|
This week's Big Question: Who is the best player in the league? Wayne Gretzky: "Sid is still the best player in hockey. That's a mantle you earn over time. It's one of those things where you earn that right to have that title, until somebody takes it away from you. Is Connor [McDavid] a great player? Absolutely. Does Connor have an opportunity to be the next [Sidney] Crosby? Absolutely. Right now, Sidney deserves to be known as the best player in the game. He's been the best player consistently in his career. He's won Stanley Cups and he's won gold medals. Until somebody takes that mantle away from him, he's still going to hold the crown." Joe Thornton, C, San Jose Sharks: "Oh, Sidney Crosby. I'm a Sidney Crosby fan. He's ultracompetitive. Great speed, great shot, great passer. Just has a lot of the attributes you'd want to start a hockey team with." Zach Parise, C, Minnesota Wild: "Sid is playing great, but man, Connor McDavid is good, oh my God. But I still think today. ... I've got to say I still think Sid. It's tough but I really do." Eastern Conference coach: "Best player in the NHL right now would be Carey Price and Sidney Crosby. No. You know what? Sorry. I think it's Connor McDavid and Carey Price, and Sid would be my third." Ben Bishop, G, Tampa Bay Lightning: "I think you look at the way Sidney Crosby's playing right now, it's hard to argue that there's anybody playing much better than him. What is he turning, 30 this year? He's still pretty young. I know the league's changed, kind of to the teens and young 20s, but, no, I think he's still right in his prime. He looks better than he has in years past. He's got that fire, he's on a different level right now. It's fun to watch. Not so much fun to play against." Shane Doan, C, Arizona Coyotes: "I think Sidney Crosby has established himself with what he's doing right now. It's amazing to see how he just does whatever he needs to do." Cam Fowler, D, Anaheim Ducks: "Whew. I think it's got to be Connor McDavid right now. Just his combination of speed and skill and being able to do things at a high pace is incredible. We don't get to see Sid that often, but the year that he's having with the injuries too, you can pretty much go either way with that one."  Aaron Ekblad, D, Florida Panthers: "It's got to be Sid, right? He's consistently amazing. There are obviously a lot of great players that do a lot of great things on different nights, guys like him, and [Patrick] Kane, and [Jonathan] Toews, they are consistently amazing -- not good -- amazing every single night they step on the ice." Jarome Iginla, RW, Colorado Avalanche: "McDavid has been very impressive, and playing against him you see what he can do and how he can control a game, but it's hard to go against Sid. I think coming off a Stanley Cup, what he did at the World Cup, what he's doing already at the start of the season since he's been back [from a concussion], so I would still, personally right now, go with Sid. Ask me in another couple of years, maybe it changes, but right now I'd probably say Sid." Nazem Kadri, C, Toronto Maple Leafs: "I'd have to go with Sid, with what he's doing this year and how he's putting that team on his shoulders, I'd have to go with him for sure. Because he's just so dangerous." Jakob Chychrun, D, Arizona Coyotes: "100 percent [Sidney Crosby]. I was the biggest Sidney Crosby fan growing up. I grew up playing center and playing forward. He was my idol growing up. When I was a kid, all my friends, it was the stage between Ovi and Sid, that was the big argument when I was younger -- still is, but it was huge back then. All my teammates gave me heck, and said Ovi is way better. I stood by Sid's side through it all. I would argue with everybody. I still believe that. For sure." Eastern Conference scout: "Oh, man, that's tough. I think it comes down to McDavid or Crosby. McDavid is carrying that team. If you take him out of the lineup, they're nowhere close to where they are today. McDavid hasn't done it long enough and he's still very young, still learning. I would say Crosby is the best in the league. He can do everything and anything he wants to do if he sets his mind to it. That's what I love about Sid's game." -- Joe McDonald, Pierre LeBrun, Craig Custance, Scott Burnside
|
