For many hockey fans, Sidney Crosby is not only the greatest player in the NHL, but also the world. An Art Ross, Hart and Lester B. Pearson Trophy winner, Crosby has won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins, and scored the overtime, game-winning goal against the United States to give Canada its Olympic gold medal. It’s hard to imagine that another player could be compared to Crosby, but many fans in Chicago have reason to believe that "Captain Serious", Jonathan Toews, is the better player. How is this possible? Well, for one, Toews was named the Olympic tournament’s best forward, not Crosby, and given Toews recent play in these playoffs, there’s reason to take this subject a little more seriously.
How Good Has Jonathan Toews Been for Chicago?
Toews is currently the youngest full time captain in the NHL. Nicknamed "Captain Serious” by his teammates, Toews has a maturity well beyond his years, and a skill set that can match up against the best in the NHL. Given how well the young captain has performed this offseason, it’s not inconceivable that Toews will become the NHL’s best all around player in a couple of years. So, just how good has Toews been this postseason?
Entering the Stanley Cup finals against the Philadelphia Flyers, Toews is averaging 1.625 points a game, with 7 goals and 19 assists for 26 total points in 16 playoff games. With the Stanley Cup finals about to begin, Toews could easily improve on these totals and lead the Blackhawks to their first Stanley Cup Championship since 1961.
Is Sidney Crosby Really The Best?
While there is no denying Sidney Crosby’s abilities, questions have always dogged the superstar about his propensity to complain when calls don’t go his way. Crosby is a phenomenal player, but for many NHL fans, one truly can’t be great unless one acts like it. Unfortunately, for Crosby, the center never looked worse complaining than in this year’s playoffs. This was especially true in the series against the Canadiens, where the captain was seen breaking his stick over the Montreal net, and throwing his busted stick into the corner of the rink. Amazingly, Crosby didn’t get a penalty, and for many fans, that’s a recurring problem that allows Crosby to get away with things other NHL players can't.
At this time, it’s Crosby’s ability to be both a goal scorer, and natural playmaker, that makes him the greatest player today. Looking at Crosby’s stats, it’s hard to ignore that the player who scored 102 points in his rookie season, and has produced better seasons since then, shouldn’t be considered the greatest all around hockey player today. However, Jonathan Toews is quickly establishing himself as a serious threat to the throne. He has the ability to be dominant in the NHL, and unlike Crosby, doesn’t show his emotions when things don’t go his way.
Ian Johnson - I currently run a business blog called www.driveyoursuccess.com. I have over 15 years consulting experience in production cell management, ...
