OT: Your first round NHL playoff picks

[Shawn Lutz]

Pavel Datsyuk is the most complete 2 way player in the game. its not all about points and goals. He was 4th in scoring and if he wanted to sacrifice defensive play, takeaways & +/- he could lead in points Dude is a stud on both sides of the puck...

Interesting first night of playoffs...Way to go NYR's

Some good match-ups tonight as well...can't wait

 

[dfrattaroli]

I also think Ovechkin is the best to ever play this great sport

Wow. Honestly? All the guy does is fire slap shots at the net everytime he touches the puck.

Look, I know Crosby is great. I think Malkin is better. But if you think all Ovechkin does is fire slap shots, you haven't been watching. Game on the line and I need a goal, he's the guy I want on my team. He was all over the ice last night. Hitting people, making plays, digging out pucks in the corner. Why do you think he's always by himself in the low slot or somewhere in the circle? Because he never stops moving and is such a gifted skater. He's hardly a goon. Too small for that. He's ridiculously strong for his size. I'm a Ranger fan and so I'm a bit more objective than a Penguins fan.

 

[dfrattaroli]

EDIT: Here's just one hilarious example. Rick Nash scored 40 goals this year on 263 shots...that's 265 shots LESS than Ovechkin took! He would have been on pace for 80 goals if he took as many shots as overrated Ovechkin. Pathetic.

The guy took 500 shots. How can you hold it against him? Again, if you use words like "Pathetic" to describe a player like Ovechkin, you're probably not being objective.

 

[dfrattaroli]

Pavel Datsyuk is the most complete 2 way player in the game. its not all about points and goals.

I won't argue that. I'm saying if I were starting a team from scratch, Ovechkin is my first pick. And if he wasn't available, I'd take Malkin, then Crosby. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Sid. I'm not surprised the 3 posters who initially disagreed with me are from PA. The only reason they back Crosby is because he's a Penguin. If Ovechkin was wearing a black Jersey and played in Pittsburgh instead of Crosby, they'd be calling Crosby "pathetic". That's being a fan of your team. Not hockey.

 

[dfrattaroli]

...he was such a playmaker, something Ovechkin will never be.

How do you know this? He's an infant in the sport. Is it really beyond the realm of all probability that he will be remembered as one of the all time greats? Really?

 

[dfrattaroli]

Last point. Remember this, you need to be healthy for most of the season to take 500 shots. Sid has proven to be the more fragile of the two to this point. Something to consider.

 

[ratter]

Pavel Datsyuk is the most complete 2 way player in the game. its not all about points and goals.

I won't argue that. I'm saying if I were starting a team from scratch, Ovechkin is my first pick. And if he wasn't available, I'd take Malkin, then Crosby. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Sid. I'm not surprised the 3 posters who initially disagreed with me are from PA. The only reason they back Crosby is because he's a Penguin. If Ovechkin was wearing a black Jersey and played in Pittsburgh instead of Crosby, they'd be calling Crosby "pathetic". That's being a fan of your team. Not hockey.

Whoa now. I never called him pathetic. I think his game is seriously one-sided and there's plenty of proof to support that. Also, the upside of his game (goal-scoring) is dwarfed by the great goal scorers who have come before him. You called him the greatest to ever play the sport and he's not even in the same stratosphere (yet) as the greatest goal scorers of all time, let alone the greatest all-around players. He's got 200-odd goals. Let him get to 6 or 700 and then you can maybe start to talk about his place in history amongst goal scorers.

It has nothing to do with Crosby. Crosby isn't in that stratosphere either. Hell, Teemu Selanne scored 70+ goals one year - where does he rank among the all time greats? He doesn't!

Again, more perspective - Ovechkin has another few hundred goals to go before he even catches his own team's all-time greats like Peter Bondra.

 

[Shawn Lutz]

Pavel Datsyuk is the most complete 2 way player in the game. its not all about points and goals.

I won't argue that. I'm saying if I were starting a team from scratch, Ovechkin is my first pick. And if he wasn't available, I'd take Malkin, then Crosby. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Sid. I'm not surprised the 3 posters who initially disagreed with me are from PA. The only reason they back Crosby is because he's a Penguin. If Ovechkin was wearing a black Jersey and played in Pittsburgh instead of Crosby, they'd be calling Crosby "pathetic". That's being a fan of your team. Not hockey.

all the players mentioned are great players. I'd take Datsyuk Malkin, and Ovechkin in that order. I think if you get 100pts you should be more than a +3 or +17 The teams and systems they play also have a lot to do with it too....no tellin what Ovechkin would do in a Red Wing sweater or what Datsyuk would do in a Caps jersey.....

Great 8 does need to tone it down in the playoffs goal celebration department or he could pull a Nashville of last years playoffs and give his teammate a concussion after a goal is scored

 

[dfrattaroli]

Whoa now. I never called him pathetic. I think his game is seriously one-sided and there's plenty of proof to support that. Also, the upside of his game (goal-scoring) is dwarfed by the great goal scorers who have come before him. You called him the greatest to ever play the sport and he's not even in the same stratosphere (yet) as the greatest goal scorers of all time, let alone the greatest all-around players. He's got 200-odd goals. Let him get to 6 or 700 and then you can maybe start to talk about his place in history amongst goal scorers.

It has nothing to do with Crosby. Crosby isn't in that stratosphere either. Hell, Teemu Selanne scored 70+ goals one year - where does he rank among the all time greats? He doesn't!

Again, more perspective - Ovechkin has another few hundred goals to go before he even catches his own team's all-time greats like Peter Bondra.

Fair enough. BTW, I didn't say you called him pathetic. But it's up there if you look. Still, I find it interesting that the first 3 people to contest my opinion are from PA.

 

[dfrattaroli]

And for the record, Ovechkin has 219 goals in 4 NHL seasons. He's a 23 year old kid averaging 55 goals per year. Maybe he doesn't come back and screen his own goalie but his game is hardly one sided. Sure he's a strictly offensive player. That's what he should be. But there's more to being an offensive player than scoring. He's not just a guy who puts the puck in the net. He's always in the right spot, he's impossible to shut-down, he WILL make you pay for your mistakes in the neutral zone or anywhere else, he changes the way the other team plays and in so doing, he affects the way the other teams forwards play. As far as I'm concerned, if he were a Ranger, I wouldn't care if he never crossed our blue line. And so far, he's been able to stay healthy. He's got all the markings of one of the best.

 

[stefvorcide]

I also think Ovechkin is the best to ever play this great sport but Jose Theodore is an average goalie at best and will be their downfall.

Ovechkin is a good offensive player, very talented but..
"best ever " I think more about these guys...

Sorry, but Maurice Richard scored 5 goals had 3 assistances on december 28th 1944 against detroit after HE MOVED (his house) . Two goals in 8 seconds also. I don't anyone can do that anymore. He scored a goalswhen someone was hanging on his skates also...

 

[ratter]

And for the record, Ovechkin has 219 goals in 4 NHL seasons. He's a 23 year old kid averaging 55 goals per year. Maybe he doesn't come back and screen his own goalie but his game is hardly one sided. Sure he's a strictly offensive player. That's what he should be. But there's more to being an offensive player than scoring. He's not just a guy who puts the puck in the net. He's always in the right spot, he's impossible to shut-down, he WILL make you pay for your mistakes in the neutral zone or anywhere else, he changes the way the other team plays and in so doing, he affects the way the other teams forwards play. As far as I'm concerned, if he were a Ranger, I wouldn't care if he never crossed our blue line. And so far, he's been able to stay healthy. He's got all the markings of one of the best.

Malkin managed to outscore him and yet manages to lead the league in takeaways too. No reason you can't have both. Datsuk also being a great example. Your best player should play both ends of the ice, IMO.

 

[dfrattaroli]

I also think Ovechkin is the best to ever play this great sport but Jose Theodore is an average goalie at best and will be their downfall.

Ovechkin is a good offensive player, very talented but..
"best ever " I think more about these guys...

Sorry, but Maurice Richard scored 5 goals had 3 assistances on december 28th 1944 against detroit after HE MOVED (his house) . Two goals in 8 seconds also. I don't anyone can do that anymore. He scored a goalswhen someone was hanging on his skates also...

They were great. Two goals in 8 seconds will never happen again for sure. It's always difficult to compare players from different eras. I think the average modern athlete is stronger, better conditioned and more skilled than 50, 40 or even 30 years ago. There's no telling what Maurice Richard would do today or vice versa.

 

[dfrattaroli]

Your best player should play both ends of the ice, IMO.

They should but historically that has not always been the case. I don't remember Gretzky being a great defensive forward.

 

[stefvorcide]

BTW for you ovechkin fans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2V7tyGIYQM

the way they put it, it's impressive. 200 goals in 200 seconds

 

[dfrattaroli]

So who's getting an Axe Fx?

 

[stefvorcide]

These days, for me : Hockey > guitar

 

[ratter]

Your best player should play both ends of the ice, IMO.

They should but historically that has not always been the case. I don't remember Gretzky being a great defensive forward.

Maybe not. But we're talking about a guy with something like 3000 points??? Ovechkin hasn't earned that kind of leeway yet. If you look back at Gretzky's stats you'll see some stupefying things. Like a +98 season. 215 points in one season. Off the charts. Ovechkin is still very much on the charts. That's all I'm saying.

 

[Shawn Lutz]

I also think Ovechkin is the best to ever play this great sport but Jose Theodore is an average goalie at best and will be their downfall.

Ovechkin is a good offensive player, very talented but..
"best ever " I think more about these guys...

Sorry, but Maurice Richard scored 5 goals had 3 assistances on december 28th 1944 against detroit after HE MOVED (his house) . Two goals in 8 seconds also. I don't anyone can do that anymore. He scored a goalswhen someone was hanging on his skates also...

Guy Lafleur was awesome....the Rocket was before my time.


Some great history in your series huh? Montreal and Boston

 

[SkyhighRocks]

Orr....