One wonders about the intelligence of the average hockey fan when a player of Sidney Crosby's caliber and character gets overlooked for a human highlight reel.
So much has been written about Alexander Ovechkin that the classy, humble kid from the Maritimes has long been taken for granted. We've waited so long for the "Next One," that we can't see him for the media fog.
The "Next One" has a long history. It was the early 1990's that Mario Lemieux accepted the torch as "The Next One," but we've been trying to find Lemieux's successor for 15 years. First it was Eric Lindros, who will forever be underrated only because his vast potential went partially untapped. Then it was Jaromir Jagr, who everyone loved to hate, but who could score like nobody since Lemieux. Jagr's moodiness, occasional indifference and inability to lead a team to the Stanley Cup disqualifies him. A prodigious talent - yes, a player who defines a generation - no.
Almost by default, Peter Forsberg entered the picture, with his fearless play and pin-point passing. We loved to love Forsberg, but statistically he ranks no higher than Lindros and in our minds Lindros wasn't even close. Steve Yzerman and Joe Sakic get points for longetivity but consistently excellent play makes you a star not a generational talent.
So now the new young Russians are here. Malkin will win the Art Ross this season and likely the Hart but he won't deserve the latter. Ovechkin, more importantly has won over the fans. He's as exciting a hockey player as there has ever been. He scores gorgeous goals and backs them up with charming antics and genuine excitement. He's a breath of fresh air and right now he's a better player than Crosby. Malkin is not a better player than Crosby but just might be a greater threat. Malkin is big, not likely to get injured and has Lemieux-like talent.
So how does Crosby inherit Lemieux's crown. Crosby has intangibles in his personality that will allow him to persist in the face of inevitable obstacles. He's composed, mature, driven and most importantly, he sees it as his destiny. Most goal scorers like Ovechkin reach their peak at 24. They have to re-invent their game at that stage to thrive. Ovechkin also plays a robust game which will wear him down over time. He'll be like a firecracker that fizzles in the long run. In 15 years Sidney will still be producing but Ovechkin will have lost his zest for the game which he needs to thrive.
Malkin is an interesting character. He has a strong character, great skill and good support. In the end though Crosby's incredible determination and force of will will make him a better player. Just think of that determination the next time you see all 5'11 of him drive to the net. There is just no way Sid the Kid won't be "The Next One."
I've just finished writing a five-part article on every scouting department in the NHL. It was just an overview, but in the process I looked at the last four drafts for every NHL team. There were lots of nice little suprises. One is Washington defensman John Carlson. For some reason Carlson, a 6'3, 210-pound, smooth-skating dynamo fell all the way to 27th in the 2008 NHL draft. Perhaps he fell because he spent a couple of years in the relatively unknown USHL, but who really knows. All I know is that Carlson scored 76 points in 59 OHL games last season for London. He's big, mean, can skate and is vastly underrated much in the same way as Mike Green. Carlson is probably better than Green whose defensive responsibilities leave a lot to be desired. I write for so many sites, I neglect this blog, but for those of you who read it take note: John Carlson, not Erik Johnson is the next great American defenseman. He's not Brian Leetch and he's not Chris Chelios but he's somewhere in between.
