MALKIN THE MAN WITH CROSBY OUT
Pittsburgh needs big Russian to shoulder the load with captain out at least six weeks
With Leon Draisaitl — not Connor McDavid — leading the league in scoring after 20 games, now might be the time to wonder aloud whether the pecking order in Edmonton has temporarily changed.
Has Draisaitl become the Oilers’ most valuable player? Is he technically the NHL’s best?
It’s a valid argument, for the time being, at least. It’s also an argument Penguins fans know all too well.
It wasn’t too long ago when there was a McDavid-versus-Draisaitl debate concerning Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. And for several years, it was Malkin who seemed to have bragging rights, both in terms of production and hardware.
In his first six seasons in the NHL, Malkin outscored Crosby in goals (207 to 184) and points (525 to 507).
Malkin also had a fuller trophy case, having won the Calder Trophy, two Art Ross Trophies and the Hart Trophy during that span. When Pittsburgh won the championship in 2009, it was Crosby who got handed the Stanley Cup. But it was Malkin who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after notching 14 goals and 22 assists in 24 games.
“To me, Malkin is the best player in the league,” former NHL defenceman Kimmo Timonen said in 2008.
Today, there really is no debate. Since 2012, Crosby has outscored Malkin in goals (228 to 184) and points (621 to 481). And he has the individual hardware to back it up, having twice won playoff MVP during Pittsburgh’s backto-back championships in 2016 and 2017.
The Penguins are Crosby’s team. Although, for the next six weeks, they temporarily belong to Malkin.
Crosby had successful surgery to repair a core muscle injury on Thursday, an injury he had been playing through since the start of the season, and will be out until sometime after Christmas.
For Pittsburgh, which plays Toronto on Saturday, it means going the next 18 to 20 games without their captain and best player.
It could be a death blow for a team clinging to a wild-card spot in the East. That is, unless Malkin can reclaim his title as one of the best in the league.
“He’s so big and strong. When he’s on his game, you just can’t stop him,” Penguins GM Jim Rutherford said Thursday. “He can be one of the best.”
Indeed, Malkin can be one of the best. But at times, he can also be one of the most frustrating.
Some of that is due to injury. Malkin has already missed 11 games this season and has been out of the lineup for 126 games over the past seven seasons.
Two years ago, Malkin finished fourth in NHL scoring with 98 points in 78 games. It was his best season since scoring 109 points in 2011-12. Last year, however, he had one of his worst seasons. Malkin scored 21 goals — his lowest in a year where he played in more than 43 games — and had a team-worst minus-25 rating.
There were rumours that the Penguins wanted to trade the 33-year-old. Instead, Rutherford sent Phil Kessel to Arizona last summer in exchange for Alex Galchenyuk and prospect Pierre-Olivier Joseph and had head coach Mike Sullivan visit Malkin in Russia.
“They had a really good meeting about last season and what it takes to be successful this season,” Rutherford said.
“Geno really listened to that. He had a good camp and had a good start. Unfortunately, he got hurt.
“Now he’s back and like everybody it takes a little while to get his timing back. But I’m seeing signs that he’s back to the player he was before.”
Malkin scored in the season opener before getting injured in the following game. During his 11-game absence, the Penguins went 7-4-0. Much of that was because of Crosby, who had five goals and 14 points during that span.
“Earlier in the year, Geno was hurt and Sid put the team on his back and played extremely well,” said Rutherford. “Sid does whatever it takes to win. Whether it’s an offensive role or a defensive role, he does it. There’s never any surprises with Sid.”
Now, with Crosby sidelined, it’s up to Malkin to carry the load.
It’s something Malkin has experience in. In 2011-12, he scored 50 goals and 109 points in 75 games to lead the Penguins to a playoff spot. What made it more impressive was that it was a season when Crosby missed all but 22 games with a concussion.
“I’ll say the obvious: with Sid out, we need everyone going,” said Rutherford. “It’s not just about Geno. It’s about all our players. It’s an opportunity for some players to get an opportunity that they normally wouldn’t get.”
For Malkin, who has seven points in seven games, it’s another opportunity to raise the question of who’s better: him or Sid?