By scoring 68 points this season, Sidney Crosby will pass one of his childhood heroes. While Crosby ascends the list of top 10 NHL scorers, currently ninth, teammate Evgeni Malkin should also rocket past a who’s who of all-time greats.
After 19 years together, the pair have seen and done it all. They’ve been inseparable since Malkin escaped the Russian oligarch-run KHL in 2006. They’ve dominated since the first game when captain Crosby acquiesced to Malkin in the tunnel, allowing Malkin to enter the ice last because, “three years, Super League.”
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They’ve won everything that can be won, from Hart Trophies to Stanley Cups. Now, each point scored is yet another notch in their already voluminous legacies.
In all likelihood, Crosby, 38, will pass Mario Lemieux as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ all-time leading scorer. With 1687 points, Crosby needs only 37 points to pass Mario (1723), his former landlord, captain, team owner, and friend.
That should be some celebration when it happens. Perhaps Lemieux will rekindle his gift for big moments and make a special announcement on that day?
Lemieux is just the first name Crosby could pass in the next two years as he climbs the list of the NHL’s top 10 scorers. Next is Detroit Red Wings’ ace Steve Yzerman at 1755, and with a great season, he could also catch former LA Kings force Marcel Dionne for sixth, at 1771.
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Crosby ranks 16th in all-time goals scored, with 625. Hall of Famer Dave Andreychuk (640) and Brendan Shanahan (656) are next.
Crosby is 12th in even-strength goals scored (437), tied with Bobby Hull. The names he could pass are more hockey history, with Yzerman at 440, Phil Esposito at 448, and Mark Messier at 452.
Not bad, eh? But we’re not yet done with Crosby.
The Penguins captain ranks 10th all-time with 1062 assists. Two more will pass Yzerman for ninth, 18 more passes Adam Oates for eighth, and 48 more passes Joe Thornton for seventh.
Crosby will need 73 more assists to tie the great Paul Coffey for sixth, so we’ll save that one for next year.
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Evgeni Malkin, I am Score
Malkin turned 39 on July 31, and he may only have one year left in his incredible career to knock a few names out of the way. He’s currently 31st in all-time scoring with 1346, three points ahead of still-active Patrick Kane.
However, the players in front of Malkin are veritable guideposts to NHL history, and he could pass a bunch of them in October.
He needs just four points to pass Mats Sundin, eight points to pass Guy Lafleur, and nine to pass Brendan Shanahan. With a mere 50-point season, Malkin could vault up to 24th all-time, also passing Mike Modano, Brett Hull, and Luc Robitaille (1394).
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Wayne Gretzky’s scrappy sidecar Jari Kurri is 23rd with 1398 points, and Winnipeg Jets stalwart Dale Hawerchuk is 22nd with 1409.
It’s been a long way from hiding in an airport bathroom in order to defect.
Malkin is currently 42nd all-time with 514 goals. The names in front of him conjure memories of greatness and Stanley Cups. Pierre Turgeon (515), Hawerchuk (518), and Pat Verbeek (522) could fall quickly. Former Penguins center and Islanders great Bryan Trottier is next at 524, and Marian Hossa is the last expected pass at 525.
Frank Mahovolich (533) and Keith Tkachuk (538) are attainable with a solid 20+ goal season from Malkin.
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“Geno” is currently 29th all-time with 832 assists, but moving up the ladder will be a little tougher with the helpers. The two players he trails are still active, Anze Kopitar (838) and Patrick Kane (851), though Malkin could catch Bobby Clarke (852) and Canadiens great Denis Savard (865).
Make no mistake, Penguins fans have been treated to greatness. Also, realize that goalie Marc-Andre Fleury retired after last season as the second all-time winningest goalie in NHL history (575), making the Penguins drafts from 2003 (Fleury), 2004 (Malkin) and 2005 (Crosby), and defenseman Kris Letang (2005, third-round), probably the greatest three-year run of the modern era in NHL Draft history.
The post The Historic Names Sidney Crosby & Evgeni Malkin will Pass This Season appeared first on Pittsburgh Hockey Now.
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