The Rocket Richard Race

[Robin Hood]

Crosby? Stamkos? Ovechkin? Semin?

Stamkos has my vote but Crosby's playing out of his mind.

[bills09]

Stamkos

[Scott]

Ya, Stammer's looking like the guy but Sid will make it interesting. I still see Ovechkin going on a tear real soon too. It would be cool to see a couple guys get close to 60 goals.. Stamkos and Sid look to be heading there!

[Robin Hood]

Ya, Stammer's looking like the guy but Sid will make it interesting. I still see Ovechkin going on a tear real soon too. It would be cool to see a couple guys get close to 60 goals.. Stamkos and Sid look to be heading there!

I just want to point out at this time that Stamkos hitting 60/Sid scoring more than OV earlier in the season seemed ridiculous to some people in this league.

btw, is it just me or has Sid just taken his game up a notch? Can you imagine what kind of numbers he'd put up if he had a St. Louis/Semin to worth with?

[Scott]

Ya, Stammer's looking like the guy but Sid will make it interesting. I still see Ovechkin going on a tear real soon too. It would be cool to see a couple guys get close to 60 goals.. Stamkos and Sid look to be heading there!

I just want to point out at this time that Stamkos hitting 60/Sid scoring more than OV earlier in the season seemed ridiculous to some people in this league.

btw, is it just me or has Sid just taken his game up a notch? Can you imagine what kind of numbers he'd put up if he had a St. Louis/Semin to worth with?

Well, he does have Malkin on the PP to work with and during the games he takes a lot of shifts with Geno as well.

The real question is, could you imagine how good OV could be if he didn't spend his off season drinking/partying and his work ethic was as good as Sids?

[shooker]

Ya, Stammer's looking like the guy but Sid will make it interesting. I still see Ovechkin going on a tear real soon too. It would be cool to see a couple guys get close to 60 goals.. Stamkos and Sid look to be heading there!

I just want to point out at this time that Stamkos hitting 60/Sid scoring more than OV earlier in the season seemed ridiculous to some people in this league.

btw, is it just me or has Sid just taken his game up a notch? Can you imagine what kind of numbers he'd put up if he had a St. Louis/Semin to worth with?

12G 13A on his 12 game point streak. If that's not taking it up a notch, I don't know what is.

[inferno31]

Ya, Stammer's looking like the guy but Sid will make it interesting. I still see Ovechkin going on a tear real soon too. It would be cool to see a couple guys get close to 60 goals.. Stamkos and Sid look to be heading there!

I just want to point out at this time that Stamkos hitting 60/Sid scoring more than OV earlier in the season seemed ridiculous to some people in this league.

btw, is it just me or has Sid just taken his game up a notch? Can you imagine what kind of numbers he'd put up if he had a St. Louis/Semin to worth with?

12G 13A on his 12 game point streak. If that's not taking it up a notch, I don't know what is.

Sid goes nuts after any game in which he fights.

[Robin Hood]

Ya, Stammer's looking like the guy but Sid will make it interesting. I still see Ovechkin going on a tear real soon too. It would be cool to see a couple guys get close to 60 goals.. Stamkos and Sid look to be heading there!

I just want to point out at this time that Stamkos hitting 60/Sid scoring more than OV earlier in the season seemed ridiculous to some people in this league.

btw, is it just me or has Sid just taken his game up a notch? Can you imagine what kind of numbers he'd put up if he had a St. Louis/Semin to worth with?

Well, he does have Malkin on the PP to work with and during the games he takes a lot of shifts with Geno as well.

The real question is, could you imagine how good OV could be if he didn't spend his off season drinking/partying and his work ethic was as good as Sids?

Crosby and Malkin play on the same line less than 20% of the time EV - this is from Dobber Hockey. Kunitz and Dupuis are his regular line mates. Powerplay is a given that he plays with Malkin yes.

Ovechkin has one of Backstrom/Semin on his line almost 100% of the time. Both on his line 30% of the time. Ovechkin skates with Backstrom and Stamkos TOGETHER on the same line more than Crosby gets tim with Malkin alone lol. Forget the part where Ov has at least one of them 100% of the time.

The same goes for Stamkos and St. Louis. Almost un-splittable in TBL.

But yes, If OV had Crosby's work ethic that would be something.

[MSP4LYFE]

Ov put up essentially the same numbers as a rookie with Danius Zubrus and I don't even know who else on his line...Granted people didn't know who he was at that point, but it demonstrates that he can do it alone. That said, he has not been himself this season, for whatever reason.

As for the partying comment, nothing pisses me off more. People are so naive with their comments about athletes, it's hilarious. When OV was dominating his sucess was attributed to the fact that he was down to earth and outgoing, now it's being used against him...This is one of the biggest reasons I don't look at intangibles when scouting players, because far more often than not people are praised for their intangibles for no other reason than they are really, really good, and in the case of really populaur players it can take a 180 over night (cough Lebron James cough).

[jcarton]

Ya i would have to say Stamkos for the Rocket Richard, its going to be a fun race to watch though

[Mash]

Ov put up essentially the same numbers as a rookie with Danius Zubrus and I don't even know who else on his line...Granted people didn't know who he was at that point, but it demonstrates that he can do it alone. That said, he has not been himself this season, for whatever reason.

As for the partying comment, nothing pisses me off more. People are so naive with their comments about athletes, it's hilarious. When OV was dominating his sucess was attributed to the fact that he was down to earth and outgoing, now it's being used against him...This is one of the biggest reasons I don't look at intangibles when scouting players, because far more often than not people are praised for their intangibles for no other reason than they are really, really good, and in the case of really populaur players it can take a 180 over night (cough Lebron James cough).

this.


ps . I still think Stamkos will win scoring race...

[MSP4LYFE]

^Yeah, at this point its between Stamkos/Crosby.

[Shep]

Semin, duh.

[The BBKL Insider]

Pretty sure i said Stamkos would win the award and the first of the year....

and then i was told to give my head a shake by kareem....

so far looks like i'm right

[Robin Hood]

Ov put up essentially the same numbers as a rookie with Danius Zubrus and I don't even know who else on his line...Granted people didn't know who he was at that point, but it demonstrates that he can do it alone. That said, he has not been himself this season, for whatever reason.

As for the partying comment, nothing pisses me off more. People are so naive with their comments about athletes, it's hilarious. When OV was dominating his sucess was attributed to the fact that he was down to earth and outgoing, now it's being used against him...This is one of the biggest reasons I don't look at intangibles when scouting players, because far more often than not people are praised for their intangibles for no other reason than they are really, really good, and in the case of really populaur players it can take a 180 over night (cough Lebron James cough).

While what you said is true, when talking about what is happening presently, Sidney has less to work with that Ov RIGHT NOW, which is why that comparison is very much relevant even though OV has done well in the past with similar linemates in his rookie season.

As far as effort is concerned, Sid has a proven record of constantly improving that which is is not good at. He was bad at faceoffs he fixed it. He wasn't as much a 2 way player he fixed it. He wasnt as much of a goal scorer he fixed it. This is becoming a repetitive pattern with him. Ov has an image of not putting in as much effort and im sure most of it is just perception than reality but his story on GQ wasnt exactly convincing of things being otherwise.

One thing I will say is that OV as a player has ALWAYS played an extremely high level. But I personally do not see a difference in Ov today vs Ov 2 years ago. I'm not talking about his slow start this year. I'm talking about how he plays, what he brings to the ice. Can anyone here tell me how Ov has drastically improved any particular area of his game? IMO there have been changes but nothing drastic. Don't go off telling me he's playing like a playmaker more now lol. Give me something legitimate. His stats year to year have been almost identical. And I know stats are not everything, I've seen OV backcheck a little more recently but again nothing drastic.

Meanwhile players like Sid and Stamkos take drastic steps every year. So you can get mad at the "effort" argument but I see Crosby and Stamkos have come back as new players after every off season, while OV has remained more or less the same player. And I think that is the biggest reason the "effort" argument exists.

[Robin Hood]

Pretty sure i said Stamkos would win the award and the first of the year....

and then i was told to give my head a shake by kareem....

so far looks like i'm right

Yeah I'm on my way to winning a 1st + 2nd from him because of that same argument haha.

[MSP4LYFE]

Ov put up essentially the same numbers as a rookie with Danius Zubrus and I don't even know who else on his line...Granted people didn't know who he was at that point, but it demonstrates that he can do it alone. That said, he has not been himself this season, for whatever reason.

As for the partying comment, nothing pisses me off more. People are so naive with their comments about athletes, it's hilarious. When OV was dominating his sucess was attributed to the fact that he was down to earth and outgoing, now it's being used against him...This is one of the biggest reasons I don't look at intangibles when scouting players, because far more often than not people are praised for their intangibles for no other reason than they are really, really good, and in the case of really populaur players it can take a 180 over night (cough Lebron James cough).

While what you said is true, when talking about what is happening presently, Sidney has less to work with that Ov RIGHT NOW, which is why that comparison is very much relevant even though OV has done well in the past with similar linemates in his rookie season.

As far as effort is concerned, Sid has a proven record of constantly improving that which is is not good at. He was bad at faceoffs he fixed it. He wasn't as much a 2 way player he fixed it. He wasnt as much of a goal scorer he fixed it. This is becoming a repetitive pattern with him. Ov has an image of not putting in as much effort and im sure most of it is just perception than reality but his story on GQ wasnt exactly convincing of things being otherwise.

One thing I will say is that OV as a player has ALWAYS played an extremely high level. But I personally do not see a difference in Ov today vs Ov 2 years ago. I'm not talking about his slow start this year. I'm talking about how he plays, what he brings to the ice. Can anyone here tell me how Ov has drastically improved any particular area of his game? IMO there have been changes but nothing drastic. Don't go off telling me he's playing like a playmaker more now lol. Give me something legitimate. His stats year to year have been almost identical. And I know stats are not everything, I've seen OV backcheck a little more recently but again nothing drastic.

Meanwhile players like Sid and Stamkos take drastic steps every year. So you can get mad at the "effort" argument but I see Crosby and Stamkos have come back as new players after every off season, while OV has remained more or less the same player. And I think that is the biggest reason the "effort" argument exists.

This argument is very subjective, and more opinion based than fact based. For instance, you cite Crosby's increase in goals as an improvement, and than ignore the significance of OV's increase in assists...Frankly I have no interest in entering into such an argument, it's pointless.

Also what has Stamkos improved at exactly? He's done the same thing great since he was in juniors...Score. His defence and play on the dot are still below average for the position, as is his physical play, and to the same point in their careers OV was a significantly better goal scorer. Poor example.

[Robin Hood]

Ov put up essentially the same numbers as a rookie with Danius Zubrus and I don't even know who else on his line...Granted people didn't know who he was at that point, but it demonstrates that he can do it alone. That said, he has not been himself this season, for whatever reason.

As for the partying comment, nothing pisses me off more. People are so naive with their comments about athletes, it's hilarious. When OV was dominating his sucess was attributed to the fact that he was down to earth and outgoing, now it's being used against him...This is one of the biggest reasons I don't look at intangibles when scouting players, because far more often than not people are praised for their intangibles for no other reason than they are really, really good, and in the case of really populaur players it can take a 180 over night (cough Lebron James cough).

While what you said is true, when talking about what is happening presently, Sidney has less to work with that Ov RIGHT NOW, which is why that comparison is very much relevant even though OV has done well in the past with similar linemates in his rookie season.

As far as effort is concerned, Sid has a proven record of constantly improving that which is is not good at. He was bad at faceoffs he fixed it. He wasn't as much a 2 way player he fixed it. He wasnt as much of a goal scorer he fixed it. This is becoming a repetitive pattern with him. Ov has an image of not putting in as much effort and im sure most of it is just perception than reality but his story on GQ wasnt exactly convincing of things being otherwise.

One thing I will say is that OV as a player has ALWAYS played an extremely high level. But I personally do not see a difference in Ov today vs Ov 2 years ago. I'm not talking about his slow start this year. I'm talking about how he plays, what he brings to the ice. Can anyone here tell me how Ov has drastically improved any particular area of his game? IMO there have been changes but nothing drastic. Don't go off telling me he's playing like a playmaker more now lol. Give me something legitimate. His stats year to year have been almost identical. And I know stats are not everything, I've seen OV backcheck a little more recently but again nothing drastic.

Meanwhile players like Sid and Stamkos take drastic steps every year. So you can get mad at the "effort" argument but I see Crosby and Stamkos have come back as new players after every off season, while OV has remained more or less the same player. And I think that is the biggest reason the "effort" argument exists.

This argument is very subjective, and more opinion based than fact based. For instance, you cite Crosby's increase in goals as an improvement, and than ignore the significance of OV's increase in assists...Frankly I have no interest in entering into such an argument, it's pointless.

Also what has Stamkos improved at exactly? He's done the same thing great since he was in juniors...Score. His defence and play on the dot are still below average for the position, as is his physical play, and to the same point in their careers OV was a significantly better goal scorer. Poor example.

Ovechkin's Assists:

2005 - 54
2006 - 46
2007 - 47
2008 - 54
2009 - 59

To me it looks like the numbers haven't changed that much at all.

Crosby's Goals, FOW are DRASTICALLY better. What are you talking about? This is purely objective. Year-to-year, Ovechkin has put up almost identical numbers.

[The BBKL Insider]

Ovechkin's Assists:

2005 - 54
2006 - 46
2007 - 47
2008 - 54
2009 - 59

To me it looks like the numbers haven't changed that much at all.

Crosby's Goals, FOW are DRASTICALLY better. What are you talking about? This is purely objective. Year-to-year, Ovechkin has put up almost identical numbers.

I fackin hate Ovey

go Crosby and stamkos

[Shep]

Semin.