WalterLundy
Registered User
Comparing Crosby’s two best full seasons to Mario’s age 37 season. Crosby won both of his Harts and Ross awards these seasons at age 19 and 26 respectively.
02-03 Lemieux:
67 GP: 28 G, 63 A, 91 PTS (1.36)
Adjusted to the historical league average of 2.24 EVG, 0.72 PPG and 0.10 SHG:
67 GP: 31 G, 69 A, 100 PTS (1.49)
Finished second in points per game in 2003 to the peak Peter Forsberg season. Got off to an incredible start and at the time of the Alex Kovalev trade had 73 points in 44 games (1.66 PPG). He did this without a prime Jaromír Jagr as it was in 2000-01. The 1.76 ppg he had in 2001 was incredible at age 35 but Jagr was the team leader in points and points per game from December 27 2000 onward for the Lemieux return duration. To be that close to his 2001 level production without Jagr shows how great of a start it was and with virtually the same sample size. This 73 in 44 adjusts up to 80 in 44 games (1.82) which is actually marginally better than what peak 10-11 Crosby’s 66 in 41 goes up to. That being 74 in 41 (1.80). This was all done with a very weak supporting cast as well. Went up against someone stronger than Crosby’s art Ross competition in either year (that being Forsberg).
06-07 Crosby:
79 GP: 36 G, 84 A, 120 PTS (1.52)
Same adjustment method:
79 GP: 38 G, 83 A, 121 P (1.53)
Won the Hart and won the Ross. Also had a great start with 82 points in his first 47 games (1.74). When adjusted that becomes 83 in 47 (1.77).
13-14 Crosby
80 GP: 36 G, 68 A, 104 PTS (1.30)
Adjusted:
80 GP: 41 G, 79 A, 120 P (1.50)
Again won the Hart and the Ross. Had a very good start again with 67 points in 46 games (1.46) and when adjusted is 77 in 46 (1.67). This has the “weakest” start of the three but this Ross win he was dominant albeit against a pretty weak field.
I obviously leave it up to you the voters on this as you can apply more context and recall what it was like when watching. I expect that one of Crosby’s years will win. My goal primarily was to show how close old man Lemieux is to the best Crosby seasons statistically and in a neutral environment. There is obviously a lot more to it than just the stats but this was still interesting to think about.
02-03 Lemieux:
67 GP: 28 G, 63 A, 91 PTS (1.36)
Adjusted to the historical league average of 2.24 EVG, 0.72 PPG and 0.10 SHG:
67 GP: 31 G, 69 A, 100 PTS (1.49)
Finished second in points per game in 2003 to the peak Peter Forsberg season. Got off to an incredible start and at the time of the Alex Kovalev trade had 73 points in 44 games (1.66 PPG). He did this without a prime Jaromír Jagr as it was in 2000-01. The 1.76 ppg he had in 2001 was incredible at age 35 but Jagr was the team leader in points and points per game from December 27 2000 onward for the Lemieux return duration. To be that close to his 2001 level production without Jagr shows how great of a start it was and with virtually the same sample size. This 73 in 44 adjusts up to 80 in 44 games (1.82) which is actually marginally better than what peak 10-11 Crosby’s 66 in 41 goes up to. That being 74 in 41 (1.80). This was all done with a very weak supporting cast as well. Went up against someone stronger than Crosby’s art Ross competition in either year (that being Forsberg).
06-07 Crosby:
79 GP: 36 G, 84 A, 120 PTS (1.52)
Same adjustment method:
79 GP: 38 G, 83 A, 121 P (1.53)
Won the Hart and won the Ross. Also had a great start with 82 points in his first 47 games (1.74). When adjusted that becomes 83 in 47 (1.77).
13-14 Crosby
80 GP: 36 G, 68 A, 104 PTS (1.30)
Adjusted:
80 GP: 41 G, 79 A, 120 P (1.50)
Again won the Hart and the Ross. Had a very good start again with 67 points in 46 games (1.46) and when adjusted is 77 in 46 (1.67). This has the “weakest” start of the three but this Ross win he was dominant albeit against a pretty weak field.
I obviously leave it up to you the voters on this as you can apply more context and recall what it was like when watching. I expect that one of Crosby’s years will win. My goal primarily was to show how close old man Lemieux is to the best Crosby seasons statistically and in a neutral environment. There is obviously a lot more to it than just the stats but this was still interesting to think about.
Last edited: