All-Purpose Hockey Thread II

Malkin has been very good (45 points in 40 games). Crosby's got very little help otherwise, though. Staal's only got 13 goals and 4 helpers in 43 games.

 

I know that nobody's going to want to face the Devils in the playoffs the way that Marty is playing. If they could ever get some more firepower on offense, they'd be really dangerous. Of course Lou has them in such a dire salary-cap situation that he has no flexibility.

 

Not bad for an 18 year old. And doesn't he lead the league in shorthanded goals with five or six?

 

Don't get me wrong: For his age, and what the Pens are asking of him, he's been a pleasant surprise. And my guess is that if Therrien would give him a little time on one of the scoring lines, his stats would be better.

The idea that Crosby's MVP chances should be hurt by his production though, doesn't hold water. Without 87, this Penguins team is TERRIBLE. Perhaps legendarily awful.

Having said that, if Brodeur finishes the season with a sub-2.00 GAA, it'll be tough to decide between the two of them. Both Crosby and Brodeur are carrying teams with next to no offense.

EDIT: And, yes, Staal is a beast on the PK. He's got 5 shorties, and seems to create a quality SH chance just about every game.

 

Brodeur is doing what's expected of him, what he's done for years and years and years. It's great stuff, don't get me wrong, but there's nothing new here.

Crosby is carrying a much bigger load than should be expected of a 19-year-old kid, and he's been absolutely dazzling in the process. He might as well already have the "C," because he's undoubtedly the team's leader and there's no way the captaincy could possibly bring him any more pressure than he already has.

The MVP vote should be no contest.

 

My MVP vote goes to Ovechkin. You guys make it sound like Crosby and Malkin are all by themselves in Pittsburgh, but you forget Recchi, Gonchar and Whitney. Crosby's outstanding, but is he making anyone better?

Ovechkin is surrounded by much less talent than Crosby, but he's resurrected the long-dead careers of Semin and Zubrus, while making Chris Clark a 30-goal scorer. The Pens would be much worse without Crosby, but without Ovechkin the Caps would be atrocious.

 

One story I am surprised that doesn't get attached to Brodeur more often is his chase of Terry Sawchuk's shutout record of 103. Hell if you mention the name George Hainsworth to 98 per cent of the hockey population, they probably have no idea who the Number 2 shutout leader is, hell 95 per cent probably don't know who Sawchuk is. Contrast that to Baseball and it's a three year running story about Bonds and his chase of Ruth and Aaron. I don't think Brodeur will break the record this year, but I would put money down that he does it next year, at least in the next 18-months. When Brodeur is done it could be another 40 or 50 years before another goalie even gets close. I don't see any other active goalie getting there, hell it took Luongo – who many consider the best in the game today – five and a half seasons to get to 30.

 

Recchi, Gonchar and Whitney? Saying that's Crosby's support is a pretty convincing case for Crosby-as-MVP. He's getting next to nothing offensively from any of those three. As far as making players better goes, you've got to have SOMETHING to work with. Recchi's a year removed from a season he finished with a plus/minus approaching -1,000.

Admittedly, though, the Caps and Pens are pretty comparable from an offensive standpoint.

 

I just love reading people's justification why Crosby just can't be this good. Since when did Zubrus and Semin be considered no-skilled hacks? Malkin and Staal have been playing together on Pittsburgh's second line and doing quite well as a two-some with Michel Therrien's love child (Michel Ouellet).

Ovechkin and Crosby are great players, no reason to say otherwise.

 

I'm not saying Crosby and Ovechkin aren't good. They're precocious, the future of the league. But, I'm saying Brodeur is the MVP because he's the Most Valuable Player to his team. Take him off the two-goals-a-game Devils and are they six points behind Buffalo for the No. 1 seed in the East? Are they a playoff team?

 

Gonchar is tied for ninth in scoring among defensemen, ahead of all-stars Bouwmeester, Campbell, Chara and Rafalski, while Whitney is 17th. Recchi has 37 points in 44 games this season. The Caps and Pens are comparable offensively, but it's only because Ovechkin has elevated Zubrus, Semin and Clark to career-highs.

You can't take anything away from Crosby, I just think Ovechkin does a lot more for his team. And yes, it's a well-documented fact that Zubrus is a no-skilled hack.

 

How about Bruins-Sabres tonight?

Kessell's got a pair ...

goals that is.