Now Toews Is Out

[Craig2]

If that hit was on Crosby all we'd be hearing is "he should keep his head up" or "he's a crybaby and embellished it".

Maybe from some fans, but I think most of us - even those who don't love Crosby or the Pens - would say the same thing as we are in this situation. I think it should have been a two-minute boarding call, but even as a huge Toews fan I believe he should have been ready for the hit. He plays in the dirty areas of the ice all the time and should know better than to make himself so vulnerable.

Crosby does take a lot of unnecessary heat, but Pens' fans also have a serious persecution complex. Most people care mainly about their own team, and don't spend nearly as much time worrying about Sid and the Penguins as some of that team's fans seem to believe.

[centrehice]

Maybe from some fans, but I think most of us - even those who don't love Crosby or the Pens - would say the same thing as we are in this situation. I think it should have been a two-minute boarding call, but even as a huge Toews fan I believe he should have been ready for the hit. He plays in the dirty areas of the ice all the time and should know better than to make himself so vulnerable.

Crosby does take a lot of unnecessary heat, but Pens' fans also have a serious persecution complex. Most people care mainly about their own team, and don't spend nearly as much time worrying about Sid and the Penguins as some of that team's fans seem to believe.

Bingo! We have a winner.

Pens fans from the early 90's, and before treat Crosby as any other player.
Pens fans that jumped on the bandwagon just before the franchise folded, think that the league and fans from other teams, owes Crosby it's living, and that we should all fall on our knees and kiss his backside.

[capt55]

There are so many cry babies on this site, if you asked any coach or general manager, who the best player in the world is, they would all say Sidney Crosby, not Ovy, 48 goals and a minus 32, not Toews, Kane, Phiylis Kessel, Phil's another minus player, Bozak, JVR, or any other player, he scores the big goals, look at 2010 and 2014, if you asked Babcock, Sid was available for trade, are you interested and I'm, sure he would say, yes we are, Sid has carried the Pens on his back all season, he's gonna win the scoring title, and if you really looked you would see the hits Crosby took that put him out, I think 2 or 3
of them, there was no penalty called on the hit, the guy has finally figured out how to play the game, the whole ice, offensive and defensive ends, I guess it sucks to be him, GREAT, he is the FACE OF THE GAME/NHL and the WORLD.

[centrehice]

When 100%, Datsyuk is the best player in the NHL. I cannot remember him ever giving the puck away with a bad pass. It simply does not happen.

[mooneyes]

Crosby is the face of the world?...hehe. That would be corporate marketing. Popular doesn't equal best. Unless you think Mcdonald's is fine dining. Today's NHL is far different in the past where Most points, say 215 = best player or most VALUABLE. When the Wings were winning Cups Datsyuk was right at the top, right now Bergeron is being talked about as a Hart candidate, and for good reason, He does Everything well and is the heart and soul of the best team in the league, and his impact will only RISE in the play-offs, not drop of the face of the earth like sid, "the all-star kid."

But Bergeron will only have 60 points or so this year, no different than Datsyuk averages...but is also a league leading +37, dominates defensively, gives the Bruin's puck possession by winning countless important face-offs, is heavy on his stick,....and when you need a game tying clutch goal, it is usually #37. He also leads by his attention to detail, not to mention not getting sucked into losing his cool like Crosby and getting off his game. That is when the Pen's totally implode, behind the poor leadership of the kid...

They really need to change the awards, if your the best 2-way aka 200 foot player in the world, you should win the MVP, not the Selke, and if you pile up a bunch of offensive stats during the year, some kind of award for best/flashy Offensive player can be had, for what ever that is worth. I like Ovy, but what is the Rocket Trophy worth when you factor in he is only ONE player away from being the league's worst minus player! He is like Crosby, Flashy and POPULAR....but neither could carry their team to a Stanley Cup with their offensive skills ALONE like a Mario Lemieux.

As I said, the game has changed, you can't just be a goal/point suck to be the best anymore, and now so should our view of how we rank player's VALUE change.

[cygnusx1]

He is like Crosby, Flashy and POPULAR....but neither could carry their team to a Stanley Cup with their offensive skills ALONE like a Mario Lemieux.

LOL!!!!!

1991-92 Pittsburgh Penguins roster consisted of only Mario Lemieux, right? No Ron Francis, no Brian Trottier, no Mark Recchi, no Joe Mullen, no Kevin Stevens, no Jaromir Jagr, no Larry Murphy, no Paul Coffey?

1992-93 Penguins had the same guys, minus Paul Coffey but plus Rick Tocchet.


I am not at all a Penguins fan, not a fan of the majority of their fans, and not a Crosby fan. I can certainly realize and respect his talent. The guy is the best in the game. Maybe not lead his team to a Stanley Cup with his offensive skills alone, but please, show me who has done so?

[mooneyes]

LOL!!!!!

1991-92 Pittsburgh Penguins roster consisted of only Mario Lemieux, right? No Ron Francis, no Brian Trottier, no Mark Recchi, no Joe Mullen, no Kevin Stevens, no Jaromir Jagr, no Larry Murphy, no Paul Coffey?

1992-93 Penguins had the same guys, minus Paul Coffey but plus Rick Tocchet.


I am not at all a Penguins fan, not a fan of the majority of their fans, and not a Crosby fan. I can certainly realize and respect his talent. The guy is the best in the game. Maybe not lead his team to a Stanley Cup with his offensive skills alone, but please, show me who has done so?

No one has....that was part of my point which you seem to always miss entirely simply sake of arguing. If you think an "allstar" team can win The Cup consistently in TODAY's completely different game, that is your opinion. With all the hype Crosby and Malkin get as the 2 "best player's in the world" get, playing on the same team no less, I would expect at least 3-4 Cups by now....yet they can barely handle the Islanders...L-O-L

[centrehice]

No one has....that was part of my point which you seem to always miss entirely simply sake of arguing. If you think an "allstar" team can win The Cup consistently in TODAY's completely different game, that is your opinion. With all the hype Crosby and Malkin get as the 2 "best player's in the world" get, playing on the same team no less, I would expect at least 3-4 Cups by now....yet they can barely handle the Islanders...L-O-L

Agreed. The Bandwagon from 2006 said that there would be a dynasty shattering 6 cups by 2015.

[cygnusx1]

No one has....that was part of my point which you seem to always miss entirely simply sake of arguing. If you think an "allstar" team can win The Cup consistently in TODAY's completely different game, that is your opinion. With all the hype Crosby and Malkin get as the 2 "best player's in the world" get, playing on the same team no less, I would expect at least 3-4 Cups by now....yet they can barely handle the Islanders...L-O-L

Entirely for the sake of arguing! Wow. 91-92 Penguins were recently voted by the Hockey News as the 9th greatest team of all time. Compare the current Pens to them and they aren't even close. At what point did I say today's Penguins can compete? Crosby is the best right now, in my mind, but I don't have Malkin in my top 10. After that, who do they have? Letang, a guy who is worse in his own zone than Erik Karlsson? Fleury, who can't stop a beach ball in the playoffs? They do not even resemble Lemieux's Penguins that featured no fewer than 6 HOFers.

Try reading what I said maybe?

[michiganice91]

I'd trade for Steven Stamkos before I traded for anyone else in the league. I'm speaking from a Red Wings perspective of course. Datsyuk > Crosby all day.