Can Sidney Crosby Still Win the NHL Scoring Title When He Returns?

Predicting when Sidney Crosby will return to the Pittsburgh Penguins can be as inaccurate as a monkey shooting a dart. That being said, many have predicted that he is going to return sooner rather than later. November 11 is the date being thrown around the most.

If Crosby were to return next week, he will find himself 20 points behind the scoring lead.

Can Crosby climb from that giant hole and win the scoring title?

Most probably feel that he can't. The deficit is too large, and Crosby will struggle early on because he will be hesitant to take hits. They say that it will take time for Crosby to adjust to the speed of the game.

However, many forget that when Mario Lemieux returned to the NHL after his three-and-a-half-year hiatus, he scored 76 points in just 43 games. He was a Hart Trophy candidate that season for most valuable player, and he did this at the age of 35.

Legends don't need time to adjust. Crosby is also in his prime. He's going to be just fine when he returns. 

There is actually a very good chance Crosby will make a mad run for the scoring title. 

First, he is on a stacked offensive team with great teammates like Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal and James Neal. The Penguins have one of the best records in the league without Crosby. Just imagine how dynamic this offense will be with Crosby in the lineup.

Secondly, his competition isn't as stiff as expected. Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos aren't within the top three in scoring this year. He has to compete against guys like Phil Kessel, Joffrey Lupul and Claude Giroux. Kessel currently leads the league with 21 points. It'll be interesting to see if his scoring pace and his team's success will continue. It doesn't seem likely because of the lack of precedent.

If Crosby returns next week and plays every game, he will end up playing in 67 games. Last season, he scored 66 points in 41 games. Let's not forget: Lemieux averaged more points per game in his comeback year at the age of 35 in the clutch-and-grab era. So it won't be too far-fetched to see Crosby score even more than that.

But let's say he averages the same pace as last year. That means in 67 games he will score 108 points. That was good enough to win the scoring title last year. 

So yes, it's very possible Crosby will win the scoring title. It will be a remarkable achievement given the circumstances, but he has the teammates and work ethic to help him accomplish this feat.