Perhaps the oddest of all situations in this very odd, early season is Sidney Crosby's production. Sid has never been in a situation like this before. 15 points in 23 games? Crosby has never been under a point per game in his NHL career and even including this season his career numbers are staggering.
Crosby has 868 points in only 650 games. He is a plus-119 in his career. This year he is a mius-10. And all this comes on the heels of the Penguins going out and finally acquiring a "legit scoring player to play with" in Phil Kessel.
There is of course one big question: What the heck is going on?
This question needs to be addressed by looking closely at a few questions.
#1: The Points Falloff...
I have said for years that Crosby is unlike any other NHL superstar I can remember because of the style he plays. He is not like Wayne or Mario. He is not Gordie Howe. He is a down low, hard-working, quick-handed cycle artist and it is for this reason that finding the right players to play with Crosby can be so baffling. I always look to Team Canada, with so many of the talented players in the world at their disposal, still not honed in on who to play with him. I remember attending a skate at the Olympics in Vancouver where they were so frustrated they tried to put Mike Richards with him. At the last World Championships Crosby played very well with Claude Giroux, who plays a similar game. The point here is just putting talented players (like Kessel) with him doesn't work. This year that has been forced and coaching needs to take some of the blame for the points being down.
#2: Is he disliked?
This is by far the most absurd thing I have heard. Crosby is respected by his teammates and even those who face him every night. He does demand a lot of his teammates, but when you are Sidney Crosby, you can. That whole thing about Crosby and Giroux not liking each other off the ice is completely wrong.
#3: Could they, should they, would they trade him?
No, no, and I guess you can never say 100% no. Malkin could be moved. Kessel could even be moved. Crosby will never be moved. You don't move the best player in the world over a rough start. There is simply no way.
#4 Will he be an All-Star?
While I don't think he did himself any favors not going last year, I do know he has gone many years when he was injured so the NHL could get him in front of the sponsors. Crosby was given a mulligan last year and will probably return this year. He is off to a terrible start, but there is still time and I just have a feeling he will get himself close enough to a point per game to get a ticket to Nashville. After all, this All-Star game was made for him.
So what is wrong with Crosby?
In my opinion the Penguins have done a very bad job at figuring out the kind of players you need to surround him with. Just look at the closest comparable in style...The Sedins...How many wingers have the Canucks gone through there? These cycling skilled guys are hard for most players to keep up with. There is a reason Kunitz was on Team Canada. The problem in Pittsburgh is attitude and balance and that has to be firmly placed on the heads of management....Not #87. Not this time.
We will discuss all this and more on today's Buzzcast at 1pm.