The three nominees are: Alexander Ovechkin (WAS), Sidney Crosby (PIT), and Henrik Sedin (VAN).
I think I'm going to take my biased opinion and relate to you all my thoughts on this topic by breaking down the three candidates.
Alexander Ovechkin:
This guy does it all. He hits (sometimes illegally and cheaply), he skates, he creates, and he scores. In fact, he's a far better overall scorer than any of the other candidates. He did a great job of driving his team to the playoffs and inspired his teammates towards greatness, even if he wasn't always the best player on the ice.
Why He'll Win:
He finished the regular season 3rd in goals scored (50; behind Crosby and Stampkos), 6th in assists, 3rd in points, 2nd to teammate Schultz in +/-, and 4th in Game winning goals. He also scored at a 1.51 ppg pace throughout the season (ok, he played 9-10 fewer games than Sedin and Crosby...)
Why He Won't Win:
Somewhat inconsistent. Doesn't have the clean reputation that Sedin and Crosby enjoy. Surrounded by a ton of talent but he couldn't help the team past the first round.
Henrik Sedin
This flying Swede is a smooth skating point machine. He finds himself not on the same platform as Crosby and Ovechkin for several reasons, but most notably his lack of ability to be a prolific goal scorer.
Why He Will Win:
83 assists. Most points in the league. Scored at a point per game pace identical to Crosby's despite scoring about 22 fewer goals. Leader throughout, including the playoffs. Consistent point producer.
Why He Won't Win:
Lack of goal scoring. 4 power play goals. Perhaps the perception that assists are easier to achieve than goals on a high scoring team. Other than points and assists, he's not statistically altogether superior to the other two candidates.
Sidney Crosby
This NHL Front Office PR machine appointed "GOD" of hockey is simply legendary... Ok, enough of the hype talking. Crosby is one of the top players playing today and probably one of the top players since Messier and Yzerman retired. He put up impressive numbers this year and is a consummate captain despite having the reputation of living in Daddy Lemieux's basement (I don't think he still lives there and probably hasn't since his rookie year).
Why He'll Win:
Unlike Sedin and Ovechkin, Crosby has more than just the Penguin fanbase rooting for him. Crosby has the NHL Front Office, led by Gary Bettman, the PR machine, and the Hockey Sports Media rooting heavily for him. This guy's media following as epic. In fact, those I've talked to who lived through Gretzky (Oiler and Kings years), Orr, Howe, Mekita, etc. eras can't remember there being the type and extent of hype being awarded to any of the "greats" that has been garnered to Crosby. You can argue about supposed "need" and the waning interest in hockey, but it's sometimes hard to withstand. That being said, he's got a clean reputation, a great scoring line, and has led their team farther in the playoffs than Ovechkin. He's fresh off a great performance last year that got him the Cup and he's leading the NHL in points in the playoffs.
Why He'll Lose:
He can't hit worth a darn. I can't think of anything else. He's far behind Sedin and Ovechkin in +/-. I can't put any more in without fabricating stuff.
Truth be told, I can't see anyone but Crosby winning the award. Does he deserve it? Yeah, as much as it grates my gears, he does. I'd rather it go to Sedin, though. I think Sedin did everything without the hype. He ended the season with 3 more points than Crosby and Ovechkin and no one really cared.
Kinda like how Stamkos finished the year with Crosby tied for the most goals but he was mentioned as a mere afterthought.
I'm not a Crosby hater. I hate what Crosby means to the NHL front office and to Gary Bettman. Hockey is so much better across the league than just what Crosby brings, even if it is that good.
I think Crosby has enough hype. I think the media has given Crosby more than enough attention and laurels. He's a great player, but I'd rather see the league pushed forward as great than one player. Right now, I can only hope that nothing bad happens to Crosby.
Imagine this: Crosby goes through a career ending catastrophe of some kind (god forbid, seriously, I hope note). What would the NHL do? Bettman might go on suicide watch.
I know I'd love to have Crosby on my team. I know anyone would. I just wish that the NHL did as much to promote the sport itself rather than just name recognition of one or two players.
I agree Crosby should win. I know he doesn't lay people out like Ovie but he is a far better defensive player overall. He also put up huge numbers playing with a couple of marginally talented players on his wings. Yeah he plays with Malkin on the PP but his regular line usually consists of Guerin (who can definitely still play but really is not a top line winger anymore) and Dupuis, Talbot or Kunitz (not really top line players either). I like what Sedin did but I think the low goal total is a little glaring and I also believe he plays with better talent around him. Regardless all 3 had great seasons as did Stamkos, Doughty, Ryan Miller, Duncan Keith and several others who deserve honorable mentions.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, Crosby doesn't play with Malkin anymore because every time he did, they'd just play the line physical and eliminate the line from effectiveness. THAT's why he doesn't have any "first line" players on his line.
ReplyDeleteAs for Guerin, he's good enough for a first liner. He may no longer be the premier forward on any line any longer, but he's definitely scoring line material.
Second, Sedin has as much talent around him as Crosby does. The only edge Sedin has is that he plays on the line with his brother. If Sidney had a brother on his line, I'm sure he'd be just as effective as Sedin in the relevant categories.
Third, I think Stampkos' season was far better than all three because of the fact that, other than really Martin St. Louis, Stampkos really had nothing special to play with.
On a tangent, Steven Stampkos is yet another player the NHL PR Machine could glom onto to further promote the sport but they don't. They have their 10 second whatever on NHL NEtwork, sure, but that's about it. Talk about scoring 51 goals in near media blackout.
I supported Crosby in the nomination because there wasn't another nominee that I could argue for instead. If there was, there's no way I'd take Crosby.
On that note, I'd like to thank the idiots in the media for ruining any chance of me being able to watch Sidney play without getting sick to my stomach.
I also hate to hear the the media gushing about Crosby as well. You genereally only get that kind of unabashed affection for a man in a romance novel. But, you have to seperate the player from the hype. Syd didn't ask to be promoted as the next big thing since he was in the "Q" playing for Rimaud. He's never been a self promoter and, for my money, he's lived up to his hype.
ReplyDeleteUnlike Gretzky (who I hated, but admit was the greatest next to Orr) Sid will go into corners and fight for the puck, chip a tooth and indulge in the occasional ridiculous fight. I can't knock his game and he's handled the spotlight with aplomb. The last guy hyped this much was Lindros and he was a turd from day one.
As for being one of the faces of the sport, you pretty much have that with any of the major sports leaugues. NBA is all LeBron and Kobi, NFL is Peyton Manning and Brett Fav-rah. It's no wonder the NHL markets the game with Crosby's name.
Again, I don't hate Crosby.
ReplyDeleteHe has his weaknesses (too emotional at times and definitely not very physical), but his game play isn't the problem.
Like you said, it's the media gushing over him like giggling schoolgirls every time he touches the puck that is simply unbearable.
Oh, and not to be too overly anal, but...
ReplyDeleteSid played for Rimouski Oceanic of the Q.
Rimaud was seemingly a French Jesuit, poet and composer in the early 20th Century. :D
No worries on being anal...can't stand the Q so I can't really waste any brain cells on memorizing the teams. I knew it was Oceanic with the tacky shark logo. The WHL the Q is not.
ReplyDeleteCan't agree with the lack of physical play on Sid's part, though. He's not like Joe Thornton who outmuscles 3 guys to set up a pass (but he doesn't disappear like Thornton in the post season), but he definitely does some good work in the corners. Malkin can thank Crosby for finishing at the top in scoring during last year's playoffs since every team rolled out their best defensive unit against Sid.