Ovechkin vs. Crosby Who’s Better?
Crosby and Ovechkin are two of the most dominant players in the NHL, but who is better?
Both players have impressive statistics, awards, and achievements but have different strengths and weaknesses.
Crosby is a complete player who excels at both ends of the ice, while Ovechkin is a pure goal scorer who can change the game with his shot.
Crosby has won more Stanley Cups (3) and Olympic gold medals (2) than Ovechkin (1 and 0 respectively), but Ovechkin has more individual awards, such as Hart Trophies (3) and Rocket Richard Trophies (9).
Crosby has a slight edge in points per game (1.26) over Ovechkin (1.10), but Ovechkin has scored more goals (822) in1,347 games (2023) than Crosby (550) goals in 1,190 games (2023).
Crosby is a better playmaker who can create chances for his teammates, while Ovechkin is a better shooter who can score from anywhere on the ice.
Crosby is a more versatile player who can play in any situation, while Ovechkin is more specialized and thrives on the power play.
Crosby is a more consistent player who rarely has a bad season, while Ovechkin is more streaky and can have hot and cold stretches.
Crosby and Ovechkin are great leaders who inspire their teams with passion and work ethic but have different personalities and styles.
Crosby is a more reserved and humble player who prefers to let his game do the talking, while Ovechkin is a more flamboyant and outspoken player who likes to celebrate and trash talk.
Playoff Performance
Crosby trails in points per game at .90 in playoff performance but dominates with a plus-minus of +18 (2023), while Ovechkin has 1.04 points per game and a plus-minus of +5 (2023).
Crosby and Ovechkin have faced each other in five playoff series, with Crosby winning three and Ovechkin winning two.
Crosby and Ovechkin are future Hall of Famers who have elevated the game of hockey and inspired a generation of fans and players.
Sidney Crosby vs. Alexander Ovechkin: Who is the better hockey player?
Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin are two of the most dominant and influential players in the history of the NHL. They both entered the league in 2005 and have been rivals ever since. They have won multiple individual awards, led their teams to Stanley Cup championships, and dazzled fans with their skills and passion. But who is the better hockey player? This question has sparked endless debates among fans, analysts, and players. In this blog post, we will compare their career, playoff, and head-to-head stats to answer this question.
Career Stats
Crosby and Ovechkin have played 18 (2023) seasons in the NHL, but Ovechkin has played more games due to Crosby’s injury history. Ovechkin has missed only 58 games in his entire career, while Crosby has missed 202 games due to concussions, broken jaw, core muscle surgery, and other ailments. This gives Ovechkin an advantage in terms of durability and longevity.
Ovechkin is also the superior goalscorer of the two. He has scored 822 goals in his career, which ranks second all-time in NHL history. He is only 72 goals behind Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals, which he could potentially break in the next few seasons. He has led the league in goals nine times, including seven times from 2012-13 to 2018-19. He has also won the Rocket Richard Trophy nine times as the top goal scorer, more than any other player in history. He has a career shooting percentage of 12.9%, which is impressive considering he has taken 6,355 shots on goal, which puts him in first place all-time ahead of Ray Bourque.
Crosby, on the other hand, is the better playmaker of the two. He has recorded 952 assists in his career, which ranks 16th all-time in NHL history. He has led the league in assists three times and has won two Art Ross Trophies as the top point scorer. He has a career point per game average of 1.3, which ranks sixth all-time among players who have played at least 500 games. He has also been more consistent than Ovechkin in point production, as he has never had a season with less than a point per game.
In terms of overall points, Crosby and Ovechkin are almost equal. Crosby has 1,502 points in his career, while Ovechkin has 1,485 points. However, Crosby has achieved this in 157 fewer games than Ovechkin, which gives him an edge in terms of efficiency.
Crosby also has an edge over Ovechkin regarding the plus-minus rating, which measures a player’s impact on the ice when on or off it. Crosby has a career plus-minus of +210, while Ovechkin has a plus-minus of +67. This suggests that Crosby is more effective at both ends of the ice than Ovechkin, known for being more offensive-minded.
Playoff Stats
Crosby and Ovechkin have both been successful in the playoffs, but Crosby has been more successful than Ovechkin in team achievements and individual performance.
Crosby has won three Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2009, 2016, 2017), while Ovechkin has won one with the Washington Capitals (2018). Crosby has also won two Conn Smythe Trophies as the most valuable player of the playoffs (2016, 2017), while Ovechkin has won one (2018).
Crosby has also scored more points than Ovechkin in the playoffs. Crosby has 197 points (70 goals and 127 assists) in 177 playoff games, while Ovechkin has 139 points (72 goals and 67 assists) in 144. Crosby’s points per game average in the playoffs is 1.1, while Ovechkin’s is 0.97.
Ovechkin has scored more goals than Crosby in the playoffs, but only by two. Ovechkin’s goals-per-game average in the playoffs is 0.5, while Crosby’s is 0.4.
Crosby also has a better plus-minus rating than Ovechkin in the playoffs. Crosby’s plus-minus rating is +18, while Ovechkin’s is +5.
Head-to-Head Stats (Ovechkin vs. Crosby Who’s Better?)
Crosby and Ovechkin have faced each other 64 times in their careers (including playoffs), and Crosby has had the upper hand over Ovechkin regarding team wins and individual points.
Crosby’s team has won 38 games, while Ovechkin’s team has won 27. Crosby’s team has also won three playoff series against Ovechkin’s team (2009, 2016, 2017), while Ovechkin’s team has won one playoff series against Crosby’s team (2018).
Crosby has also scored more points than Ovechkin in their head-to-head matchups. Crosby has 84 points (28 goals and 56 assists) in 64 games, while Ovechkin has 69 points (37 goals and 32 assists) in 64 games. Crosby’s points per game average in their head-to-head matchups is 1.3, while Ovechkin’s is 1.1.
Ovechkin has scored more goals than Crosby in their head-to-head matchups, but only by nine. Ovechkin’s goals-per-game average in their head-to-head matchups is 0.58, while Crosby’s is 0.44.
Ovechkin also has a better plus-minus rating than Crosby in their head-to-head matchups. Ovechkin’s plus-minus rating is +13, while Crosby’s is -6.
Conclusion
Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin are amazing hockey players who have achieved incredible career feats. They have different strengths and weaknesses but are both elite at what they do. They have also pushed each other to improve and provided some of the most memorable moments in NHL history.
However, based on the stats we have compared, we can conclude that Sidney Crosby is a better hockey player than Alexander Ovechkin. Crosby has been more consistent, efficient, versatile, and successful than Ovechkin regarding individual and team achievements. He has also outperformed Ovechkin in their head-to-head matchups and the playoffs, which are the most important stages of the game.
This does not mean that Ovechkin is not a great player or does not deserve respect and admiration. He is still one of the greatest goalscorers of all time and one of the most exciting players to watch. He has also improved his game over the years and has become a more complete player and a better leader.
However, regarding who is the better hockey player, Sidney Crosby has the edge over Alexander Ovechkin.
Keep your Stick on the Ice.
Ovechkin vs. Crosby Who’s Better?
