Leave it to Sidney Crosby to take all the fun out of the scoring race this season. The Pittsburgh Penguin star has opened up a 17-point lead over Ryan Getzlaf in the race for the Art Ross Trophy. Surprisingly, Crosby has only won the scoring title once in his career.
In 2007, Crosby pulled the double winning the Ross and the Hart Trophy as the MVP of the NHL. Chalk it up to injuries and timing, but the player widely regarded as the best in the world has bounced back from a litany of past ailments to put forth one of his most memorable years to date.
Barring another ill-timed injury, Crosby will at the very least take home the Ross trophy for the second time in his career. The better question is wondering who will finish second in this year’s scoring race? Let’s take a gander at the players that wish they were nipping at Crosby’s skates.
Ryan Getzlaf, C, Anaheim Ducks-29 goals, 45 assists-74 points
The captain of the Ducks has put together a tremendous year, teaming with winger Perry for a fearsome one-two punch. Getzlaf has historically been more of a setup man, but has found plenty of twine so far this year.
Phil Kessel, RW, Toronto Maple Leafs-34 goals, 39 assists-73 points
Kessel has been mentioned in passing as a Hart Trophy candidate, but let’s face it, the trophy is Crosby’s. That isn’t to take anything away from the top scorer in Toronto. For a time Kessel was in the neighborhood of Ovechkin, but has seen his tally taper compared to the Capitals’ sniper. Surely Kessel would much prefer his position to Ovechkin in the standings.
Claude Giroux, C/RW, Philadelphia Flyers-24 goals, 47 assists-71 points
After a slow start personally and as a team, Giroux has been on fire. If I had to pick a player to make up ground on Crosby, it would be the captain of the Flyers. Giroux has emerged as more than a scorer, becoming the heart and soul of the team as they have steadily risen in the Eastern Conference standings.
Alexander Ovechkin, LW/RW, Washington Capitals-46 goals, 23 assists-69 points
It has been an impressive show from Ovechkin so far this season, but it has largely been a one-man show, or at the very least a one-dimensional show. Nicklas Backstrom has helped facilitate the bulk of Ovie’s goals, but defense and goaltending have been a liability all season. The late addition of Jaroslav Halak might be too late to get the Caps into the playoffs, but at least their Russian star is still scoring.
Tyler Seguin, C/RW, Dallas Stars-31 goals, 39 assists-70 points
The Bruins got a pretty nice return when they sent Seguin to Dallas last summer, but I’m sure it grates them just a little to see how productive the 22-year old star has been. A nice balance of goals and assists is just a taste of what Seguin will bring to the future of the franchise.
Kyle Okposo, RW, New York Islanders-27 goals, 42 assists-69 points
It would only be natural to expect Okposo’s production to dip when John Tavares was injured during the Olympics. However the Islanders’ lone remaining star player has put up ten points in as many contests since the Olympic break ended. Don’t expect him to push Crosby for the Ross Trophy, but it’s been a heck of a breakout year for Okposo.
Corey Perry, RW, Anaheim Ducks-36 goals, 31 assists-67 points
The 2011 Hart Trophy and Richard Trophy winner has found his magic touch around the net this season, trailing only Ovechkin in the goal category. It might be too late to catch the Washington wing, but Perry and the Ducks are looking big picture this season to erase the disappointment of last year’s first round loss in the playoffs.