The simple fact is that Sidney Crosby does not elevate the goal production of the players around him the way that Mario did. Aside from what Andy Hilbert and Colby Armstrong did at the end of '05-'06, and maybe Dupuis, no player on Sid's line has scored in significantly greater numbers than his career average. In fact, as we all know, there is a long list of players (Ekman, Recchi, Sykora, etc.) who proved unsuccessful on Sid's wing. None of this is to suggest that Sid does not elevate the overall level of play of the players around him, he does. Their work ethic, conditioning, physicality, attention to system and detail all improves, but in the end this translates more to fewer goals against than goals for. Simply put, Sid leads by example, and his example is as the hardest working player in the game. Despite that however, and despite his passing prowess, he has not set up large numbers of goals to players who would not otherwise score them. All of this being said, if they ever get the power play to where it should be with Sid on the ice, look for career years for Penguin forwards. So, what I guess I am saying is: Blame Mike Yeo.

Ha, they're already throwing Mike Yeo under the bus here in Minnesota over the Wild's poor power play...

Bones, the Wild's PP% is 13.9%. That number would have easily won the Pens the first round of the playoffs, if not the Cup. Blame everything on Mike Yeo.

Goat-what are you trying to say about Sid? That on one hand he doesn't help the team by getting more goals from players, but he is still good? The dude has average .87 assists per game.

I think a good indication would be how many goals do they average with him and without him in the lineup. Because even when he is not getting point there are other lines getting better matchups to get goals.

I think this year Neal knows what he is doing and playing on the other wing side, which has helped. Nik's is doing better in all the zones, Staal had a full off season to train, etc. This has lead to a better system play with goals getting scored as opposed to the last half or quarter of the season where it was a struggle to get goals and win outright.

I absolutely love Chris Kunitz as a hockey player.

He is the most quietly unique player in the entire NHL.

There has never been a crash-bang power forward who is primarily a playmaker rather than a goal scorer. Kunitz is that player.

This leads to the criticism of his goal totals.

Look at the play he made to Neal the other night...

The Keith Tkachuk's of the world try to bang that puck in. Kunitz has the vision, patience and hockey sense to make a play.

Watch when he crosses the blue line with the puck, he's not looking to fire it. His head is up and he's looking for the open or late man on the play.

Kunitz is a perfect compliment to Crosby...and Staal, for that matter.

Espo, what I am saying is that Sid could not turn Warren Young into a 40 goal scorer.

I think a good indication would be how many goals do they average with him and without him in the lineup.

Yeah, except who was scoring those goals?

Because even when he is not getting point there are other lines getting better matchups to get goals.

True, but off point.
I think that Sid is far and away the best player in the game, but offensively, he's not Mario. No shame there. If he played 20 years ago it might be a different story, but it is what it is.