Over the years it has always felt like the Penguins were looking for a #wingersforSid. Marian Hossa was probably the highest profile player to play a regular shift on his wing and that was for a two month stretch. Crosby and Hossa played great together and helped carry the Penguins (along with Evgeni Malkin and Marc-Andre Fleury) to a Stanley Cup Final. Hossa famously turned down the Penguins seven-year contract in the offseason and that was that.
While Crosby has never really had another winger with Hossa’s career accomplishments, he has played with other wingers who did a great job with him. One of those players was part of the Hossa trade. Pascal Dupuis was an unlikely player to find himself on the top line, but you can’t really argue with the results. The next season Ray Shero made probably his most influential trade when he brought in Chris Kunitz. Despite the urge to find Sid better wingers throughout the years this trio was a handful for the rest of the league.
The only negative about this trio was Sidney Crosby’s health. This was the line Crosby was playing with before his concussion in 2010-11. Kunitz and Dupuis were his most common linemates during his limited time in 2011-12. And they were his linemates for the lockout shortened 2013 season. All three seasons Sidney Crosby was playing at an MVP level. All three seasons he lost time to injury and as a result was not in the Hart Trophy discussion despite obviously being the best player in the world at the time. Despite losing out on those three Hart Trophies Crosby persevered through and recapture his MVP status in the 2013-14 season. It was the first season where Crosby was healthy in a few years and Chris Kunitz set career highs in goals (35) and points (68). However, as is tradition with the Penguins, someone had to be injured and this time it was Pascal Dupuis who missed time so this line never truly spent a full season together.
The time they spent? Elite results by all. How elite? Here you go.
Sidney Crosby was close to the height of his powers, but as we all know he was robbed of the height of his powers by David Steckel. He is an offensive juggernaut. The passing led him to lead the league with 68 assists and his 104 points were good for the Art Ross Trophy. It’s crazy to think he only has two Hart’s and two Art Ross Trophies, but it is what it is.
Chris Kunitz was a really good player for a long time and his stretch was Crosby was at an elite level. Kunitz was a Swiss Army knife capable of whatever the situation needed. His physicality, awareness, and puck skills were the perfect blend for Crosby
The decision to put Chris Kunitz on the Canadian Olympic team was met with scorn by many. Yet, this is what they were complaining about
Kunitz benefited from playing with Sidney Crosby (like everyone who does!), but he was not a product of Crosby. He was a great player in his own right.
Pascal Dupuis started as a 4th liner on the 2009 Stanley Cup Penguins. By the end of his tenure he was riding shotgun with Crosby and Kunitz. It was an unlikely rise to prominence in his thirties, but his speed and his finishing ability was the perfect blend with the other two players. Don’t sleep on how good Dupuis was before the blood clots cut his career short
Both Kunitz and Dupuis were unicorns. They aged like a fine wine. They are the rare case of when signing players after they are 30 work out for the most part. Neither player ever had a cap hit for 4M. Talk about value
#WingersforSid ? He could have done a lot worse.
The Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis line never really got a full season of health together, but from 2010-14 they were as dangerous a line as there was in the NHL.
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