Pittsburgh Captain

[kosydar 0]

I'm just going to end this now. Crosby wasn't even the best rookie in the NHL last year. Hell, in my unbiased opinion, I'd say that Lundqvist was just as, if not more important to his team, and his team actually won games. Phaneuf was amazing as well, and he actually led his team in ice time. Yes, his team that actually won games. He cracked a spot on the top line in one of the very top defensive lineups in the league. Ovechkin was in a similar situation with Crosby (bad, losing team), but he performed better with a lot less around him. And back to Lundqvist, he was great on the Olympic team that won gold. Crosby didn't make the Olympics, so you can't even start to compare them in that aspect.

Its ridiculous that people make excuses like "he'd be better with better players around him" or "he is only 18 years old". If he was as good as people think he is he would be able to rise about those "handicaps" and perform. Nobody is going to doubt that his 100 points are important and impressive. And yes, I would obviously want him on my team. However, I wouldn't S his D like everyone else does. He would receive no preferential treatment. If he took undisciplined penalties or badmouthed his team, coaches, or organization to the media I'd bench his ass. Then again, I'm just a Crosby hater.

[mack 44]

What no one mentions about Phaneuf is that virtually all of his points were on the PP.

[DarkStar50 679]

Dion Phaneuf- 82 games- 20 goals, 29 assists = 49 points

Power Play points- 16 goals, 17 assists = 33 points

Virtually all on PP? Not exactly......

[Cavs019 708]

Kovalchuk was a monster at 18, not nearly as many people were on his d as they are Crosby's. Does the fact that he's Canadian and Canada has been looking for a suitor for its "Next One" moniker since Gretzky retired have anything to do with it? :D

[willc7786 0]

Quick response to the olympics being brought up; Its not that he didn't "make" the roster, since there aren't really try outs. Plus, Canada was pretty much embarassed, so obviously they didn't make good personel decisions. Yes, this coming from someone rooting for team usa lol

And about the penalties, I think part of that might have been Crosby trying to distance himself from Gretzky. The one "criticism" (just for lack of a better word) about Wayne was that he didn't have any edge. This is just a shot in the dark, but maybe Crosby figured being a 'tough guy' would get him less Gretzky comparissons

[DarkStar50 679]

This is not the Wayne compares to Sid thought but the truth is that Gretzky ran to the refs an awful lot his first few years in the NHL. The refs got tired of it, too. Gretzky also realized that the whining looked pretty bush. Crosby will figure that out, too.

[willc7786 0]

Oh, Wayne definitely cried to the refs, but he never took half as many penalties of Crosby. Though I say that without comparing any stats. If I'm wrong, I reserve the right to bring up how its a different game today lol

[DarkStar50 679]

You are right. Gretzky actually won the Lady Byng Trophy his rookie year 79-80. He also won it in 90-91, 91-92, 93-94, and 98-99. I don't know why he needed this award! He was "The Great One!" His whining was more of "how could that not be a penalty?", instead of Crosby's "How could that be a penalty?"!

[kosydar 0]

Quick response to the olympics being brought up; Its not that he didn't "make" the roster, since there aren't really try outs.  Plus, Canada was pretty much embarassed, so obviously they didn't make good personel decisions.  Yes, this coming from someone rooting for team usa lol

So my follow up question would be would Canada had better results, or even had a better overall team, if Crosby had made the roster? We all know Lundvqist was a big part of the win for Sweden. And I think that there were a lot of issues that hurt Canada, not just "personnel decisions" as you put it. There is no reason why their team shouldn't have won based on skill and talent alone.

Cavs is right on. If Crosby was any other nationality (American included), there would be so much less hype around him, and as a result his attitude would be much different. I hate to say it, but Crosby's upbringing in the hockey world is starting to remind me of the things I hate about the NFL and the NBA. So many of the young kids are constantly told how amazing they are, and all of their wants and desires are instantly fulfilled, even before they play a single professional game. When they make it to the NFL or NBA, their egos are already as big as the arenas themselves. It sucks, but this is my take on what happened to Crosby. Is it all his fault? Of course not. If everyone was so desparate for a Canadian hockey god and everyone told you that it was you since you were a teenager, you'd start to believe it. Million dollar contracts at age 16 don't hurt, either.

[Duder84 0]

well Canada had a deeper pool of players at centre than the Swedish had at goal....who comes after Lundqvist? Tommy Salo? But this is all beside the point.....

Yes Crosby is spoiled, yes he was hyped out the yin yang, but he stood up and put up numbers, none of us can deny that. It is now up to the team to make sure he matures properly, make sure he is taught how to be a person, and the way to do that is to surround him with veteran players who will tell him what for when necessary. Pittsburgh is a young team, I think thats why it will be a much slower learning curve for Crosby as apparently he didn't have too many good role models to look up to (I guess we don't know that for sure, but it didn't seem like Lemuiex was doing much to correct his behaviour)

[willc7786 0]

Also have to take into account this is the first time he's had to listen to anybody else. The kid has walked through every level of hockey up to the NHL, and basically had more say then any other player or coach that has been on his teams. That will go to any teenagers head and it may take a season or two to straighten himself out and get the NHL concepts down.

Not every player is from the same mold of someone like Steve Yzerman

[kosydar 0]

It is now up to the team to make sure he matures properly, make sure he is taught how to be a person, and the way to do that is to surround him with veteran players who will tell him what for when necessary.

Its not up to anybody but himself to make sure he grows up. It should be one of those things where he realizes "hey I'm in the best position I could possibly want to be. I'm one of, if not the most talented young players in the world. I have everything going for me. I have an organization that will essentially be built around me. I should grow up and act like the adult that I am". That being said, its going to take an outside influence for it to actually happen because what is the point of being mature and respectful if nobody expects it from you? Pitts should trade for Gary Roberts, he'd whip Crosby's ass into shape.

[Duder84 0]

It is now up to the team to make sure he matures properly, make sure he is taught how to be a person, and the way to do that is to surround him with veteran players who will tell him what for when necessary.

Its not up to anybody but himself to make sure he grows up. It should be one of those things where he realizes "hey I'm in the best position I could possibly want to be. I'm one of, if not the most talented young players in the world. I have everything going for me. I have an organization that will essentially be built around me. I should grow up and act like the adult that I am". That being said, its going to take an outside influence for it to actually happen because what is the point of being mature and respectful if nobody expects it from you? Pitts should trade for Gary Roberts, he'd whip Crosby's ass into shape.

when you've grown up being told constantly that you're the best, it most likely will go to your head, and thats why i said he need veterans to help him see he's being an annoying, whiny kid. I guess its kinda hard to be an adult when your nickname is "Sid the Kid" :). He's only just coming into adulthood(at least by Canadian legal standards) he needs another few years of maturing. Plus, who didn't think they're hot shit at 18-19? ;)

[kosydar 0]

You're just proving my point. If he wants to think he is hot shit in juniors (where he had a right to), fine by me. But as soon as he began to play a man's game, he needed to act like a man, regardless of his age. How many of you guys remember when you were 16 or 17 and played in the adult league for the first time? Remember being the only kid in the room filled with guys in their 30s and 40s? I do, and I also remember not saying a single word to anyone for the first month. Moving up to the NHL is like this, only multiplied by like a million.

[willc7786 0]

Yeah, cockyness isn't bad, as long as you can be a leader along with it and can make your team follow you. Perfect example of this is Derek Jeter...I think he's done pretty nicely in his career

[Duder84 0]

You're just proving my point. If he wants to think he is hot shit in juniors (where he had a right to), fine by me. But as soon as he began to play a man's game, he needed to act like a man, regardless of his age. How many of you guys remember when you were 16 or 17 and played in the adult league for the first time? Remember being the only kid in the room filled with guys in their 30s and 40s? I do, and I also remember not saying a single word to anyone for the first month. Moving up to the NHL is like this, only multiplied by like a million.

Sorry if I'm not in the NHL like you've been, and yes, you're right, he should be acting like a man now that he's in the league but he's not because he is going on a young team where everyone else is trying to grow up. Him goin in living with Lemuiex probably added to the already over large head he's got, and thats why I keep mentioning the need for veterans to keep him honest. As far as I'm concerned, nobody has any right to think they're hot shit in a team sport, but thats just me.

[kosydar 0]

Sorry if I'm not in the NHL like you've been

Don't worry about it

[Cavs019 708]

Its hard for any veteran to have any influence on him because what goes through his head is probably something like this "why should I take advice from John Leclair when I could dangle his ass with my left hand tied behind my back."

[hockeytim18 0]

I can understand what everybody is saying whether they hate Crosby or whatever. Maybe one to two more seasons tops and I think he'll be ready to take the reins if he's still with the pens. Can anyone see the pens letting him go?

[jjtt99 0]

Late to chime in, but I'm cheering for the kid. That's a lot of pressure to put on an 18 year old. I'm hoping he's seen the error of some of his on and off-ice choices in his rookie year. It's too early to write him off as a bad leader or a distraction in the locker room. Alex-O was 20 and barely spoke the language. Sid was 18 and was labeled as the savior of the game. Apples and oranges in my opinion.

[Eazy_b97 1]

To be honest I was kind've against Crosby when he came into the league, but the more people harped on him the more I liked him.

AO wasn't branded as the savior that Crosby was. He plays a different game, which allows him more room on the ice.

[beaucoup_fish 0]

Ron Francis. Oh wait, he left the Penguins years ago.

Mario? Howabout Mario. He's still a Penguin. Sort of. Or Mark Cuban. Mark Cuban is a good one.

[peter 0]

I'd say Recchi ,

Crosby's to immature yet give him a few years...

[eagan09 0]

I'd say Recchi ,

Crosby's to immature yet give him a few years...

agreed Crosby isn't ready and cant be thrown into that roll yet go with Recchi and let Crosby get use to the league some more

[Meathead 0]

It's as easy as ABC...Anyone But Crosby