Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin are both entering their 19th season in the league. Both have spent their whole careers with one team, but once their playing days come to an end, whose career will be more special? Dave Poulin discusses in Friday’s edition of the Talking Point.
@Washington Capitals
44 Comments
Crosby.
Wait two seasons, then we can compare. Both are very special
Crosby, not a debate
One supports a genocidal dictator, so I guess that's an easy answer
Crosby.
Why would anyone say Crosby ? Yes he is a better overall player but Ovi is going to break Gretzky's fucking record which is much more special than an olympic gold , anyone saying Crosby is just straight bias
Most would probably say Crosby because he's the better overall player. That's fair. He's the best player of his generation and one of the best ever. Ovechkin is one of the best 3 goal scorers in history. Definitely best in generation….and one of the most fun to watch. I personally can't put one over the other. It's been a privilege to be able to watch both of their entire careers.
It's funny how Malkin and Letang get all the love but it was Phil Kessel who put the Pens over the top. Without Kessel, Crosby's retiring with 1 Cup. The day Pittsburgh traded for Phil was arguably the most important day of the Crosby era for the franchise.
Sid cups medals every trophy 🏆 u can name Ovieee one cup n scoring titles but he never had a malkin
If you had 5 Crosby's vs 5 Ovechkin's on the ice, I don't think Ovie would be able to keep the puck out his end. Crosby is a complete player, Ovie is a hard hitting goal scorer. Nothing against Ovie, he's likely going to break a remarkable record next season, but if he were to care more about the goals record than championships, then that defines who the better all around player is. Ovie has celebrated once in his professional career, Crosby has had 3 Cups, and speaking of goals, the 2010 Olympic OT goal is bigger than any individual goal Ovie has ever scored. Also, the other "forgotten" goal he scored in the 2014 Olympic gold medal game might also be bigger than any Ovie goal in history.
I rest my case lol
Crosby better player no doubt, in 100-200 years from now, everybody will be talking about guys chasing Ovi goals and 99% of people wont even know name Crosby, some guy with 3 cups just like other 100+ players that have 3 cups. He will be around 25th in points and nobody will care. While Ovis incredible highlights of hits and goals will lead the charts forever.
Crosby is amazing and he's easily in my top ten players ever, maybe even top five, but Ovechkin is about to break a record that, a few years ago, no one ever thought would be broken.
Anyone that watched this era will say Crosby. but for some kid 40 years from now they will remember Ovi more due to having the all time goals record. I’ll be in my 60’s telling them just how good Crosby was and they’ll say something like “yeah but he wouldn’t be as good in this era!”
What's better? Apples or oranges?
I'll admit before I comment. Caps fan.
Crosby is the superior all around player. That goal for Canada is and probably will be his defining moment. So for the time being, it would be Sid the Kid.
That being said, as great of a player Crosby was, Crosby's legacy would be people arguing if he came close to be the greatest player of all time, in which the answer would end up being no due to Gretzky.
Ovechkin, while a bit more limited of a player goal scoring aside, potentially has his moment waiting in the wings. Ovechkin is a highlight reel player that did the one thing most casuals are looking for when watching hockey: Scored a crap load of goals. If Ovi passes Gretzky, there is no argument on who is the greatest goal scorer of all time.
In conclusion, the answer is Crosby unless/until Ovechkin passes Gretzky. Because unless Crosby can pass Gretzky in overall points, Ovechkin will have a record that no one thought could be broken, and might not ever be broken for a long time. (As great as McDavid and Matthews are, last time I checked they're both behind pace of 8 and 99 for goals in a career).
They'll label Crosby as ONE of the greatest hockey players of all time.
But if that record falls, they'll label Ovechkin as THE greatest scorer of all time.
And if you're the greatest of all time in anything in your sport, that's a bit more special.
No brainer. Also Syd has more character as a man in addition to way more dimensions as a player and a team mate.
Oddly enough Ovechkin .. Crosby is the better player but Ovi is gonna be considered the best goal scorer for a longggg time. Sid isn’t the best at anything all time despite being a top 5-7 player ever
Ovechkin way more dominant
Using cups is fucking stupid. This isnt basketball 1 man doesnt win a cup. 20 players on the ice do. Mcdavid can never win a cup and he still will be the greatest player ever. He already is and hes only played 8 seasons
With all due respect to Crosby (as in i really respect him), i gotta go with ovi. Insane goal scoring aside, he is incredibly durable and has always been there for his team due to how little games he misses. He’s a great leader and a very hard worker. I think if he gets the goal record, he might be put over Crosby a few decades down the line (not to say that Crosby isn’t any of those things, it’s just his injuries and missed games)
The fact that McDavid is way better than Crosby doesn't take away from what Crosby's done. Stop comparing them. It's okay that McDavid is better. Crosby is still a top 10 player of all time.
What league-wide records does Crosby hold? If Ovechkin surpasses Gretzky's goal-scoring record, his career will likely be more memorable.
Crosby a bit before ovi ill debate
Crosby
ovi will leave as the best goal scorer of all time. crosby will leave as the best team leader of maybe all time. two incredible careers that can’t be compared
Crosby by FAR.
OVI
Crosby is an all around better player in the offensive zone and defensive zone and has the ability to make players around him better. Crosby is by far the better of the 2
Who has more SC?
If Ovi was Canadian born he would get more respect from the Canadian Hockey Media… There is no doubt that Ovi has had a better career and if you disagree with me, look at the numbers.
I have always hated comparing the two. One is a Center and the other is a Winger. Their roles in the game are completely different.
I will say, Cups are won by a team and not an individual. This makes Ovechkin's chase on Gretzky goal record greater. I will also add one other thing that is not talked about, which is the players character. Crosby has always acted immature and disrespectful. OV sells the sport, enthusiasm and open personalty far better. Frankly, I still think Crosby acts as a terrible role model for young people. You earn your respect and not be coddled and grow up feeling entitled. OV has done that, Crosby has not!
OVI all day, Sid is overrated top 10 lmfao maybe 20-25 , international goals don't matter when NHL never competes in them… To think McDavid would have two Olympic metals
It's Crosby but it's closer than people think
If Ovi breaks Gretzky's record….
Obviously crosby is quite skillful all around but he isn't breaking records like Ovi is and tbh you can't find many guys who are like ovi while you can find a lot that are like crosby.
Ovi 100%
ovie might not even make the record, he looks washed, but even if he does matthews will break it some day anyway so crosby by far
Ovi
If I'm building a championship team and can only take one of the two I am picking Sid. Every. Single. Time.
Thats the only metric.
Sid is the better all round player yes, and has better team accomplishments. But let's face it, Sid may not go down in history as being the BEST in any area, and plenty of players have multiple Cups and have captained multiple Cup winning teams. Ovi will be the BEST goal scorer in history. That's what makes his career more special. But if I want a player to build a team around, I'd probably pick Sid even though I'm a huge Ovi fan.
Ovi is amazing but i give the edge to the player with the 3 chips
I might be biased but c'mon. 3 stanley cups, 2 conn smythes, 2 olympic golds, world cup championship, world cup mvp, etc. Am I missing something?
100%✓
The tact and respect that almost everyone approaches this conversation with is exactly why I prefer Hockey fans over Futbol fans (definitely over soccer fans) and sometimes even over MMA fans.