Further Proof That Hockey Players Aren’t Smart

This week’s SI Players Poll:

BEST NHL HOCKEY PLAYER
This poll was taken from 324 NHL players:

1. Alex Ovechklin, Capitals LW-51%
2. Nicklas Lidstrom-Red Wings D-11%
3. Evgeni Malkin, Penguins C-7%
4. Pavel Datsyuk, Red Wings C-7%
5. Jarome Iginla, Flames RW-5%
6. Henrik Zetterberg, Red Wings C-5%

Poll was completed just before the playoffs, and players could not vote for a teammate. Penguins C Sidney Crosby tied for eighth (1.9), Devils G Martin Brodeur also at 1.9% was the only goalie among the 13 players who got multiple votes.

Where to start. First off, the best player in the world tied for 8th. The Sidney Crosby haters are just ridiculous. Does the guy whine and talk to the refs? Of course. Guess what. He’s the captain. That’s his job. And people act like no one else complains to the refs. Watch a penalty get called one time, it’s ridiculous. The best players across all sports all complain because they want whatever edge they can get. Crosby is the best skater in the league, close to the best stickhandler, he’s a great passer, excellent in his own end, and as you have seen these playoffs, can put the puck in the net. Crosby also has probably the best hockey IQ on Earth. If you watch a Pens game he is just playing a different game out there than everyone else. He frequently is a step ahead of everyone else, it’s amazing.

Listen: Is Ovechkin the best scorer? Yes of course he is. But there are two halves to a hockey rink. If you don’t contribute on one end you don’t get to be called the best player in the world* (which is why I wouldn’t have Nick Lidstrom up there either). Calling Ovechkin a better hockey player than Crosby is akin to calling Ryan Howard a better baseball player than Albert Pujols. And no one on Earth would do that.

Also, personally I think Henrik Zetterberg is better than Datsyuk, but I understand I am in the minority there, and I can see the argument. Datsyuk is a flashier player than Z and thus gets noticed more. He’s very talented in his own right so no major qualms there.

Lastly, Zach Parise absolutely should be on this list. He was second in goals in the regular season, and he passes better than Ovechkin and is much much much better in his own end.

And Marty Brodeur as the only goalie? He is good, that’s for sure, but if he wouldn’t have had hall of fame defensemen in front of him, plus the playing style that killed hockey, I’d love to see where he’d be on the all-time wins list. He is no way, no how the best goalie in hockey right now.

I think we can mark this under “Hockey Player Fail”

*other than goalies of course