If the Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup, you know Sidney Crosby is in the running for another Conn Smythe Trophy. If he were to win it, he’d be the first player to earn back-to-back playoff MVPs since Mario Lemieux in 1991 and 1992.
With 89 points in the regular season, Crosby is also in the running for the Hart Trophy. Bring up a debate about who the best player in the world is today and it’ll be between Crosby and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid — with Ottawa defenceman Erik Karlsson making his way into the conversation this year as well.
But Cherry thinks the 29-year-old Crosby is the best player in the world because on top of putting up monster point totals and winning MVP awards, his two-way game makes him a key contributor at both ends of the ice and his focus is unparalleled.
“Why I say Crosby is the greatest hockey player in the world, not only does he set up things, but watch him over on the pinch. He gets the goals and all this. He gets knocked down and everything. This is how I want him to act,” Cherry said while showing footage of Crosby being knocked to the ice and being trash talked, then carrying on with his business after. “Gets knocked down. Be like Guy Lafleur. Don’t pay attention to that stuff. Get hit. Don’t even look at him. That’s the way to do it. You’ll save yourself a lot of grief.”
Cherry also focused in on Crosby’s hockey IQ and how he supports the defencemen in the defensive zone, which allows the blueliners to be more aggressive than they would otherwise be, something that helps the Penguins keep the puck in the attacking zone.
“Watch him cover both sides,” Cherry said, showing Crosby move from high up in the offensive zone to support the puck carrier. “He’s covering here, see he’s on the left-hand side, goes over to the other side, the guy pinches in, look who’s back covering again.
“You’ve gotta do that because if you don’t the guys will quit pinching. If you don’t pinch you’re not going to win.”
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