The Everlasting Debate; Crosby Or Ovechkin

Crosby or Ovechkin.

If you haven't heard this debate before you've probably been living under a rock. Since the 05-06 NHL season, the Crosby and Ovechkin debate has taken more turns then a dog trying to find his tail, yet it just seems to never end. The first year took off to a surprising note. Everybody had anticipated both Crosby and Ovechkin to be superstars, yet no one saw it coming as much from Ovechkin. Everybody expected Sid to rack up the points, and he did, but I don't think there was anyone on the planet that saw 54 goals from Ovechkin, earning him the Calder.

Magnified by the dazzling speed, and the quickest of hands, everybody turned from "Crosby is the best" to "Ovechkin is so much better". Since that day the debate has been ever-ending. The 2nd year the page turned once more. Crosby had one of the best sophomore seasons that anyone can remember, racking up 120 points that earned him the Art Ross and the Hart. People once again thought, "I always knew Crosby was better". During the third year of both young players' careers, Ovechkin had a career year, notching 65 goals and 112 points. Crosby on the other hand sprained his ankle. Everyone said the debate was over. Crosby could never put up 65 goals, and was more injury-prone. However, that year Ovechkin served to an early round exit to the Philadelphia Flyers, while Crosby on the other hand powered his team to the Stanley Cup Finals, only to lose in a heart-breaker to the much more mighty and experienced Detroit Red Wings in six.

The argument continued. Crosby supporters stated that Crosby was a better leader, he did what he needed to do to make his team better. Ovechkin only racked up the stats. While Ovechkin supporters claimed Ovechkin did everything he could, if he had a team like Crosby they'd go to the Cup Finals too. The next year both Ovechkin and Crosby put up superb numbers, nothing shocking but very expecting of the two. This year, Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins met with Ovechkin's Washington Capitals in one of the most exciting playoff series in recent history. Crosby vs. Ovechkin. Head to head. The series, unsurprisingly, went to 7 games. All 6 games where probably the most exciting hockey there was, and it featured hattricks by both players in the same game! In Game 7 the Capital became unraveled, Sidney Crosby and the Penguins took the opportunity and hammered the Capitals 6-2. The Penguins went on to win a grueling series with the Red Wings once again, and Sidney Crosby won his first Stanley Cup. Sidney Crosby was on his way to becoming a legend. 

Adding more to his already profound legacy was the Winter Olympics. Versus Canada, Russia put on a horrific display, led by their superstar, Alexander Ovechkin. Crosby, on the other hand, had a very average Olympics, but scored one of the most important goals in Canadian hockey history. 

At this point, the debate was done. 

Ovechkin could not do what Crosby did.

Crosby was more clutch, more determined, and a winner.

Ovechkin was not.

Adding on to the Crosby supporters was the recent 09-10 NHL Playoffs. The number 1 seeded Washington Capitals, who had dominated the whole regular season, winning the Presidents Cup, were ousted by the Montreal Canadiens in seven games. "How can the supposed best player in the game let an 8th seed beat him? Crosby would not." Well, Crosby did. The upstart Montreal Canadiens not only beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, but unlike the Washington series, they shut down Sidney Crosby, while Montreal still allowed Ovechkin to manage 10 points (5 goals, 5 assists), opposed to Crosby's 5 (1 goal, 4 assists). With this the argument was hotter then ever. "Ovechkin did something to try and help his team, Crosby cried and disappeared". 

Here is my input on the Crosby vs. Ovechkin debate.

Both players, are unbelievable, remarkable, dazzling, any synonym for amazing you can possibly find. 

But, they are both two different type of players.

For one, Ovechkin is a pure goal scorer, Crosby, who has added goal scoring to his attributes, has the vision and is a passer, while at the same time has to think about his defensive game as he is a center. Ovechkin hits, but Crosby does the little stuff better, fighting in the boards, and winning important faceoffs (again, because he's a centre).

So the question is, who'd you rather have?

Personally, I would take Sidney Crosby. 

I'm not going to use the excuse, "He's won more". Hockey is a team sport, you win as a team, you lose as a team.

But at the same time when you're fighting for the top player in the world you have to be put accountable.

An example is Game 7 of Washington vs. Pittsburgh last year. Ovechkin had a chance to bury one early, and couldn't. Five minutes later Crosby did. 

If you watch any of the games, you'll see how hard Crosby tries. Everyone will say, "Ovechkin tries harder, look at how he celebrates", but theres a difference between celebrating and trying hard. Crosby goes into the tough spots, into the corners, battles the defenceman. Ovechkin tends not to. 

Both players are not flawless in their games, like all athletes. But if you were to choose one player in the NHL to build your team around, it would be a natural born leader, a big time player, a winner, a player with the vision and the heart; Crosby.