How good is Sidney Crosby?

[PepsiFree]

He was extremely highly regarded when he was drafted and continued that through the Penguins Cup win in '09.

Concussions seemed to derail his career for a couple years, he had a reputation for pouting and complaining, and there have been rumours he's a "coach killer" (if such a thing really exists).

Since he recovered from his concussions he's been quieter, calmer, and has transformed his game. His offensive ability is without question but his defensive game has developed into one of the best.

Whether he wins the cup this year or not, it's hard to argue that a huge part of the turnaround for Pittsburgh this year and a big reason they're in the finals is Crosby.

So, a decade or so since he was drafted: Where does Crosby rank amongst players today? How do you think Crosby compares to the other greats through history?

[rain_e]

I think he falls in the top ten (to ever play the game).

[shotinthebacklund]

very.

[albertGQ]

Him and OV are the two best players of their era

[Locke]

Crosby is one of those rare players that got insane hype and billing and I dont think anyone can claim he hasnt lived up to it.

A quick check on TSN shows that Crosby has: 968 points in 707 GP.

I'd easily argue that hes probably one of the best players the game has ever seen and will be backing that up with his career stats.

[Erick Estrada]

Maybe top 20 all time. Wouldn't be in my top 10 and I think Ovechkin has had a more impressive career based on how he's tearing up history in goals scored which is where I place more weight than assists or Stanley Cup victories which are team achievements.

[dammage79]

1a. OV
1b. Crosby

Even though the hardware says Crosby should be #1. They both have impacted the game in very different ways. Either way, as much as much as I don't like Crosby, he is easily one of the best players in the world for the past decade.

[shermanator]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

Him and OV are the two best players of their era

Agreed. Big difference is Crosby led teams can win Stanley Cups and Gold Medals. Ovechkin, not so much.

[Flames Draft Watcher]

He's above average

[codynw]

McDavid better

[PepsiFree]

McDavid most best?

[Canehdianman]

pretty ####ing good.

[Jason14h]

By the end of his career top 15. Injuries in his prime will keep him from top 10 ( although he could play till 40 and end up with 1500 pts , etc)

[Textcritic]

Best player on the planet by a country mile. It is not close, and we will not see a player of his calibre for sometime. Especially since he plays for the eternal disaster Edmonton Oilers, McDavid will never be as good.

[Fire of the Phoenix]

He may never get 100+ points again but I think his two way game has never been better. His career seems to be following a similar path as Yzerman, where his offensive output is declining but his overall game is improving, and it's not like he's a slouch offensively as he will likely be a fixture in the top five scorers for a a few years yet.

As far as where he ranks all time? Tough to say until he hangs him up. If retired today I'd slot him in behind Messier, Beliveau, Sakic and Yzerman. If he can get to 1500 points and another cup or two (conn smythe would help), I think he's easily top 10 of all time somewhere behind Gretzky, Orr, Lemieux, Howe and Richard. Maybe he is even considered at 4 or 5 after it's all said and done. It really depends on what he does in the next ten years.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Best player on the planet by a country mile. It is not close, and we will not see a player of his calibre for sometime. Especially since he plays for the eternal disaster Edmonton Oilers, McDavid will never be as good.

I think McDavid has potential to be better if he stays healthy. He looks to me like a more explosive player as he has that quick burst of speed that is very rare. Playing on the Oilers really hurts his odds of winning championships but if Hall can get 80 points on a losing team he should be able to have plenty of 100 point seasons.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

By the end of his career top 15. Injuries in his prime will keep him from top 10 ( although he could play till 40 and end up with 1500 pts , etc)

Hes already got over 1000 if you include his playoff points and hes only 28.

[Jason14h]

I don't count playoffs and turning 29!

600 pts in 11 years is 55 pts a year average for the next 11... Doesn't seem that far off

[habernac]

There's no one that plays at his level. He sees the game so well that it's impossible for linemates to keep up. I was worried he'd never get back on track after his concussion issues.

[Buff]

Sidney Crosby. Not too shabby!