Sidney Crosby Top-5 All-Time, but Top-3?

canucksfreak19

canucksfreak19

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If he's not Top-3, he's not far off. I believe he is firmly planted himself as a Top-5 minimum player. Hopefully there is a lot of hockey still left for him to play. Because we are all witnessing a special player at the highest level.
 
He cemented being in the Top 10 talk, but top five is tough with Gretzky, Howe, Orr, Mario, Messier already ahead and has to pass the likes of Yzerman, Sakic, Hull, Richard. If we allow all positions Roy, Broduer and Lidstrom as well.
 
I think if you're basing things solely on stats, I get the whole top ten thing, but I think given what he brings to the game and what he has already done, I think the only guy's ahead of him would be - Gretzky, Orr, Howe and Lemieux. I think he has to be top five all time. And he is still the best player in the world and will only continue to add to his stats and hardware. McDavid will have to wait a few seasons to get that crown, imo.
 
In a time when the players are bigger and faster than they've ever been, goaltending better than its ever been and coaching better than its ever been, Sid still accomplishes what he does. And unlike Gretzky, Lemieux, Richard, Orr etc he has done so in an era with an instigator rule and without a "wing man" ready to pound the tar out of anyone who dares to take liberties on him. That being said many are reluctant to take one of the "top five" all time greats off the list and move Sid in. History and the passing of time add to a players perceived value/rank. The Lord Himself could not displace "the Rocket" on the all time top 5 list in the province of Quebec. But I believe Crosby has earned top five status. Here's my list....

Gretzky
Howe
Orr
Lemieux
Crosby
 
Boom Boom said:
The Lord Himself could not displace "the Rocket" on the all time top 5 list in the province of Quebec. But I believe Crosby has earned top five status. Here's my list....

Gretzky
Howe
Orr
Lemieux
Crosby
Click to expand...

I agree with those 5 for skaters.

But I didn't put in Rocket because it was a different era, and we don't have a lot of video to watch.

I also excluded goalies.

But pretty hard to bump off Beliveau.
 
It appears people only seem to be using NHL players for this list. There's at least one player who did not spend his entire career in the NHL who I would put ahead of Crosby.

Not taking anything away from Sidney at all, but no way he's in my top three. Solidly planted top ten for sure, iffy at top five, but not in top three.
 
cburt said:
I think if you're basing things solely on stats, I get the whole top ten thing, but I think given what he brings to the game and what he has already done, I think the only guy's ahead of him would be - Gretzky, Orr, Howe and Lemieux. I think he has to be top five all time. And he is still the best player in the world and will only continue to add to his stats and hardware. McDavid will have to wait a few seasons to get that crown, imo.
Click to expand...

This. Stats aren't everything and are relative to the era. McDavid is there right now in terms of talent and being the best offensively, but he isn't as complete or a big-time winner like Sid.

Boom Boom said:
In a time when the players are bigger and faster than they've ever been, goaltending better than its ever been and coaching better than its ever been, Sid still accomplishes what he does. And unlike Gretzky, Lemieux, Richard, Orr etc he has done so in an era with an instigator rule and without a "wing man" ready to pound the tar out of anyone who dares to take liberties on him. That being said many are reluctant to take one of the "top five" all time greats off the list and move Sid in. History and the passing of time add to a players perceived value/rank. The Lord Himself could not displace "the Rocket" on the all time top 5 list in the province of Quebec. But I believe Crosby has earned top five status. Here's my list....

Gretzky
Howe
Orr
Lemieux
Crosby
Click to expand...

And here's my posts about this 10 days or so ago in another thread:

TheGriceBoys said:
If the Preds win, it would be great for the growth of the game having another market get a Cup. If the Pens win I believe it cements Sidney Crosby's legacy as an all-time legend, truly. 3 Cups in an era with so much parity and so tough to win, let alone multiple Cups and/or repeat, plus all of his other individual and Team Canada accolades?

Should be a great series. Pens in 7.
Click to expand...

TheGriceBoys said:
Oh absolutely he is a legend already. When I said "all-time" legend, I should have clarified, I meant in the sense a top 10 player all time, probably top 5 if he rack up another 500 or so points.

Points and championships are SO much harder to come by nowadays with the parity and skill in the league. I would equate 3 Cups in this era to 5-6 in the 70's and 80's. 1500 points nowadays is definitely 2000 in the 70s and 80s.

So I meant a top-end-of-the-scale legend.:)
Click to expand...





I always like to bring the different eras in as a comparison, meaning how would this guy do in that era, this era, etc? It's really tough to say as you can only base it on what you perceive. We know guys like Howe, Crosby, Lemieux, Gretzky, Orr could pay in any era. But whom would dominate the most?

I'd say based on the conditioning and ability of these current NHL players, a guy like Crosby would absolutely obliterate the league in the 80's whereas a guy like Gretzky would do exceptionally well in this era also, but may not be as dominant in an era reversal.

That said, Crosby is top 10 without question, but top 5 may be tough. I'd likely put him there now with Gretzky, Howe, and a mix/match of 2 others who might change for me depending on the day.

But that's me.
 
I feel for Malkin. He is getting the Messier treatment. They make it sound like he rode along but he his half the reason Sid has cups. No Malkin no cups.
 
CKcardtrader said:
I feel for Malkin. He is getting the Messier treatment. They make it sound like he rode along but he his half the reason Sid has cups. No Malkin no cups.
Click to expand...

You can make a great case that they're the two best players of the last 10 years, since they entered the league.
 
These type of list are so tough, they really need to be clearly labelled from the beginning. Is it best all time hockey or best all time NHL? Why are there no goalies considered, it is probably the most important position to a team winning. Are we going on individual stats or are we using stats as well as individual awards and cups, championships etc.... If using all stats and awards I think Sid is definitely an all-time top 5 NHL and international player NHL. He has won at every level and is always great in both ends of the rink. He has won most every individual and championship that he possibly can multiple times. If it's the leagues and refs that are trying to pab his stats and awards than the entire world is involved lol.

Comparing different era's are tough. However imo all the greats would still be great due to their skill and level to compete. The league gets changing all the time and players adapt. For example during the 80's teams were built to run and gun, high scoring. During the 90's teams played the trap and tough D systems with worrying more about GA than GF. Gretzky, Howe, Richard, Orr would all still be amazing in todays game especially if they came through the system now like all the current guys. Better equipment, training, nutrients, medical procedures way too many factors to compare. Back in the older days players smoked, drank beer and ate hot dogs between periods lol, so tough to compare.

Malkin is a great example. He has won awards and championships but didn't even make the top 100 players, what a slap in the face to Malkin and every hockey fan.
 
newfiecomicguy1 said:
Malkin is a great example. He has won awards and championships but didn't even make the top 100 players, what a slap in the face to Malkin and every hockey fan.
Click to expand...

I have sworn up and down that the reason Malkin wasn't in the top 100 was that he didn't make it to the All-Star Game this year, and therefore didn't attend the ceremony. I believe he was replaced by Duncan Keith.
 
Still a ways to go before he's in Top 5 consideration. As everyone else has stated, there is a formidable blockade of players in front of him. But he's still young and he has time.
 
CKcardtrader said:
He cemented being in the Top 10 talk, but top five is tough with Gretzky, Howe, Orr, Mario, Messier already ahead and has to pass the likes of Yzerman, Sakic, Hull, Richard. If we allow all positions Roy, Broduer and Lidstrom as well.
Click to expand...

has not passed Hull, Rocket, Beliveau, Morenz, Vezina, Patrick Roy, Sawchuk, Plante, Gretzky, Howe, Orr, Lemieux, Jagr, Esposito, Lafleur, Dryden, Brodeur

HAS passed Yzerman, Sakic, Lidstrom, Coffee, Bourque, Mikita, Geoffrion
 
Oilersareback said:
HAS passed Yzerman, Sakic, Lidstrom, Coffee, Bourque, Mikita, Geoffrion
Click to expand...

Blasphemy! :)

I do not understand why Bossy does not get the respect he earned and deserves. The guy only put up 50 goals for 9 straight seasons. Seriously that's just sick. Everyone says the goaltending was watered down and it was a goal scorers league. If that's the case the greatest of all time as many claim, Wayne Gretzky, didn't have 50 goals in nine straight seasons during that same era. Bossy is way farther up my list and has the Cup rings and hardware to back it up.
 
Oilersareback said:
has not passed Hull, Rocket, Beliveau, Morenz, Vezina, Patrick Roy, Sawchuk, Plante, Gretzky, Howe, Orr, Lemieux, Jagr, Esposito, Lafleur, Dryden, Brodeur

HAS passed Yzerman, Sakic, Lidstrom, Coffee, Bourque, Mikita, Geoffrion
Click to expand...

But how many of them played in the salary cap era, Montreal had a de facto claim on all top French-Canadian talent, and most of the other players there played at a time when teams could spend whatever they wanted. Or in the case of the Oilers, kept it going as long as Pocklington was willing to pony up...

I also believe it should be divided by era - because each era definitely has both positives and negatives going for it
 
I will take top 20, top 50. Bottom line is he is a great player and has accomplished quite a bit for both The Pens and Canada. Remember, we almost lost this player to concussions and he is truly something special to watch play the game I love. Heck, I don't care if he is even the best player right now. I would not trade him for anything or any other player..

And your correct, no Malkin ...no cups. But you could say that about a lot of teams that have won cups.
 
MMarch said:
Blasphemy! :)

I do not understand why Bossy does not get the respect he earned and deserves. The guy only put up 50 goals for 9 straight seasons. Seriously that's just sick. Everyone says the goaltending was watered down and it was a goal scorers league. If that's the case the greatest of all time as many claim, Wayne Gretzky, didn't have 50 goals in nine straight seasons during that same era. Bossy is way farther up my list and has the Cup rings and hardware to back it up.
Click to expand...

Gosh, sorry. Of course Bossy is ahead. He's in the top 10 for me. With Rocket Richard one of the all time greatest playoff performers.

Sid is a great player and a wonderful ambassador for the game. No shame that he's not in my top 15.
 
To me the only people in front of Sid are Gretzky, Orr, and Lemieux. Although I think it is now a toss up between him and Mario.
 
Beliveau - 10 Stanley Cups as player five as Captain, total of 17 as player and executive - loved by all of North America
 

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