Crosby and Malkin has become such an iconic hockey duo. They have been together so long now and have had so much success side by side. Always thought Malkin was a fun player to watch on the ice
It has been such a joy to watch Geno, Sid, and Letang the last 19 years (and to have grown up watching Lemeiux and Jagr). Love, love, love that Geno's currently leading in points at freaking 38. Never count the Pens out!
@stacanator He is off to a hot start. But come on, it's 5 games in. It's way to soon to start glazing about leading the league in points. The points leader this early on can change on a nightly basis.
@@steve8803 but he's currently leading the league in points. Its not glazing, its a fact. When would stating "He's currently leading the league in points" be acceptable to you, steve?
I wonder sometimes if he’d be doing Ovechkin numbers if he had gone to a different team. Jordan Staal is a great example of a player being “held back” by the superstars ahead of him… Malkin carried when Crosby was out. What if he was number 1? But either way I’ve come to appreciate him way more.
If Malkin didn’t play on a team with Crosby he probably be given a lot more respect. It makes me wonder if we’re going to feel this way about Leon Draisaitl in eight years.
@@maryamm.9 i dont think thats true. Malkin when he was competing for MVPs and winning the conn smyth was talked about. He just never gets a chance to be the guy. Both internationally and in the NHL he is playing with a top ten all time player.
I seen Malkin play live against Montréal in 2012 it looked like a grown man playing against children. He scored a spin orama goal in shoot out on price which led them to banning it 😂
Ovi was loud, slick and the face of the Cap's. Geno just quietly had a superstar career on a team with a different face. Have watched him since world Juniors, awesome player.🇨🇦
The Pens updated Geno’s profile this season to FINALLY acknowledge he’s actually 6’5”. I don’t know what kind of competitive advantage they thought to gain by using misleading numbers all these years, but… There you go.
Obviously theres only one Super Mario, but at his peak, Geno Machine-O has reminded me a lot of #66, that combination of size and skill, skating, those hands, that Con Smythe performance, on any other team, he'd be their Le Magnifique. And the franchise top scorer for more than half the league!
And they are both killer puck raggers for their size. Malkin had a great example this season, but I forget which game. Pens scored a nice one off of it!
"He had a hot start last season....but then his play fell off"....because he was playing with a gutless stiff (Reilly Smith) & Raks had a bum shoulder. Also the PP coach was the worst ever. I predicted 90+ points for him (noted under numerous videos before the season began) & It's starting to materialize. I think we'll be looking at one the best if not the best season ever for a 38 year old (I know Howe had over 100 points at an older age)
I totally agree. Smith was an empty jersey and Rackell certainly didn't bounce back well from his injury. Geno was working HARD through the first 3rd of the season with nothing to show for it. His play then started to drop off some for sure.
8:37 that between the legs goal had me replaying it 3x in a row all these years later 🔥 beyond blessed to have had you on the Pens your whole career, Mr. 101 🖤💛
Criminal that Geno has been left off the top 100 GOATs. A guy who hasn’t gotten his due enough and a class act all the way. Better be a first ballot HOFer.
Look Geno had guys like Alex Nylander, Colin white, and Mathew Phillips on his wings last year, plus the worst 3 power plays in the league, and he still had 67 points. He’s a point per game player still
people don't seem to recognize this and its such huge point especially now that he's trying to play a game more similar to Sid. With wingers that are just flat out bad you can't be expected to score a point per game through playmaking, and he still almost managed it. Seems like his line mates this season are clicking way better and its immediately obvious how well Geno has adapted to this style already. I wouldn't be surprised if he scores 90+ this season as long as the team keeps playing like they have.
Every time Crosby got injured Malkin doubled down production. He had Gonchar teach him English at first just like Talbot taught Fleury. This Pens core from 03 til now is all HOF. And well deserved too. The grit is real, I can't ever be mad if the Pens go for another run. All Respect
This video reminds me a lot of the comparison between Kucherov and Mackinnon. When Geno first came into the league he played like Nate, but now he’s playing similar to Nikita.
The elite players manage to visualise the game with a quick scan & years of being so good enables them to appear to have more time than mere mortals. If Geno can avoid serious injury he's got a good number of games left in him & honestly we're lucky to be able to watch him, treasure him while we can.
2:59 fun fact they finally updated malkins height on the nhl website and he’s officially listed as 6’5 now! makes sense when you see him towering over other 6’3 players lol
And remember how he started. He scored a goal in his first six games. Seven goals in his first six, actually. Was the fist player to do that since 1917.
I've watched pretty much every single Penguins game since 2006, and have been unbelievably blessed to see some of the absolute nastiest goals of all time from my fav player of all time. I love sid, but there is something truly superhuman about Geno at times, like no one before, during, or after him He's an absolute beauty of a hockey player and a hilarious, loveable dude
Malkin has always been a top 10 in mind (maybe not the last few years). Its just haters hating for no reason. Cant have 2 Russians at the top... so stupid
Geno was my hero growing up. That whole squad of Malkin, Crosby, Letang, Fleury and hell even Kunitz, Rupp, Dupuis, and Gonchar. All of these guys were a huge impact on my hockey life
Now let's see this living legend have a 100 point season as a 38 year old. I knew coming into this year he had huge bounce back promise as everything went wrong last year and he still flirted with 70 points.
@@criswalkern he scored 500 goals in the NHL and has an all time points per game of 1.15 after 19 years (0.1 behind Crosby). He is absolutely a legend. Having good teammates doesn't make you that good, as proven by the fact that only 47 other players EVER IN HISTORY have scored as much as him.
You can tell Ginos vintage cause he still rocks the Bauer 4000. Gotta be one of the few guys in the league still wearing that gem:) Stammer does too I believe, still a few holdouts out there.
Malkin was especially legendary when Crosby was having all those concussion issues halfway through their careers. Guy is a certified super duper star and would be the best player in franchise history for about half of the teams in the league lol
I forget when and who it was against - it was a loooong time ago - but the first time I saw Malkin play my eyes popped open and I was like ‘who is THAT guy.’. My head immediately just went - go figure, Pengs have another Lemeuix, Crosby like guy. I’ve respected and enjoyed his game ever since and often thought ‘why doesn’t anyone ever include Malkin when they talk about the leagues elite players?? I suppose playing in Crosby’s shadow all these years has something to do with it.
The highlights of his puck handling in his prime are crazy. To be that big and fast with that much control and IQ must have been devastating for defenders back then.
This channel is better content than any "professional" commentary on broadcast or any other channel out there for that matter. You will learn more about the history and current form of the sport in 3 random videos than watching an entire season. Quickly became my favorite hockey channel, amazing job with the story lines and breakdowns.
There is sadly a lot of xenophobia directed towards Russian players from North American hockey fans. Geno, you have the full respect from this Utah hockey fan 💯
it shows how much this generation is taken for granted either cause of that or people being too desenitized on the current generation of mcdavid, matthews, etc
Would love more videos like this on historically underappreciated greats. Kopitar is about to hit 800 assists as well, he's so underrated playing on the West Coast his whole career as an example. Keep up the great work!
He's the greatest Russian player of all time. It was a crime he was left off the 100 greatest list in 2017. He has a Hart, 2 art Ross, multiple 100pt seasons, 3 cups, 500 goals, 800 assists. He's shown he's still great even in his 19th season.
Ovie and Kuch are better. Kuch will end up the best. He already is. Holds the most Russian NHL single season point records.No one is close really. His 1.21ppg is third for active players currently. Only Crosby and McDavid are above him.
@@KodyS-hs3mdGeno has like 400 more points than him in only 100 more games 🤔. Not to mention 3 cups, a Calder, Con Smythe, Ross, Hart...So, nostalgia aside, not better than Malkin.
@@chelious1973You'd take Ovi and his one Cup, over Geno? And Kuch: he's played about 400 less games than Geno & needs approximately 400 points to catch up with him; if Malkin retired today. And there's no way Kuch can ever equal Malkin's individual honours in the NHL in that time. So I would strongly disagree that Ovi & Kuch have more formidable careers than Geno. But no one can argue with the significance of Ovi passing Gretz.
great breakdown of his play man! really good highlight on how quick the top tier players think and move. malkin’s such an elite offensive talent and watching how that ages over the years and what it looks like after a few tweaks is really cool
Been a Penguins fan since 1980s. I have watched them do it all and stayed loyal. Seeing Mario keep the team alive and Crosby along with Malkin (The 2 headed monster) it's great to see they're still at it is awesome. I always thought Malkin was on par with Crosby *when he didn't get in his own head, which he excels at. Maybe because of Crosby's shadow. I don't know. When he isn't in his own head, he is unstoppable.
You should do a retrospective of this type of video for someone like Steve Yzerman. He became more of a defensive forward and then efficient player on the ice later into his career (late 90s-2006), which is probably how he was able to play 22 seasons (would’ve been 23 without the lockout).
Caps fan, so note the lack of any bias, so let me start by saying Malkin is still a concern anytime we’re playing against him. Yes, his skills built on size, strength and hands, were freakish in his first decade. Under the shadow of Crosby by reporters he’s created a career of stats that are rare and amazing. He has shown some aging and that’s to be expected. Has he met the potential early claims made, I would argue yes! As this video highlights, he has been an incredible player over many years and the early comparisons to Ovi were just apples to oranges as both have elite abilities showcased in different ways. Hats off to Malkin, an underrated HOFer?
The only case of Russian player discrimination worse than this would be mogilny not being in the HOF. Malkin is easily a top 100 player and closer to the middle than the back end.
Malkin being on a team with Crosby immediately puts him in the shadow of him but most underrated/disrespected superstar of the NHL in the last 10-15 years is Claude Giroux by far. Haven't watched the video all the way through yet but I stand by the statement.
Geno is an absolute horse, but he’s also hilarious. Gets me a little emotional to see 87 and 71 have such a momentous game together… and frankly look like they were having fun again 🥲
Back then, it was the Crosby Malkin dynamic, now it’s the McDavid draisaitl dynamic, just like any team would’ve been lucky only having Malkin, any team would be lucky to only have draisaitl. Crazy they haven’t won a cup yet
I wouldn't say Malkin is disrespected or overlooked by any fan of the game. He's just always been in Crosby's shadow and every broadcast and media outlet is guzzling up Crosby the entire time The Pens are in conversation. He can do a routine dump and they'll be on their knees calling it masterful. Watching the TNT game the other night versus Buffalo all they're talking about is Crosby and it's been that way for nearly 20 years now.
people forget so quickly that he is up there with ovechkin, stamkos, crosby and kane as the top 5 alpha dogs of their generation and from 2006-2019 he was one of the most popular players and biggest forces in the league but since covid people have been too busy dickriding people in the current generation of mcdavid, matthews and bedard so much they forget the brilliance of other generations
Geno is a fun loving guy, idc what others say. He proves himself. No lie at times he looks little lacksadasicle being frustrated lol he’s still the great Geno. He just needs his moms cookin and food!!!
Probably the only player in the world who would go out the runway behind Crosby, even though he’s not the captain. Unreal that they got drafted together
Rember that nhl pool saying hes not in the Top 100!!!!!! Look at the list of wingers he has played with! Geno is a stud and still doing his thing at 38 yrs young!!!!!!
While I love Malkin, I don't think he's disrespected. At least, in my mind, he is not. As a lifelong Kings fan, Anze Kopitar not getting his flowers always stung more xD. Dude is a multi-time champ, multi-selke, and one of the most complete centers to ever play and didn't crack the top 100 list? Come on.
