Crosby, McDavid, Matthews: Who’s the NHL’s best?
Hockey in 2016, which Canada also won.
“Team success in the end, that’s how you’re measured,” Babcock said. “When you’ve been the best player on the best team, to me that’s totally different than being the best player on a team that’s not as good. As you’ve got people around you to raise your game and set a standard to me, it’s not even close.”
Mike Sullivan became Pittsburgh’s coach during the 2015-16 season and immediately grew to appreciate Crosby’s gifts.
“Sid’s the most driven athlete I’ve ever been around,” he said. “Not only is he an elite player, but he’s willing to put the work in to continue to try to be the best player he can be. I have the privilege of watching him on a daily basis put the work in to be the player that he is.”
Toronto center Nazem Kadri says it’s tough to pick among Crosby, McDavid and Matthews.
“I still think Sid’s an incredible player and McDavid’s definitely up there,” he said. “[Matthews] is creeping up there. To me, McDavid’s speed is just incredible and so hard to stop. You can’t necessarily make a mistake when he’s on the ice because when you’re beside him you’re going to be behind him.”
Maple Leafs center John Tavares went headto-head with Crosby for nine seasons while with the New York Islanders.
“He doesn’t take anything for granted and his work ethic’s tremendous,” Tavares said. “He puts a lot of commitment into being the player that he is.”
Crosby has five assists in six games this season playing on a line with Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust — the first time he’s gone without a goal this long.
But Sullivan’s admiration is undiminished.
“He leaves no stone unturned,” Sullivan said. “He takes care of himself physically. He trains so hard, both off the ice and on the ice. We learn as much from Sid as I think he does from our coaching staff with just the way he thinks the game.”