My concern for Sidney Crosby and the future of his game is growing daily. Every day his return to the game is postponed, the more worrisome it becomes. He has been out of the Penguins’ line-up for over a month – ever since he was pounded in the head, twice within a week, by the Capitals’ David Steckel and the Lightning’s Victor Hedman. That was in early January. He missed the NHL All-Star Game. Crosby has only been cleared to resume light workouts. Crosby summed it all up this way, “That’s the thing with concussions, you don’t know.” But there’s one thing we do know: The NHL without Sidney Crosby is not a better place. (more…)
These days, it’s fun for you youthful hockey fans to believe Sidney Crosby is the greatest player in NHL history – mere games from becoming the on-ice equal of Number 99.

With two goals v. Toronto on Wednesday, Sidney Crosby extended his point streak to 17 games, and reached 50 points on the season
You will excuse me for a moment, won’t you, while I lose my lunch. The only way “Crosby” and “Gretzky” should be used in the same sentence is if you follow “Crosby” with “is not even close to both the skill and leadership level of.” We’re not going to dissect the stats to death (because Gretzky wins that battle hands-down against, well, everyone). It’s about the players and how they work on the ice. (more…)
With the NHL’s regular season poised to begin tomorrow, it’s time to make some NHL Eastern Conference predictions.
Which teams will surprise? Which teams will disappoint? Here are the Big Mouth’s rankings, from best predicted finish, to worst, in the NHL East. (more…)

Sidney Crosby won his only Hart Trophy in 2007, joining previous winners Wayne Gretzky (9 Harts), Mario Lemieux (3) and Chris Pronger (in 2000)
The NHL’s Hart Trophy, which was first awarded in 1924 and will be again tomorrow night in Las Vegas, has become absolutely meaningless. Each June, it is awarded to the “player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team.” And the most applicable definitions of valuable, according to Webster, are “having desirable or esteemed characteristics or qualities” or “of great use or service.” Notice how points scored are never mentioned anywhere. Yet this year’s nominees for the Hart Trophy, Vancouver’s Henrik Sedin, Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, finished 1-2-3 in NHL scoring. Based on the definitions, only one of this trio should even have been nominated, let alone win. (more…)