hockeysattva 8 Report post Posted May 22, 2008 Ok, I haven't liked what he has written recently, but this embodies what I have been thinking and then some... "Hello John, My name is Rick Jones. I work as a firefighter in the Detroit area. Can I pick your brain? I'm trying to make a case here. Who would you rather have -- Crosby/Malkin or Datsyuk/Zetterberg? Try not to use age as the deciding factor. I don't watch enough Pens games, so I can't give a straight-shooter answer without being biased. Please give a few reasons, like Datsyuk's Selke Trophy or Malkin's size. Rick Detroit This is an excellent and difficult question, Rick. In the end, it would probably come down to personal preference of styles and intangibles, since the talent level is so close. I still believe Sidney Crosby is the NHL's most perfect union of raw skill, intellect and desire. That being the case, when it is close, I would be inclined to take the equation that involves No. 87. Inexperience is simply not a factor when you are more evolved than everyone else. See: Tiger Woods. Back Crosby up with a one-on-one talent like Malkin, who has one of the hardest shots in the league and also has a high hockey IQ, and that is a difficult tandem to top. Datsyuk and Zetterberg are right in that ballpark, if not neck and neck. Datsyuk has the uniqueness and flair of Crosby. He lacks the physical play Crosby exhibits around the net of the opposing goalie, but he is better at defensively stripping opponents of the puck and has that knack to know when to hover and when to pounce. Datsyuk would be very adept at killing wild game if he put his mind to it. I could see him killing raccoons with ease. Malkin is actually very good at puck stripping, as well; his long reach will one day make him one of the league's best two-way players. Malkin is like Manny Ramirez in that he doesn't really have a desperation button, so there are times he appears to disappear or to not be giving his all-out best. Malkin took a pounding in the Flyers series. The Red Wings have tough players, but I think Malkin will be more comfortable against Detroit. Still, the talent level of the Red Wings' defense is light years ahead of the Flyers'. Zetterberg is a complete player who is hybrid efficient. He can create, score and provide the spectacular. His goal-scoring rate does not change in the postseason. I love that. That means his game has depth. The Penguins must have Sergei Gonchar on the ice as much as possible against Zetterberg and Datsyuk. The snippet that makes this discussion a bit frayed is Zetterberg and Datsyuk largely play together, which perhaps doesn't give us a true measurement of how much they make teammates better. Crosby and Malkin occasionally are put on the same line to give the Penguins a different look, but the Penguins are most dynamic when these two players are rolling shift after shift, making their linemates better and getting good matchups with the opposing team's defensemen. Because of their youth and ability to heal and stay energetic, this is a potent twosome, especially at home. I know you said not to take age in account, but energy, health and speed are such an integral part of playoff hockey, it has to be considered. Hockey is a young man's game. Maurice Richard was 23 when he scored 50 goals in 50 games in the 1944-45 season. Bobby Orr was 22 when he scored 120 points and flew through the air to win his first Stanley Cup in 1970. Wayne Gretzky was 21 when he went 92-120-212 in the 1981-82 campaign. Additionally, young players today have so much big-time experience in high-pressure situations like the world juniors, they are better trained at not letting big-time moments bother them. My preference is the Penguins' duo because of No. 87, but for the most part, these four players cancel each other out as their identical playoff point totals show. The Cup will be won by the supporting cast." from: http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs2008...&id=3405758 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VM1138 1,921 Report post Posted May 22, 2008 I don't know if I agree. True, they are all fairly equal in skill, but I feel the weaker Pitts defense (compared to the Wings) will give Dats and Z more room to play than Crosby and Malkin. Therefore, the Pens will need their supporting cast to win, but I think Dats and Z will have just as many chances as they have so far in the playoffs. And yes, Detroit's supporting cast will step it up a notch as well. It's going to be amazing. I agree that Malkin and Crosby are two of the smartest players in the game, but since they are so equal, I will take the fans way out and say Datsyuk and Zetterberg are better, while not belittling Pittsburgh fans for saying their pair is better. But I don't think they cancel each other out, as I stated about Dats and Z having lots of room to play with, whereas Crosby and Malkin will have to work harder to get their openings. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hockeysattva 8 Report post Posted May 22, 2008 I do think you have a point, and in that I will say: PLUS/MINUS +/- 1. Henrik Zetterberg, DET 15 2. Pavel Datsyuk, DET 12 3. Johan Franzen, DET 9 4. Nicklas Lidstrom, DET 9 5. Ryan Whitney, PIT 8 ... 12 Sidney Crosby, PIT 6 .... 18 Evgeni Malkin, PIT 5 Now Scuderi and Hossa have more than Crosby does with +8 and +7 respectively, but this suggests something pretty powerful about who scores goals and doesn't get scored on. I do think Buccigross has not factored in the defensive role of these forwards as much as he could/should have, but given he actually picks the Pens I thought he actually came pretty close on this one... I guess I had to know I couldn't agree with him for long. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
