if the games go 7 and either one of these guys have dominating series (OT winners etc.) it will make the debates that much more lively.

 

[Fantomas]

Most compelling player-to-player rivalry in my lifetime at least. I don't think Gretzky-Lemieux primes coincided with one another all that much. So what else is there? You have to go beyond the expansion years to find something comparable.

 

[ImporterExporter]

Most compelling player-to-player rivalry in my lifetime at least. I don't think Gretzky-Lemieux primes coincided with one another all that much. So what else is there? You have to go beyond the expansion years to find something comparable.

It is quite odd how few rivalries there seem to have been over the past few decades. I mean rivalries are mostly media/fan made and driven. That's especially true today but at the same time there are and have been very real tug of wars between players and teams.

I don't think Gretzky v Lemieux is much of a rivalry at all. They never played against one another much, especially in games that really mattered.

I certainly can't remember a pair of players that were so closely linked both organically (Sid and Ovi both entered the league at the exact same time as generational players on already well established team rivals). It may have existed in the O6 era or prior but from the 70's onward? I don't see it.

 

[Sentinel]

Ovy-Sid is a fabulous rivalry. I would put it behind Howe-Richard but above Hasek-Roy, who mostly played in different conferences and only met on two meaningful occasions. Sakic and Yzerman were both too non-confrontational and classy to talk about rivalry. And McCarty-Lemieux simply lacked talent.

 

[sr edler]

Crosby/Giroux felt more like a real rivalry, at least for a short little while in 2013 when the Flyers lit up the Penguins in the playoffs (and vice versa) and Crosby hacked and slashed jealously at Giroux's wrists in the face-off circle.

 

[Troubadour]

I don't think Gretzky v Lemieux is much of a rivalry at all. They never played against one another much, especially in games that really mattered.

I agree it was not much of a rivalry, but not necessarily because they never played against one another much. The reason for that is Gretzky beating on Mario in a nearly monumental manner:

They played 23 games against one another. And in those, numbers went like this:

Gretzky 15 41 56 +16 2.43 PPG

Lemieux 11 27 38 -13 1.65 PPG

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Gretzky did to Lemieux what he was doing to other mortals. He had more assists than Lemieux did points.

The worst part is, Gretzky's dominance was a lasting one. It went on even after his departure from Edmonton.

With-Edmonton Gretzky and Lemieux locked the horns in 9 games:

Gretzky: 7 15 22 +1 2.44 PPG

Lemieux: 3 10 13 -2 1.44 PPG

The remaining 14 games after the Gretzky trade:

Gretzky: 8 26 34 +15 2.42 PPG

Lemieux: 8 17 25 -11 1.78 PPG

(Note that Gretzky still had more assists than Lemieux had points.)

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It could have been a great one -- but the great one was too alone in this.

 

[The Panther]

Ah, what could have been in 1991. The L.A. Kings had a strong team (best in the League in goal-differential that season), and no way they should have lost to .500 Edmonton that spring. But they went down in six games, four of them going to overtime, three won by Edmonton. I have to think 1991 would have been the Gretzky vs. Lemieux (Kings/Pens) final if L.A. had won even one of those last three overtimes.

 

[JackSlater]

I think it's up there with Howe and Richard. Howe and Richard had the English/French angle, but Crosby and Ovechkin started at basically the exact same time and have a lot of interesting contrasts (Canadian/Russian, play maker/goal scorer, quiet/extroverted) and they do get to face off very often for the current NHL. I think that it has a chance to be ranked first. Hockey's version of Magic/Bird (in my opinion the best rivalry between players) or Messi/Ronaldo.

 

[FinProspects]

Crosby/Giroux felt more like a real rivalry, at least for a short little while in 2013 when the Flyers lit up the Penguins in the playoffs (and vice versa) and Crosby hacked and slashed jealously at Giroux's wrists in the face-off circle.

I agree, it was 2012 though. The most painful/embarassing series to remember as a Pens fan, Philly/Giroux just dominated the Pens. That said, neither team had any business to even challenge for the cup.

Imagine if that Giroux uppercut would have hit Sids chin? Thats a WRAP for Sid. Seriously.

 

[Jim MacDonald]

I feel like I'm kinda "late to the party" on this as I'm CERTAIN this has to have been brought up in the "what-if" department...….how interesting would it have been if David Volek doesn't happen to the Pens in 93.....and eventually you maybe have Gretzky and Lemieux playing for Lord Stanley!! I still would've been a bit too young in developing my love for hockey to appreciate that scenario, but I'm sure you guys would tell me just how must-see television that would've been!!

 

[The Panther]

I feel like I'm kinda "late to the party" on this as I'm CERTAIN this has to have been brought up in the "what-if" department...….how interesting would it have been if David Volek doesn't happen to the Pens in 93.....and eventually you maybe have Gretzky and Lemieux playing for Lord Stanley!!

Don't get me wrong, a Kings'/Pens' 1993 Final would have been awesome, but Gretzky in '93 was past his prime and the Kings were running on fumes. Although you don't like to bet against Gretzky in such situations, Pittsburgh totally outclassed L.A. at that point in time. As for other things, imagine Barry Melrose vs. Scotty Bowman...

 

[ImporterExporter]

Don't get me wrong, a Kings'/Pens' 1993 Final would have been awesome, but Gretzky in '93 was past his prime and the Kings were running on fumes. Although you don't like to bet against Gretzky in such situations, Pittsburgh totally outclassed L.A. at that point in time. As for other things, imagine Barry Melrose vs. Scotty Bowman...

Might be the biggest mismatch of all time....