Sydney Crosby - Very Good but Definitely Not A Great Player

You got that right Rink!!

If you leave out junior, and NHL regular season, that leaves NHL playoffs, olympics, and world championships... in which you can compare Crosby and Toews at a professional mens meaningful or clutch game level. Toews playes 155 games Crosby 152 games. So toews has 3 games up on Crosby.  toews is +31, Crosby +26, close but the edge goes to Toews defensively. It should most certainly be noted that Toews is given a more defensive role in games, allowing him to focus more on preventing goals. Im quite sure anyone would agree that if Crosby was not so depended on for offense, that his defensive game, and numbers, would be better. Non the less, Toews is and always was an elite defensive forward, and his intangibles and defensive abilities while still maintaining a high skill level is only rivaled by maybe Bergeron. So while you could argue to a degree that because of a lack of elite offensive ability, Toews is able to focus more on being better defensively, Toews still has the edge defensively. Also, the same could be said for the opposite side of the argument, although keep in mind, Crosbys defensive numbers are almost as good, you could argue the same... with only 5 +/- below toews, in over 150 professional mens meaningful games. 

So then you have who is more clutch. Toews played in 3 more big games than Crosby, but they each have 13 game winning goals. So while you have to call it even, technically Crosby has a higher rate of scoring game winning goals in big games. Especially considering one of his gwg was one of the biggest goals of the sports history, you have to give the edge to Crosby.

Last you have offensive ability. This is where it isnt even close, and why if  health was never an issue, every GM in the league would pick Cosby over Toews. in big games, Crosby scores  .29 more points per game than Toews. an elite 1.13 vs  .84.  Where its even more obvious is when you add NHL regular season to the mix, Toews playing total of 800 games, Crosby 859, Toews doesnt even have 700 points, while Crosby is about to hit 1200. 

I see people and arguing over who is better between Crosby/Toews and Crosby/Kane, but really there is no argument,  as Crosby is like Toews and Kane combined. Oh I forgot to mention, both Toews and Crosby are in the rare triple gold club... Crosby is the only player in history to captain all three gold winning teams.

Howe, Richard, Orr, Gretzky, Lemieux, Crosby, (McDavid?) is the way it is, whether you like it or not.

Actually Kane has been playing on the 2nd line and had much worse linemates than Crosby, this year he finally got someone to play with in Panarin, a rookie but he crushed everyone else in this league.

and yeah Crosby joins any other team they win a cup, thats why he didnt make the finals even for 7 years straight on a Pens team loaded with stars? You have a clear bias but I can see why from your location.

Dont like them one bit but I respect Chicago because they are a darn good team.

At what point did I hate on Sid? I m just being a realist, is he a really good player? Yes. Is he the best player in this league? No. Few years back he was tearing up the league and you had an argument for it, its not happening anymore....he is not even a points per game player in these playoffs. I know you like the guy which is fine but he doesnt back check nearly as well as the better 2 way forwards or have the ability to shut other players down. He is not the complete player that you think he is...

Talent on Chicago has been better but go look at Kanes linemates, he didnt even have a proper center until Richards, because of his offensive abilities they relied on him getting it done with weaker linemates.

I agree plus minus is not an accurate way to rate players. Its funny how you cherry pick stats... compare toews and kanes stats last year to crosbys this year.  what a joke of an argument. I laid it out in front of you... stats prove that Crosby is a solid all round player, but toews may be a bit better, it shows that both players are clutch, and it shows that crosby is far superior offensively. You somehow try and laugh at the fact that Crosby is the only player in history to win triple gold and captain all three teams... seriously? lol  And you know that when a player is as gifted as crosby... they tend to have the puck more, and take chances more... because its often worth it.  Toews is a great player, I love the guy and how he plays and represents himself, but he just doesnt have the same offensive abilities as crosby. Crosby has clearly outshown toews offensively since their begining, and yet he did it with less offensive help on his wings. Being the best all round player, does not mean you are the best. messier was a better complete player than gretzky, but who would you pick on your team?  Its simple... Both Crosby and Toews are great players in todays game, both are complete players, both are clutch, and both are great leaders... but Crosby has a gift that Toews does not.. similar to a few other players in the league, his offensive creativeness really stands him out... Thats why if the GMs made a vote right now and could pick between either toews or crosby, they would all pick crosby. Its nice to go against the grain, and stand behind players that often dont get credit for everything they bring, like toews and bergeron, i greatly value players like them, but it just doesnt compare to guys that can play solid, while standing out offensively like Crosby does. 

And yes, Nova Scotian born and raised, and even played at Cole Harbor place, but that has nothing to do with how Crosby is the best.

The eye test eh  

You're clueless big guy.