Ever since the 2008-09 season that resulted in a Stanley Cup, the Pittsburgh Penguins struggled to piece together a season that encompassed all the necessary qualities of a championship team.
And captain Sidney Crosby felt the heat more than anyone else. A head injury forced him to be more cautious on the ice. And, at the start of the 2015-16 season, the captain hit rock bottom after being passed over for the All-Star Game.
After that, Crosby looked like a completely different player — especially after the midseason hiring of head coach Mike Sullivan. Sullivan’s style matched Crosby’s, and the star was finally challenged on the ice. Sullivan’s hiring lit a sudden a spark lit underneath Crosby.
Like a cannon, he quickly shot out of the gates in the second half of the season and demoralized teams with his intricate play. He served passes on a platter to the blade of his teammates, and his pinpoint accuracy on shots brought the Penguins to the Stanley Cup finals after being on the verge of not even making the playoffs.
For Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and, to a lesser extent, Marc-Andre Fleury, this was more just any Stanley Cup championship — this was a legacy series, a legacy Cup. What does this mean for these three and their place in Penguins history, Pittsburgh sports history and hockey history?
Sure, it’s unfortunate Fleury wasn’t able to bask in the glory the same way others were, but if not for his consistency throughout the entire season, there wouldn’t have been any playoffs. The team MVP was stellar this season and played with a confidence that had been missing.
Malkin had a different season than either Crosby or Fleury. Malkin played lights-out for the beginning and middle parts of the season before he was suffered an upper body injury and missed over a month. He was the Penguins’ biggest contributor, that is until Crosby finally started playing like his old self and put the team back on his back.
In the playoffs, Malkin battled through some still excruciating pain from that elbow injury to put up 18 points (6 G, 12 A) and drive through the offensive zone like an 18-wheeler.
Crosby, while not making much of an impact on the score sheet, managed to control the puck, dominate behind the boards and shake off the opposition to set up the rest of his men. His leadership was on full display, forcing his players to play at their highest level and designing the play that won Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final.
This Stanley Cup was the most important since Crosby and Malkin joined forces. The first Cup established the two were talented hotshots and winners, the second solidified their place among hockey’s most elite.
One day, this dynamic duo will no longer play together, and hockey will suffer because of it. But, for now, just enjoy watching them create magic on the ice. Crosby and Malkin have created a legacy with last week’s win, and they can create a dynasty if they can continue to lead their team to another championship.
Image credit: penguins.nhl.com
