Written on: 12/8
First time back in the saddle. How do words work again? Can someone remind me how to grammar?
Alright, low-brow jokes aside, I’m here to laud Gino.
Time really is a flat circle. Date this headline; Sidney Crosby down for injury, Evgeni Malkin steps up big. It’s gotta be some time during 2011-2012, right? No, it’s from this season. Yes, both are right.
This year the Russian future Hall of Famer is reminding all of us just how special a talent he is. Despite missing 11 games due to injury this year, Malkin has 26 points in his 19 appearances. Those 26 points are good enough for second on the Pens behind Jake Guentzel (31) who’s appeared in all 30 of Pittsburgh’s games. That’s a hell of a points-per-game pace at 1.37. His next closest team mate (and line mate, I might add), Bryan Rust, is at 1.06 points/game. That difference of 0.31 PPG is the 4th largest such gap between team leader and second best on the team.
Largest Points/Game Gaps in NHL (Name, GP, PPG)
BUF: Jack Eichel, 30, 1.37 - Victor Olofsson, 30, 0.87 = 0.5
CHI: Patrick Kane, 29, 1.21 - Dylan Strome, 25, 0.80 = 0.41
WSH: John Carlson, 31, 1.39 - Evgeny Kuznetsov, 28, 1.04 = 0.35
PIT: Evgeni Malkin, 19, 1.37 - Bryan Rust, 16, 1.06 = 0.31
LAK: Anze Kopitar, 31, 0.94 - Drew Doughty, 31, 0.65 = 0.29
Since Malkin’s return he’s only been held off the stat sheet four out of 17 appearances. Of those 17, he’s had 8 multi-point games with one of those being a 2 goal, 3 assist effort against the Canucks. That was the 8th time in his career that he’s reached or exceeded 5 points in a game, placing him second in Pens history behind Mario at 51 (no that’s not a typo, he was that good).
Like in the Vancouver game, Gino has been carrying the load for this team since Sidney’s departure from the line up following the Blackhawks game on November 9. In that stretch without their captain, the Pen’s are 7-3-3 in large part to, for my money, the favorite for Hart.
Yes, the Year of the Dynamic Duo is upon us. Everyone is drooling over Pasta-Marchand, McDavid-Draisaitl, MacKinnon-Makar right now. They are all exciting and viable candidates for the consideration, but the key is that they have each other. Jack Eichel is the only other player I’ll even entertain for Hart. These two men are single handedly carrying their teams, kicking and screaming, into the playoffs.
The sad part in all of this, we only seem to appreciate Malkin most when Sid is gone. I’m certainly guilty of it at times. The fact that Pittsburgh is blessed with such talented centers like them is astonishing. Once Crosby is back, let’s not lose sight of the beauty.