Observer-Reporter forum

Cylinsier · Master Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 13229 Location: Oh shi-

For kicks. No one will argue that the top 3 players in the league right now are Crosby, Malkin and Ovechkin. But where do you rank them? I'll give my breakdown of how I view their strengths and weaknesses and where I'd rank them. You tell me where I'm wrong.

Crosby's strengths: Makes everyone else around him better. Great at setting up plays. Sniper. Natural leader.

Crosby's weaknesses: Less resilient, perhaps injury prone. Needs supporting bodies to perform at the top of his game. Doesn't score as easily without being assisted.

Malkin's strengths: Can be a banger. Speed and power behind shots. Can dangle too and confuse the goalie. Makes plays happen all on his own but also works with others.

Malkin's weaknesses: Hot and cold at times. Not very good on shootouts. Needs some space to operate in.

Ovechkin's strengths: Scary breakaway potential, speed and agility, sniper but power shooter too.

Ovechkin's weaknesses: Doesn't bring others up to his level, relies too much on himself and no one else.

Here's how I would rank them:

Crosby first, because of what he brings to the table in terms of making the whole team better. He may be the least reliable scorer of the three, but he makes so much happen that defenses can't concentrate on just him when he's on the ice. The entire team feeds off of him.

Ovechkin second, because of his incredible speed and scoring potential. When he touches the puck, there is more danger of a score happening then either of the other two players without taking supporting roles into mind.

Malkin third, because he hits cold streaks. If it wasn't for that, it would be very difficult deciding between him and either of the other two.
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Brant · Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:15 am Post subject:

At first glance, that's exactly how I would rank them. If you really want to start a debate, ask who is the greatest hockey player of all time. I have a friend who insists that it's Mario Lemieux, but I rank Mario third, after Gretzky and Orr.
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SSSS · Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:17 am Post subject:

I agree with CY's ranking. I still think Mario was a better overall player than Gretzsky.
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Brant · Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:18 am Post subject:

See what I mean. Wink

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ellipses · Mod Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 9218 Location: WashPa!

I'd rank them the same way...

Crosby is more of a complete package than ovetchkin, but A-O is a more dominating player on his own...

Malkin is a great player... but he never really LOOKS like the superstar that he is... it seems like his point totals sneak up on me... I am not sure if that makes him underrated or overrated
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Cylinsier · Master Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 13229 Location: Oh shi-

All time? Grets, Orr, Mario. That order.

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amom · Posted: Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:33 am Post subject:

Looks? Pierre LaRoche, although Mario is in there.
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dick · Journeyman Joined: 28 Jan 2009 Posts: 3134

Mario Lemieux is the greatest being to ever walk the earth. That is where I stand with that.

1) Crosby
2) Malkin
3) Zetterberg

a) I can admit, I'm a homer.
b) If I were starting a team, this is the order that I'd draft my first player.
c) I've never seen a goal scorer who also checks like Ovechkin. He is amazing, but I don't see him winning the Cup. He'll be the Dan Marino of hockey. He'll always lead the league in goal scoring, but he'll also lead the league in shots by a mile. He doesn't play a lick of defense (think Jagr) and when he does, its by throwing a huge check that puts him out of position leading to an odd man rush the other way when he doesn't connect.
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Cylinsier · Master Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 13229 Location: Oh shi-

Given a thousand opportunities with a thousand different combinations of supporting players to start a team with either Ovechkin or Zetterberg as my star player, I would pick Zetterberg exactly 0 times. In fact, there are other players I would pick ahead of him too, like Eric Staal. Zetterberg is a good forward who benefits from an excellent supporting cast including the best defenseman in the league in Lidstrom. But he's overrated.
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ellipses · Mod Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 9218 Location: WashPa!

Not to mention he looks too much like Jared Leto...

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Cylinsier · Master Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 13229 Location: Oh shi-

Yeah, Zetterberg looks like a total douche with that scarf on. Wait...
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Cylinsier · Master Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 13229 Location: Oh shi-

So I was watching highlights of hockey games yesterday and pulled up the Flyers Caps highlights. At one point late in the game, Ovechkin was making a drive on the goal and got interfered with, leading to a penalty shot. Watching the highlights, I thought to myself, "Well, sucks for the Flyers. Might as well just give him the goal and avoid the embarrassment. Its Ovechkin after all." Then they ran the stat: Ovechkin 0 for 5 career penalty shots. I was shocked...how could he be so bad at that? He's one of the best players ever when he gets out on his own with just the puck and the goal, but something about the penalty shot apparently gave him problems. He made the one against the Flyers, btw, so he's 1 for 6 career now.
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dick · Journeyman Joined: 28 Jan 2009 Posts: 3134

The suckiness of Ovechkin on penalty shots, mixed with the overall suckiness of the Flyers, created a situation in which these variables cancelled each other out.
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Cylinsier · Master Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 13229 Location: Oh shi-

Yeah, well, Emery had been playing like a malfunctioning sphincter the whole game. I was just surprised that Ovechkin had such a poor PS ratio.
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