Hello hockey fans, Normally I would only write one mailbag at this time of year since there isn’t a lot going on in Penguinsland, but your questions were so good I felt I had to write two.
Let’s start with part 1.
I’ll admit they are very different players, but at the end of the day, who was better, McDavid or Crosby? — @NickNeppach
Great. We’re on the offensive.
This is a great question with no right or wrong answer. First off, at the end of the day, I think Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid are in the top five of all time, alongside Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Bobby Orr. How you rank them is up to you.
People often say that McDavid is the greatest player of all time because of his speed and Gretzky scored 92 goals against a 5’4″ goaltender. I agree that McDavid is an exceptional player, but we need to hold back on our biases against modern players.
That said, I think McDavid is the most talented player of all time, the most talented player since Lemieux. It’s hard to analyze who the greatest player of all time is. Gretzky is, without question, the greatest player of all time. So, if that’s your definition of greatness, then yes, he is. But if you’ve ever seen Lemieux and Gretzky play, especially if you’ve seen Mario in his prime, you know Lemieux was better. You know, whether you want to admit it or not. He was six inches taller than Gretzky, 50 pounds heavier, and could do everything Gretzky did with a more powerful shot. Lemieux was better at breakaways, stick handling, pure goal scorer, etc. So, they’re both the greatest players of all time. It depends on your definition. Talent or achievement?
McDavid may go down in history as a player with more talent than Crosby. But Crosby accomplished so much more. By the time he was 30, he had won three Stanley Cups, two Olympics, a Hockey World Cup, two Conn Smythe Trophies, was the Hockey World Cup MVP, and scored the golden goal at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. He will be remembered as one of the best players over 30. Think about it. McDavid is 27. Fair or not, the clock is ticking. Hockey players are never better in their 30s than they were in their 20s. That being said, McDavid’s numbers are ridiculous. There’s never been a player like him.
So what I’m saying is, if you think McDavid is greater than Crosby, you should think Lemieux was greater than Gretzky, and if you think Crosby is greater than McDavid, you should think Gretzky was greater than Lemieux.
Of course, you’re all probably annoyed with me right now because most Pittsburgh fans would pick Lemieux and Crosby and most Edmonton fans would pick Gretzky and McDavid.
Let’s enjoy both.
With all the fuss over the Devils and Mike Sullivan last month, will this ignite the Dubas-Salley feud we’ve heard a little about? Or was it all just nonsense? — @PensFanInWisco
Absolutely nothing. Zero.
I’m sure the Devils wanted to talk to him, but I have no reason to believe Sullivan was interested. Say what you like about whether the Penguins should still hire him. A lot of fans are tired of him, and I get that. 2017 was a long time ago. But I wouldn’t question his loyalty to the Penguins. I think he’s obsessed with winning here again. I don’t think he wants to leave the team.
Will Jarry be at bat on Opening Day? — @gggiants
Tristan Jarry will likely be the Penguins’ starting goaltender. If I were Penguins manager Kyle Dubas, I would consider trading Jarry. There are a lot of obvious holes on the Penguins’ roster, and if they could get assets back and free up cap space, that would be the best way to go about it.
However, goalies are rarely traded, so there’s a good chance he’ll be back next season — we haven’t heard anything else about that, but that could change at any time.
Josh, the consensus among Pens fans is that as long as the core lineup remains on the roster at this age, improvement will be minimal. Do you agree or disagree? — @TheConfluence
It’s not impossible for the Penguins to improve dramatically; Dubas just needs to have a great summer. Of course, some are right to think it’s impossible; we’ve seen this trend for years. But player mismanagement is a big part of this franchise’s problems, and Dubas has a chance to change that.
Why hasn’t Sullivan been fired yet? — @BlakerRick
The owners like him. Dubas likes him. The stars like him. He has two championship rings.
Do you think Jagr will be part of the organization in some sort of front office role? — @sml2727
I really do think so. Rob Rossi wrote about it last week, and a lot of people in the organization want to make that happen.
Jagr always makes everything a little more complicated, and it might not happen overnight, but it will happen. Something happened for Jagr in February. It wasn’t just a number-retirement ceremony, it was a reunion with the city he’s always loved and the organization that’s always been his home.
The NFL Draft is in Pittsburgh in two years, when do you think we’ll see the NHL All-Star Game here? — @skiab94
I’m not sure if the Penguins are all that interested in bringing the game back to Pittsburgh for the first time since 1990. It’s a possibility, but they seem more interested in playing the game outdoors.
Who will retire first? Crosby, Malkin or Letang? — @glennkaplan13
My guess is that Evgeni Malkin will be the first to go, barring any unforeseen health issues with Crosby or Kris Letang.
He only has two years left on his contract, and while he’s still effective and somewhat productive, he’s nowhere near the same player he was before. I believe Geno will play out the two years remaining on his contract and depart at age 39 in his 20th season.
What do you think is the best Stanley Cup Final of the Caps era, and why is the answer 2009 Penguins vs Red Wings? — @TheGreekHammer
Not a close answer at all. The correct answer is undoubtedly the 2009 Cup Final. The quality of play was astounding, it lasted seven games and ended with one of the best final moments sequences in NHL history.
Think, too, of all the Hall of Famers who were on the ice that night.
What airline do you usually fly with when traveling? — @Lewie_15
Delta isn’t even close. I avoid American Airlines like the plague. Air Canada has really fallen out of favor. And Southwest has become pretty unpopular lately because of the prices. I also like knowing where my seat is.
United are solid.
But I chose Delta because I always have a pleasant experience flying with them.
What’s your favorite Memorial Day dish? — @TFLA803
I don’t do anything fancy. Cheeseburgers and baked beans are always enough for me at holiday gatherings. (Potato salad and macaroni salad are both awful. I don’t know why people eat those delicious dishes. It’s gross.)
Where would you go on an all-expenses-paid trip? No places you’ve been before. — @patdoc38
Oh, Italy, of course. I’ve always wanted to go. Almost everyone I’ve ever been to has been to Italy. I’m so jealous. I’m not Italian, but I love Italian architecture, history, food, and I love a good beach.
If anyone is planning on going to Italy this year and wants a chaperone who knows some good hockey stories to accompany them, my DMs are always open.
What’s it like having Mark Kabouri as your spirit animal? — @tribjoerutter
He’s not that kind of guy. Speaking of him, we’re going to the same wedding in two weeks and I can only imagine how many unflattering photos he’ll post of me on Twitter.
Josh, when you put on your shoes, are you a left foot first or right foot first? And just to clarify, do you always lace your shoes tight or leave them loose enough that your foot can slip in every time? Thanks for your time. — @PensChronicles
Ah, there’s a problem: left sock, right sock, left shoe, right shoe. And the left leg of my trousers always goes on before the right.
I re-lace my shoes every time, but usually don’t tie any laces except the top ones.
Also, when you enter the food court at South Hills Village, you always walk on the left side and then exit on the other side, which is also on the left side if you look from that direction.
I also try not to text or call at 10:14am or 10:14pm because on October 14th, the Pirates lost to the Braves in Game 7 of the 1992 National League Championship Series. So 10 and 14. Those wounds never heal.
With that said, I’m going to step back from the stage until the second half of the mailbag.
(Photo by Justin Baer/Getty Images)
