One of the best parts of any hockey reporters’ job is the privilege to watch tons of NHL games in person. Press boxes are often high enough up that it allows for a great view of seeing plays develop. For example it is a great view to see weak side supporting defenders jumping up into the rush. It is also a terrific vantage point to see the best play makers in the world do their thing. With the Pittsburgh Penguins in town here in the Bay Area Monday night, it got me thinking, who would I say are the top five players to watch in person? Not in any particular order, here are my five favorite guys to watch live in the flesh.
Sidney Crosby
Yeah, yeah, I know, surprise, surprise, right? Of course the best player in the world is on my list of top players to see live. However, some casual fans may not know the primary reason why he makes this list. It is one thing that Crosby is one of the best playmakers in the world, if not the best, but it is the skill level with his backhand that makes him special. Whether passing or shooting, Crosby has ridiculous accuracy on his backhand which is incredibly difficult. Yet he makes it look incredibly easy. One of my favorite goals of all time was this wicked backhander below. And guess who made the nice chip pass to him? The vastly underrated Tyler Kennedy.
Evgeni Malkin
Crosby’s teammate Evgeni Malkin can also make a case for being the best player in the world. He has all the skills but also the size to shield off defenders. Some might say he could do a better job using his body and not getting rattled when opponents get physical with him, but nonetheless he is an offensive machine. Watching him live with the puck in the offensive zone is an absolute treat.
Pavel Datsyuk
His nickname is the Magician, that is really all you need to know. When he makes a nice deke, broadcasters refer to it as a Datsyukian Deke. He is one of the most highly skilled and smartest players ever to play the game. Like Crosby, he has a wicked backhand. Unfortunately other commitments kept me from covering the game where he scored this goal below, would have been amazing to have seen this shot live.
Rick Nash
Few NHLers have more skill than Rick Nash, none, sans Malkin, have the size to go with it. The 6’4″ Nash has had some down years in his career but when he is on his game, he is one of the most difficult forwards to defend against. He can make just about anyone look silly. The puck possession skills along with stickhandling in a phone booth make Nash a must see player in person. You know a guy has done something phenomenal when he makes his teammate’s jaw drop.
Patrick Kane
Colleague and friend Felix Sicard rated Kane as the highest skill player in the NHL in one of his recent columns. Kane has arguably passed Datsyuk as the best stickhandler in the world and he can make even the best defensemen in the world look silly.
That’s it, that’s my list. These are the five players I believe every hockey fan should make sure they get a chance to watch in person. Notable omissions of course being Steven Stamkos and Alexander Ovechkin. Both are capable of dangles and highlight reel end to end rushes, but they are primarily shooters. For me, the stick-handlers and set up guys are more of a treat to watch. However, if the list was expanded to 10, both Ovechkin and Stamkos would make the cut.
When I watch Crosby play it seems like his best skill is his ability to turn on such sharp angles and still get off real good shots and he can’t be knocked off his feet when he is taking those sharp turns. I’m not a Pens fan but I rate Crosby as the #1 player.
I’m a Wings fan so I really enjoy watching Datsyuk but Crosby and Ovechkin are the only other players that I would travel to a game and watch in person.
Alexander Ovechkin : 446 goals, 417 assists, 79 GWG, 13 hat tricks, ranked 8th in active players for goals created.
Rick Nash : 374 goals, 314 assists, 63 GWG, 6 hat tricks, ranked 20th for goals created.
Pavel Datsyuk : 294 goals, 564 assists, 49 GWG, ranked 14th for goals created.
Patrick Kane : 205 goals, 352 assists, 35 GWG, ranked 47th for goals created.
Sidney Crosby : 295 goals, 540 assists, 36 GWG, 8 hat tricks, ranked 15th for goals created.
Evgeni Malkin : 268 goals, 431 assists, 44 GWG, 7 hat tricks, ranked 26th for goals created.
Someone doesn’t belong, and it isn’t Alexander Ovechkin.
None, sans Malkin, have Nash’s mix of size and skill? Did you forget Ovechkin is in the league? Nash is Ovechkin-lite; he isn’t as good or as complete of a player as Ovie is. Don’t get me wrong, Nash is great, but c’mon… you can’t say that you prefer set-up men then pick Nash over Ovie. Ovie is a better passer than Nash, and a better goal-scorer [than anybody], and is just as big and physical.
I disagree with some of the list but I can at least acknowledge the argument… except in Nash’s case. That’s just ridiculous.
Of those players I’d list as being maybe the most complete players in the game (Backstrom, Toews, Datsyuk, Kopitar, Bergeron) Datsyuk may be the best choice if you are trying to convince a non-hockey fan to appreciate hockey because of his flashy stickhandling,
but I’d think you’d be better served going with a more overtly dominant player; Ovechkin is, pretty easily, the best choice. Just watch him vs the Ducks most recently (2/15/15): by all rights the Caps should’ve lost but he decided that they were going to win, so they did. That just doesn’t happen in hockey. He put up 2 assists to go along with his 2 goals. To say that he’s primarily a shooter is stating the obvious but he’s also an elite set-up man; he put up 52 assists per season back when Semin played with the Caps – occasionally on Ovie’s wing – but since then nobody on the team has even scored 30; I’m not even sure he’s had a 25 + goal scorer since Semin left. Certainly not on his wing, maybe not even on the team. His game against Buffalo (3/7/15) was a great showcase for his elite passing skills; like too often his passing didn’t result in an assist – he got one but it was on a relatively routine pass – but the skills are on display every game.
He’s one of the best 5 goal scorers ever and one of the top 2 most prolific shooters in the NHL; outside of Phil Esposito nobody has the ability to get a shot off from wherever he wants, whenever he wants, like Ovechkin can. His strength on the puck and his physical presence, both hitting and counter-hitting, is absurd. He’s scored more highlight reel goals than anybody on this list, and scored probably the single-most incredible goal ever (you know exactly which one I’m talking about). If you can’t appreciate his game because his linemates aren’t scorers too then you’re missing out on one of the best talents to ever play the game. I just feel sorry for you.
(Also, his defense this year has been excellent; if there was a Selke for only wingers then he’d deserve to at least be a finalist.)
You know this is a good list, because these players are all leading the league in scoring, or assists, or points.
Oh, wait, no they aren’t.
That would be
Backstrom and Ovechkin, who are invisible to everyone else in the NHL.
I have NEVER met a single person who said Backstrom was a MUST SEE. Is he really good? Yes, but not the point of this article.
Backstrom’s just as good as Datsyuk, Kopitar, Toews, Bergeron… all those guys who get mentioned as being the best, or at least among the best, in the league. His game, like most of those guys, is subtle so he’s not a guy that the casual hockey fan needs to see in person; the casual hockey fan wouldn’t appreciate everything he does well but if you are a die-hard hockey fan then you need to see him to appreciate that he’s maybe the best, or at least most complete, player in the league.
Ovechkin is the most dominant player in the league and is therefore the most obviously talented player to even a casual hockey fan, or even somebody watching their first hockey game ever, which is why he’s #1 on this list (oh, he’s not on it? Yeah, dumb list then) but Backstrom’s game has no holes.
(Of those players I’d list as being maybe the most complete players in the game Datsyuk may be the best choice if you are trying to convince a non-hockey fan to appreciate hockey because of his flashy stickhandling, but even then I’d go with a more overtly dominant player; Ovechkin is, again, the best choice. Just watch him vs the Ducks most recently (2/15/15): by all rights the Caps should’ve lost but he decided that they were going to win, so they did. That just doesn’t happen in hockey. He also put up 2 assists to go along with his 2 goals; he put up 52 assists per season back when Semin played with the Caps – occasionally on Ovie’s wing – but since then nobody on the team has even scored 30; I’m not even sure he’s had a 25 + goal scorer since Semin left. Certainly not on his wing, maybe not even on the team. His game against Buffalo (3/7/15) was another great showcase for his elite passing skills; like too often his passing didn’t result in an assist – he got one but it was on a relatively routine pass – but the skills are on display every game.)
Nicklas Backstrom : 562 career games. 563 career points.
Twist my arm and I would swap out Malkin for Ovechkin, or make the list a list of 6 must see players. I’d have put Datsyuk first. If you see no one else, Datsyuk is a MUST.
Backstrom is a must see
MALKIN & RICK NASH…SERIOUSLY!!!!!!
Easily two of the laziest players in the league. What is so dazzling about Nash, his cherry-picking…
how it’s taken him his entire career to finally have a solid season.
Malkin is tooooo easy. He just recently got hot, consistency is not a word ever used when talking Malkin.
Give it a rest with your own personal popularity contest and try writing this article again, but with some solid players, not who you like!
I agree on Nash. He’s a good goal scorer and little else. Malkin on the other hand… You need to watch him more. Just recently got hot. The guy has won the Art Ross and the Conn Smythe and had a pretty good case of the Hart when Sid had his concussion. He’s been hot for most of his career.
Um Geno isn’t Alexei Kovalev.
OK, first…..why are we listening to Andrew Bensch, whoever the frack he is.
Second….you talk about set-up guys and you leave Backstrom off your list…tool.
Before you sit down to write an article, try using your brain when doing so.
I remember that Datsyuk goal. I’m not sure any other player in the league has that particular shot in his bag. Best hands in the business and should win another Selke, in my opinion. This would easily be my first choice to drop some cash on to see live.
I’m not knocking on Crosby, but I’ll take Malkin over him any day of the week. Malkin’s offensive talent is well documented as he can always create an open shot on goal, but he is also very underrated defensively.
Nash is this year’s Hart winner, in my opinion. Like Malkin, he has very good offense and is even more underrated defensively.
How many on this list outscore Ovechkin? Hit as often as he does, or as hard? When was the last time the NHL had a league leading goal scorer that could deliver such a punishing hit. Crosby, Malkin ok. Datsyuk, Kane and Nash, give me a break. As good a passer and scorer malkin and Crosby are, who electrifies a crowd more than Ovechkin. Outside of Wasington, DC he gets no respect. Especially from the NHL and the media.
I’d have personally switched out Nash for Ovechkin, but often I feel he gives an Eric Lindros type aura… Let’s be honest, if you didn’t see Lindros play in 1995 do you feel cheated today? Now, Ovechkin is better (and more importantly healthier) but the 4 names I’d have kept on here over him all won at least one Cup. It’s going to be hard to look back at him as an All-Time Great if he doesn’t get at least one sip from Lord Stanley. That said I love when the Pens play the Caps!
I saw Lindros play and still feel cheated; that I didn’t see him play more, that his career ended too early, that I wasn’t old enough to appreciate him more.
Ovechkin is one of the best playmakers in the game too; if you want to see great set-ups than he will give you highlight-reel passes just like the others… he just doesn’t have a teammate who can finish like those other guys.
If you have never seen Datsyuk play or hit ,you should not make such a uninformed comment, go watch some Datsyuk highlights, you will find out there is more to hockey than standing at the circle waiting for someone to pass you the puck
You’ve never seen Ovechkin play then. Datsyuk deserves top 5 on this list, as does Ovechkin. I’d probably take Kane off it.
Ovechkin is a on-trick pony, like the Big Papi of the NHL….except that Big Papi can play a decent defense.
Datsuk alone is worth the price of admission.
I just saw the Pens play the Kings on Saturday, and in all honesty, besides the one breakaway that Crosby had, I couldn’t even tell he was on the ice. I definitely saw Malkin (that was due mainly to how big he is, which I didn’t know), but I never saw anything that Crosby did that I would categorize as being amazing.
That was only one game though.
I realize it was only one game, and that the Kings defense was playing really well, but when Patrick Kane has the puck, or even Kopitar has the puck, you kind of get a sense that something is bound to happen.
Even watching when Ovechkin is on the ice, you know it. He may not be giving the assist, but dude knows how to score goals.
First of all, “even?” He’s the most overtly dominant player in the game; take somebody who’s never seen hockey to a hockey game and ask them to pick the best player and it won’t take long before they point to Ovechkin. He dominates the game in a way that few, ever, have.
And I’ve said before that he’s among the elite passers in the game; I’d put him at the top of the 2nd tier, not among the first (guys like Backstrom, Thornton, Crosby, Getzlaf) simply because he always looks to shoot first (which he should), but he is a dazzling passer. Watch his game vs Anaheim (2/15/15) or Buffalo (3/7/15) from this season and you’ll see passing just as good as what you’d see from any of those other guys; Ovie just doesn’t have guys to finish so that he can pump up his assist totals. He averaged 52 assists per season for his first 5 years in the league though, before Semin left, and Semin didn’t even play on his wing most of the time.
And, sidenote, without Ovie Semin only has 4 goals on the year, so… okay, yeah, a bit disingenuous obviously, but Ovie makes the players around him better.
In all honesty Crosby has been that way most of the entire year. That said, he somehow still is in the thick of the scoring race, if you saw him last year, he was out of this world. This year he really hasn’t done anything “Crosby Special”… yet.
I saw that Datsyuk goal in person. Video doesn’t do it justice. Even the Sharks fans were impressed.
This Sunday I get to see 3 out of 5. Go Wings!
Over the next week, I shall attempt to woo you as my best friend so you will take me with you.