General Hockey Thread 2010-2011

[Phightins]

"24/7" starts tomorrow night on HBO. I am pretty excited for it, even though I am not very fond of the Penguins and Capitals. It should be very cool.

 

I thought it was fantastic, btw.

[Check my Stats]

Is there anywhere online you can watch that?

[Phightins]

Is there anywhere online you can watch that?

 

I dunno, maybe HBO's website. Although I think you might need a subscription for that. I really have no clue.

[Check my Stats]

Sidney Crosby showing no signs of slowing down.

[EastCoastNiner]

Sidney Crosby showing no signs of slowing down.

 

It's a good sign that the best player in the league is heating up. Evgeni Malkin is a beeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaasssstttttttt, and I love seeing all of the Stamkos jockers go into hiding now. .

 

When they are on their game, Malkin>>Crosby, and I've seen most Penguins fans say the same thing.

[Warren2ThaG]

Letang is a beast wow

[The Great iBoldin]

Evgeni Malkin is a great player, but he's nowhere near the player Sidney Crosby is.

 

http://www.wowheylook.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Cmon-Tyrone.jpeg

[EastCoastNiner]

Evgeni Malkin is a great player, but he's nowhere near the player Sidney Crosby is.

 

http://www.wowheylook.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Cmon-Tyrone.jpeg

 

When they are both playing to their ability, then yes, Malkin is clearly the better player, but consistency is the problem. Honestly, I bet you will find more Penguins fans that will say Malkin is a more talented player than Crosby then those that will say Crosby is more talented.

 

When they are both playing to their ability, Malkin is better.

[Check my Stats]

Malkin can't hold Crosby's jock strap. I don't care about talent, Crosby is way more effective. Malkin floats too much when he doesn't have the puck (similar to Ovechkin), isn't as physical as he should be, and is way too inconsistent, not to mention Crosby is a terrific 2 way player now, and the better faceoff man.

 

You might have had an argument a few years ago when Crosby wasn't a capable 50 goal scorer, but now? No.

Edited December 21, 2010 by Check my Stats

[EastCoastNiner]

Malkin can't hold Crosby's jock strap. I don't care about talent, Crosby is way more effective. Malkin floats too much when he doesn't have the puck (similar to Ovechkin), isn't as physical as he should be, and is way too inconsistent, not to mention Crosby is a terrific 2 way player now, and the better faceoff man.

 

You might have had an argument a few years ago when Crosby wasn't a capable 50 goal scorer, but now? No.

 

Well, I'll take Malkin over Mr. secondary assist when they are on their games, and I know there are a lot of people that feel the same way. Make your way over to hfboards and look around in the Penguins section, and you will find a lot of people that feel the same way.

 

Obviously many people will take Crosby over Malkin because of his consistency, and with him being Canadian.

 

I have nothing against Crosby as he's been the best player in the NHL this year, but when they're on their game, give me Malkin.

Edited December 21, 2010 by EastCoastNiner

[Universe]

So if you are starting a team from scratch, you'd pick Malkin?

[EastCoastNiner]

So if you are starting a team from scratch, you'd pick Malkin?

 

I don't know what I would do. IFFFFFF I could hypothetically get any player that would play to their potential, then yes, I'd take Malkin without hesitation. However, if I were picking a team, I can't play the hypothetical game, which is why Crobsy is a safer bet.

 

It's pretty apparent that when Malkin is on his game, he is the best player in the league. However, he's not always on his game, and a lot of that has to do with some injuries. When Crosby was injured, he single handedly carried the Penguins and should have won the Hart Trophy. Not to mention he carried the Penguins in their Cup Final run, and Crosby doesn't perform as well as Malkin in the playoffs.

[Warren2ThaG]

You guys never mention Letang = sad. No Hockey knowledge.

[The Great iBoldin]

Malkin has been marred with inconsistency throughout his career. He can't play without the puck, he doesn't like playing defense (atypical of most Russians) and he doesn't have the will or the mental capacity to snap out of long slumps.

 

Crosby is not just playing out of his mind this year, he's been doing it for over two years now. He's outscored Malkin in all but two years (one the injury season where Crosby played 53 games). He's a better leader, he's clearly the best player in the NHL. I don't see how you take a center with leadership qualities and everything Crosby is about over a guy who may or may not explode at a given time.

 

Malkin's play in the playoffs last year was inexplicably terrible, too.

[Phightins]

I was kind of on the fence about this before this season, but now I am 100% sold that Crosby is the best. I still hate the guy, though.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfdUyLal9yc

[EastCoastNiner]

Malkin has been marred with inconsistency throughout his career. He can't play without the puck, he doesn't like playing defense (atypical of most Russians) and he doesn't have the will or the mental capacity to snap out of long slumps.

 

Crosby is not just playing out of his mind this year, he's been doing it for over two years now. He's outscored Malkin in all but two years (one the injury season where Crosby played 53 games). He's a better leader, he's clearly the best player in the NHL. I don't see how you take a center with leadership qualities and everything Crosby is about over a guy who may or may not explode at a given time.

 

Malkin's play in the playoffs last year was inexplicably terrible, too.

 

Again, when Malkin is on his game, he is a better player then Crobsy. He is more dynamic with the puck, has better puck control, and a better shot. However, he's not always on his game.

 

And, I can't believe you had the audacity to bring up Malkin's playoff run last year when Crosby was pretty much a no-show in the finals where it matters most. Not to mention he disappeared in the finals the year before where Malkin carried the entire team. If you want to say Crosby is better because of his talent and consistency, that's fine, but if we're talking about pure skill and talent then it's definitely Malkin, which is what I've been saying in each post.

 

Again, I really can't believe you tried to bring up Malkin's playoff run when Crosby has been much worse then him in the playoffs.

 

 

I'll sig bet you this year that if the Penguins make the playoffs, and both players are health, Malkin will outscore Crosby.

[The Great iBoldin]

Again, when Malkin is on his game, he is a better player then Crobsy. He is more dynamic with the puck, has better puck control, and a better shot. However, he's not always on his game.

 

And, I can't believe you had the audacity to bring up Malkin's playoff run last year when Crosby was pretty much a no-show in the finals where it matters most. Not to mention he disappeared in the finals the year before where Malkin carried the entire team. If you want to say Crosby is better because of his talent and consistency, that's fine, but if we're talking about pure skill and talent then it's definitely Malkin, which is what I've been saying in each post.

 

Again, I really can't believe you tried to bring up Malkin's playoff run when Crosby has been much worse then him in the playoffs.

 

 

I'll sig bet you this year that if the Penguins make the playoffs, and both players are health, Malkin will outscore Crosby.

 

No, he's not. Part of being "on your game" and having skill is using it every night, which Crosby has done for an extended period of time, over several season - regular season or playoffs - and Malkin simply hasn't done. Crosby is much more talented. He does way more things on the ice. He backchecks harder, he has a higher sense of hockey IQ, he goes to play every shift and he's arguably one of the top two-way forwards in the league, a prestigious group.

 

Pure skill doesn't mean anything when, stacked up in comparison to another player, you're not producing at the same clip and you aren't as big of a clog that makes the team go as the other player. I don't see how you can correlate that Malkin has more talent and skill when Crosby is better at virtually everything, give or take a few arguable points. I just don't see it.

 

And sure, I'll sig bet. At least we'll get rid of that of that asinine suggestion that Ilya Kovalchuk is the best player in the game.

[EastCoastNiner]

No, he's not. Part of being "on your game" and having skill is using it every night, which Crosby has done for an extended period of time, over several season - regular season or playoffs - and Malkin simply hasn't done. Crosby is much more talented. He does way more things on the ice. He backchecks harder, he has a higher sense of hockey IQ, he goes to play every shift and he's arguably one of the top two-way forwards in the league, a prestigious group.

 

Pure skill doesn't mean anything when, stacked up in comparison to another player, you're not producing at the same clip and you aren't as big of a clog that makes the team go as the other player. I don't see how you can correlate that Malkin has more talent and skill when Crosby is better at virtually everything, give or take a few arguable points. I just don't see it.

 

And sure, I'll sig bet. At least we'll get rid of that of that asinine suggestion that Ilya Kovalchuk is the best player in the game.

 

I don't know how you can say Crosby is really better defensively. He doesn't get a significant amount of more PK time than Malkin, and Malkin gets many more takeaways than Crosby. He has better puck-handling skills, a better shot, is stronger on the puck, and the list can go on.

 

And, I don't like to use other people's opinions as a basis for an argument, but go over to hfboards and look what many Penguins fans have to say. You'll see a lot that will say Malkin bs better WHEN HE IS ON HIS GAME, which is all I have been saying.

 

I'm not going to go much more into it because they are both great players, and we just won't agree on this.

Edited December 21, 2010 by EastCoastNiner

[The Great iBoldin]

I don't know how you can say Crosby is really better defensively. He doesn't get a significant amount of more PK time than Malkin, and Malkin gets many more takeaways than Crosby. He has better puck-handling skills, a better shot, is stronger on the puck, and the list can go on.

 

And, I don't like to use other people's opinions as a basis for an argument, but go over to hfboards and look what many Penguins fans have to say. You'll see a lot that will say Malkin bs better WHEN HE IS ON HIS GAME, which is all I have been saying.

 

On the first page alone, there is a 13 page thread on why the Penguins should trade Evgeni, a thread posing the question why Pittsburgh traded Markus Naslund (lol), and a boatload of Winter Classic threads. I have seen absolutely nothing suggesting Crosby isn't the player Malkin is and I've gone through four pages worth of threads. I doubt I'll find it. HFBoards are filled with fairweather fans and armchair GM's who cannot make conscious decisions about what way they feel their team is.

 

PK time =/= better defensively. Jeff Tambellini got a great amount of PK time tonight for the Canucks and he can't play defense if his life depended on it. Henrik Sedin doesn't seen a lot of time on the penalty kill, are we to say that Henrik isn't a good defensive player? No, penalty kill time and defense don't correlate.

 

You're arguing puck handling skills? Really? C'mon, lol. Give me something better to work with then [expletive]ing puck handling skills. That's so arbitrary and irrelevant. Crosby must have some decent puck skills too, he lead the Pens last year with 58 of them, alongside 50 goals. I think his shot is okay too, then.

 

Can you give me something more concrete, such as better hockey IQ, more awareness in general, goal scoring, assists, tenacity and leadership? Forechecking, the ability to take over a game, make something happen out of nothing, fight, hit? Anything? No, you can't. Because it's simple; Sidney Crosby is a better hockey player and has oodles more talent then Malkin. It's not even close. Ask any hockey mind in the actual business of hockey and they'll tell you the same thing.

[EastCoastNiner]

On the first page alone, there is a 13 page thread on why the Penguins should trade Evgeni, a thread posing the question why Pittsburgh traded Markus Naslund (lol), and a boatload of Winter Classic threads. I have seen absolutely nothing suggesting Crosby isn't the player Malkin is and I've gone through four pages worth of threads. I doubt I'll find it. HFBoards are filled with fairweather fans and armchair GM's who cannot make conscious decisions about what way they feel their team is.

 

PK time =/= better defensively. Jeff Tambellini got a great amount of PK time tonight for the Canucks and he can't play defense if his life depended on it. Henrik Sedin doesn't seen a lot of time on the penalty kill, are we to say that Henrik isn't a good defensive player? No, penalty kill time and defense don't correlate.

 

You're arguing puck handling skills? Really? C'mon, lol. Give me something better to work with then [expletive]ing puck handling skills. That's so arbitrary and irrelevant. Crosby must have some decent puck skills too, he lead the Pens last year with 58 of them, alongside 50 goals. I think his shot is okay too, then.

 

Can you give me something more concrete, such as better hockey IQ, more awareness in general, goal scoring, assists, tenacity and leadership? Forechecking, the ability to take over a game, make something happen out of nothing, fight, hit? Anything? No, you can't. Because it's simple; Sidney Crosby is a better hockey player and has oodles more talent then Malkin. It's not even close. Ask any hockey mind in the actual business of hockey and they'll tell you the same thing.

 

Malkin is a much more dynamic player, and has the ability to create in the offensive zone more than Crosby. You can't knock him off the puck. He's just like Lemiuex in that sense. You're trying to bring up hitting and fighting when Crosby does neither, and when he does it's cheap? Just stop with that nonsense.

 

The most important thing is to perform in the playoffs, and Malkin has a Conn Smythe, and may add a second one this year. I really don't get get how you don't see how he is more "talented" than Crosby.

 

He has a better shot, is a better skater, more control with the puck, equal defensively(or a minimal difference), and doesn't rack up the secondary assists on the PP.

 

I love Crosby, and would take him on the Bruins any-day, probably over Malkin, but Malkin has more talent and over the next few years you will start to take notice of what many already notice.

 

 

And, all I know is Crosby and Malkin make Kesler look like a defensive chump......... :glasses: .

[Phightins]

Can we at least agree that you need to finally change your sig?

[The Great iBoldin]

Can we at least agree that you need to finally change your sig?

 

This ^ as mentioned before, lol. I'll even make you a sig ECN!

[Phightins]

Also...it needs to be said:

 

Two secondary assists for Malkin tonight....

Edited December 21, 2010 by Phightins

[EastCoastNiner]

Also...it needs to be said:

 

Two secondary assists for Malkin tonight....

 

YOU WATCH YOUR MOUTH!

 

And, yes, I will change my sig sometime in the future. .

[Check my Stats]

I think it is kind of interesting you mention playoff production when Malkin only had marginally better playoff production, and this was due in large part because he wasn't facing the opponents best defensive players every shift. There is a reason all the attention is and was put on Crosby by opposing teams defensively in the playoffs. Despite this, Crosby still has more points in the same number of career games, not to mention Malkin is hardly even +. It just sucks both of them have to play with such mediocre wingers.

 

Malkin is a great player, elite, but Crosby is just on a whole other level right now where no one should be compared to him. On a side note it is nice to see Ovechkin not being mentioned next to Crosby anymore, he shouldn't have been in the first place, but at least now everyone sees it. If anything, arguing Malkin vs Ovechkin is more close and debatable, both have more flaws in their game than Crosby does.

 

I am curious, are you a fan of Alexei Kovalev?

Edited December 21, 2010 by Check my Stats