Crosby vs McDavid

[Albatrosss]

first 7 years in the league:

Crosby--gp 434, g 223, a 386, points 609.  1.40 points/game

McDavid--gp 487, g 239, a 458, points 697.  1.43 points/game

 

The stats are very similar, especially points per game.  McJesus played more games and i guess less prone to injuries.  Who do you think is a better player? Who would you have on your team if you had to pick one? (Stanley Cups dont count cause that's a team achievement).
 

For me it is a difficult decision.  McJesus is much more of a exciting player and an incredible goal scorer.  But i think i would have to pick Crosby, as much as i hate him.  I think Crosby can whine himself and his team to a cup win, and the end result justifies the means.  

Your thoughts...

[Keirik]

It’s a very fair comparison. You can even say they both had a Robin to their Batman (Draisaitl/Malkin) 

   I’d probably lean with McDavid being the better talent while Crosby being the better captain.  3 cups amd 2 Conn Smythes can’t be discounted. 

[Phil]

Gun to my head, I pick Crosby, because regardless of the Cups, we've seen him exert his will and carry his entire team through playoff series. That's not something McDavid can speak to yet, even though I'd argue he's more talented.

[Ozzy]

Yup, put me in with a Crosby vote too....pretty much the leadership and ability to throw his team on his back in the playoffs.  Mc Jesus has the whole world in his hands talent-wise, no doubt...but yeah...gun to the head: Crosby

[Keirik]

All this talk of guns makes me think I’ll un retire. 

[siddious]

Eh the “carry a team and win cups” is a fair argument but my chubber is definitely bigger watching mcjesus.

 

also fuck Crosby forever. 

[Valriera]

McDavid is definitely more talented. Unfortunately Crosby is a legend, so until McDavid gets there by winning multiple cups it's not really a conversation imo.

 

I draw the line in this place around > 1 stanley cup. Typically a good player is going to win one in their career. Legendary players carry their team to several and Crosby has done it multiple times. Dude's in the short area of legend status. 

[Albatrosss]

so McJesus in the regular season but Crosby in the playoffs?

[Tonybologna]

I feel like Crosby had better teams around him than McDavid. I also just hate Crosby and think Mcdavid is still going to get better, I pick McDavid.

[Keirik]

3 hours ago, Tonybologna said:

I feel like Crosby had better teams around him than McDavid. I also just hate Crosby and think Mcdavid is still going to get better, I pick McDavid.

Hmm...I'm not so sure I agree there. Outside of Guetzel, Crosby rarely had played with great linemates for long stretches 

  

[Karan]

5 minutes ago, Keirik said:

Hmm...I'm not so sure I agree there. Outside of Guetzel, Crosby rarely had played with great linemates for long stretches 

  

 

Not necessarily linemates, but Crosby has played on more skilled and well rounded (and better coached teams) hence has had more playoff success, which leads to a lot of people rating him higher than McDavid. But when comparing them at the same stage of their careers, McDavid is a lot more of a dynamic and skilled player. He just hasn't had the luxury of playing on solid rosters and well coached teams to have the playoff success to go along with his individual trophies.

[Keirik]

7 minutes ago, Karan said:

 

Not necessarily linemates, but Crosby has played on more skilled and well rounded (and better coached teams) hence has had more playoff success, which leads to a lot of people rating him higher than McDavid. But when comparing them at the same stage of their careers, McDavid is a lot more of a dynamic and skilled player. He just hasn't had the luxury of playing on solid rosters and well coached teams to have the playoff success to go along with his individual trophies.

Yeah that’s fair. Edmonton has never figured out how to assemble a team instead of a group of individuals. 

[Long live the King]

24 minutes ago, Karan said:

 

Not necessarily linemates, but Crosby has played on more skilled and well rounded (and better coached teams) hence has had more playoff success, which leads to a lot of people rating him higher than McDavid. But when comparing them at the same stage of their careers, McDavid is a lot more of a dynamic and skilled player. He just hasn't had the luxury of playing on solid rosters and well coached teams to have the playoff success to go along with his individual trophies.

 

Especially the defense and goaltending those Pitt cup teams had.  Edmonton isn't even close there.

[Tonybologna]

25 minutes ago, Karan said:

 

Not necessarily linemates, but Crosby has played on more skilled and well rounded (and better coached teams) hence has had more playoff success, which leads to a lot of people rating him higher than McDavid. But when comparing them at the same stage of their careers, McDavid is a lot more of a dynamic and skilled player. He just hasn't had the luxury of playing on solid rosters and well coached teams to have the playoff success to go along with his individual trophies.

Yes this is what I meant. I know Crosby has elevated plenty of below average linemates to look really good. But away from his lines he's had much more complete teams able to compete in the playoffs.

[Pete]

McDavid is a great individual player, but he has never elevated anyone else above their station.

 

Crosby made Kunitz and Dupuis multi millionaires and NHL household names. 

 

Put it this way... Strome played with McDavid but didn't realize his potential until he played with Panarin. 

[josh]

Crosby the better player. McDavid the more exciting player, and happens to also be one of the best players of all time. 

[SaveByRichter35]

Fuck Cindy and his diving and crying and whining and dryers and Cups and golden goals.  Fuck him.

[fletch]

I think that if you look at the Penguins and Oilers, there is a huge difference in style of play and structure.   Penguins have had solid goaltending, defensive structure, and balanced lineups.  Oilers have played pond hockey and tried to win 6-5.   You can say style of play is due to roster construction and pin it on the general managers rather than the coaches.  But I don't think that you can look at playoff records and say 'Crosby is a winner, a warrior, while McDavid has yet to prove himself.' In the hypothetical where McDavid was on the Penguins, I see the same or more cups as Crosby.  In the hypothetical where Crosby was on the Oilers, I think it is reasonable to posit he wouldn't have any Cups, given the lack of structure, lack of goaltending, and imbalance on the lines.

 

We tend to glorify the athletes that have won championships, and their play and reputation is elevated accordingly.  Are Joe Thorton and Jarome Iginla viewed as better players if they won a Cup?  Probably.  But is it an indictment on their play, or on their supporting cast, or not being on the right team at the right time, for not winning a Cup?

 

https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/t/thornjo01.html

https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/i/iginlja01.html

 

Hell, Andre Burakovsky is a 2 time Cup winner.  Should we be talking about him as a hockey legend?  Or on being on the right teams at the right times, and making minor contributions during Cup runs?

https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/b/burakan01.html

 

NHL Playoffs

 

• Share & Export
  • Modify, Export & Share Table
  • Get as Excel Workbook
  • Get table as CSV (for Excel)
  • Get Link to Table
  • About Sharing Tools
  • Video: SR Sharing Tools & How-to
  • Video: Stats Table Tips & Tricks
  • Data Usage Terms
• Glossary

						Scoring					Goals				Shots			Ice Time
Season	Age	Tm	Lg		GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM	EV	PP	SH	GW	S	S%	TSA	TOI	ATOI	FOW	FOL	FO%	BLK	HIT	TK	GV
5 yrs		WSH	NHL		56	9	9	18	5	12	9	0	0	1	77	11.7	171	689	12:18	5	7	41.7	23	57	23	22
3 yrs		COL	NHL		37	11	18	29	9	10	10	1	0	2	47	23.4	107	485	13:07	2	4	33.3	18	23	20	22
Career		8 yrs	NHL		93	20	27	47	14	22	19	1	0	3	124	16.1	278	1174	12:37	7	11	38.9	41	80	43	44
2014-15	19	WSH	NHL		11	2	1	3	2	0	2	0	0	1	17	11.8	35	137	12:25	1	0	100.0	6	15	4	7
2015-16	20	WSH	NHL		12	1	0	1	-1	6	1	0	0	0	16	6.3	47	150	12:32	2	2	50.0	3	10	2	7
2016-17	21	WSH	NHL		13	3	3	6	5	2	3	0	0	0	27	11.1	52	186	14:20	1	1	50.0	2	18	11	2
2017-18	22	WSH	NHL	SC	13	2	4	6	2	4	2	0	0	0	12	16.7	24	139	10:42	0	3	0.0	6	9	5	4
2018-19	23	WSH	NHL		7	1	1	2	-3	0	1	0	0	0	5	20.0	13	76	10:54	1	1	50.0	6	5	1	2
2019-20	24	COL	NHL		15	7	10	17	7	4	6	1	0	1	24	29.2	43	202	13:27	1	1	50.0	7	10	4	14
2020-21	25	COL	NHL		10	1	3	4	-1	4	1	0	0	0	10	10.0	29	135	13:29	1	2	33.3	5	6	6	4
2021-22	26	COL	NHL	SC	12	3	5	8	3	2	3	0	0	1	13	23.1	35	149	12:25	0	1	0.0	6	7	10	4

[BrooksBurner]

I’m taking McDavid. I would just put a better team and goalie around him than he’s had.