Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Celebrating 20 years of Evgeni Malkin and Penguins greatness

Episode Date: August 1, 2024

We may be a day late on celebrating Evgeni Malkin's birthday, but it's always a great day to celebrate number 71! Patrick and Hunter recall some incredible Geno moments, look at upcoming milestones, w...hat he's meant to the franchise and more. Next, they discuss an interview Geno recently gave talking about all things Penguins, Sidney Crosby's contract, and how long he plans to play in the NHL. They wrap up the show by talking about how spoiled the Pittsburgh Penguins have been over the last 20 years and use a recent Athletic ranking and study to prove that yes, the Pittsburgh Penguins are the best team in the modern era. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotors.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply.FanDuelFanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. As playoffs wind down, the sports stop sporting like we want them to. But this summer, FanDuel is hooking up ALL CUSTOMERS with a boost or a bonus, DAILY! That’s right, there’s something for everyone, every day, all summer long! Visit FANDUEL.COM and add a big win to your summer bucket list!FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Starting point is 00:00:00 While Hunter and I may be just a day late on celebrating of Gennie Malkin's 38th birthday, it's always a great day to celebrate the Russian bear. We're going to talk about that and more on this edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. Your Locked-on Penguins, your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins, part of the Locked-on podcast network, your team every day. Hello, and welcome back to another edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. of your host Patrick Damp. You can follow me on Twitter at Synonym 4 Wet,
Starting point is 00:00:39 joined as always by the one and only Hunter Hodes. You can follow him on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. You can give our show's account a follow at L.O. underscore Penguins, and we thank you for making this your first listener watch of the day, because we're your team every day. And don't forget that we are free and available wherever you get your podcasts, as well as YouTube. And before we get going today, today's episode is brought to you by
Starting point is 00:01:04 game time download the game time app create an account and use code locked on nhl for $20 off your first purchase terms apply so might as well get out of the way early i have returned to the show we were supposed to record yesterday on fgeny malkin's birthday but i was given a lovely parting gift from the state of new jersey and that was covid 19 yes hunter as you shake your head covid 19 in the year of our Lord 2024. Embarrassing, I get it. But I had a rough day yesterday, was really not going to be able to record. Good to go today. Might be a little congested, might be a little bit rough, but I appreciate everyone sticking with me. So let's get into the meat of the show. And that is Evgeny Malkin number 71. The backup dancer, the backup guy,
Starting point is 00:01:55 whatever you want to call him for Sidney Crosby, but we know good and well. You put him on any other franchise. He's the guy. But celebrated his 38th birthday. My God, I cannot believe that man is 38 years old. Does not feel that long from when they drafted him right after Alex Ovechkin. Does not feel that long where he basically made his own spy movie when he snuck over here to become a penguin. And I just figured this first segment, we can wax poetic a little bit.
Starting point is 00:02:25 about number 71, what he means to us, what he means to the Pittsburgh Penguins. And I know there's something you've been waiting two days to talk about Hunter. So the floor is yours. I got a gaming term for you here. So you called him, you know, Crosby's backup. He is Cindy Crosby's duo. That is what this is at this point. They are one of the best duos ever.
Starting point is 00:02:47 And that will be like that for an eternity. But yeah, man, 38 years old. I remember when I was a little kid, he was still in his young 20. he's tearing up the NHL and now he's almost pushing 40. It's like, where is the time gone? Heck, I remember when he turned 30 back in 2016. I'm like, wow, he's getting old at this point. Now he's almost 40.
Starting point is 00:03:07 I just don't understand how time just flies by like this. But I've had such an absolute pleasure watching him throughout his entire career. And the way that he can still play at a very high level is so fun to watch. Is he as good as he used to be? Absolutely not. He's definitely lost a step overall. You saw it last year, but when you surround him with the right line mates, he can still be a very productive player in the NHL,
Starting point is 00:03:33 specifically a very productive second line center. You saw that last year, especially when he got Michael Bunting added to his line, and when Ricard Raquel started finishing a little bit more down the stretch, that second line was one of the best lines on the team. Oh, ho-hum, you get players that can finish next to him and not put players that really aren't that good offensively next to him. You'll have a pretty good second line.
Starting point is 00:03:53 But, you know, heading into this season, 37th all time in terms of points, 1,296, Pat, he's four away from 1,300 points all time. Also, two more goals until he scores 500 for his career. It's going to be awesome whenever he gets 500 this year. It's probably going to be the first week of the season, if I had to guess, at worst, it's the second week of the season, but if I had to guess, I think it's going to be the first week of the season. But you look at some of the all-time grates that of Gunny Malkin is going to past this year. I mean, he's only four points away from tying Jerome McGinla, 36th overall. He has
Starting point is 00:04:28 Gilbert Perrault, Mike Gartner, Dennis Savard, Matt Sundeen. Sundeen, he's 30th overall with 1,349 points. If I'm just going to do some quick math right here, Evgeny Monkyn needs 53 points to tie him at 30th overall for NHL's all-time scoring list. He should be able to get that with a full season of Munting and if Raquel bounces back and all that. So by the end of this season, we're going to have some pretty big milestones for Evgeny Malkin. Over 1,300 points, 500 goals, over 500 goals, I should say. And he'll be able to hopefully crack the top 30 all time of NHL scoring. Just what a remarkable career, top three Russian player of all time.
Starting point is 00:05:08 And I'll continue to say it. My favorite goal of his ever is the slap shot goal against the Philadelphia Flyers in 2008. I'm not going to cuss on this show. I said it on Twitter. it's the biggest F you goal of all time. The way he was checked behind the net, he gets up a little slow, but then gets the puck right of the blue line,
Starting point is 00:05:29 and then he just says to Marty Barron, you know what, F you, I'm going to blast this right past you and you're not going to do anything about it. And his celebration was also fantastic. That's still to this day, my favorite of getting Malkin goal,
Starting point is 00:05:43 and I think it will remain that way for a very long time. Same here. It's definitely up there for me. It's not my favorite. but before I say my favorite, I think I'm required by law at this point to say this. I don't know what ESPN or TNT need to do to pry Joe Beninati away from NBC Sports Washington because he was on the call for that and that whole Malkin basket hanging. Just such a great call.
Starting point is 00:06:10 He is one of the best hockey broadcasters out there. And if they get any Malkin says take that. And that's all you need to know right there. Just one of the best hockey. broadcasters and we're really missing that on the national broadcast. The favorite for me is the 2012 season, 2011, 2012 before, no, he was healthy. He got hurt in the 2011 season right not long after Sid got the concussion. So he missed the 2011-2012 season when he won the MVP award.
Starting point is 00:06:41 And it was his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning where he just walked through every play on the ice for Tampa Bay. He beat all five guys and then the goalie. And it was everyone said, oh, it's reminiscent of the Mario Lemieux goal against the North Stars in 91. And while I get the temptation to do that, and this is not to take away from Mary El Mew's goal, it's top five for me all time. Malkin did this from the goal line to the goal line.
Starting point is 00:07:19 Mary Lemieux did it neutral zone to the net. If Getty Malkin took this puck all the way up ice and beat everybody. And Mario Lemieux, while doing it in an era where you could bear hug a guy when he had the puck equally as impressive. But you look at the speed of Gennie Malkin picked up. You look at how many players he beat and how he finished it off. He didn't. And again, this isn't me comparing it to Lemieux anymore. I'm off that.
Starting point is 00:07:47 he beat a goalie in a way that you have to be very slick to do. He didn't just chip it by him. He didn't just find a little opening. He snuck it through the five hole in a way that you have to really concentrate to do. So that was really cool, really impressive. And then one other that I absolutely love. And it's very similar to the U goal that you like to talk about was his goal, against Marty Brodor in his rookie year.
Starting point is 00:08:21 He catches a blue line or blue line to blue line pass from Sidney Crosby, makes an unreal move on the defense, and then somehow falling down, does a little bit of a Forsberg move past Marty Brodor, loses his stick, punches the glass. And it was like that light bulb moment for Penguins fans to go, oh man, we've got some. something really special here. Those two are really good.
Starting point is 00:08:52 The lightning goal I could watch every single day as well. We obviously, though, have to highlight the spectacular game that he had against Carolina in the 2009 conference final. Just the way that he was able to take over that game, from the first goal he scored, I know I was only a little kid at the time, but I was like, oh, we're in for something special just because of how great he was playing throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs. I mean, he was the best player in the world those two months. I mean, every time he was on the ice, no one could get the puck off of him.
Starting point is 00:09:24 But after he scored that first goal, I'm like, I think we might be in for a special night. It didn't matter how much of a back and forth affair this was. Evgeny Malkin was not letting the Penguins lose that game. And then the spinnerama goal, obviously, you know, all me, all the time, just seeing Melon Arena getting showered with hats on the ice was fantastic.
Starting point is 00:09:49 I can watch that game 100,000 times, never get tired of it. And then do you remember this one as well when he picks, I forget which defenseman was. Edmonton Oilers picks his pocket as he's coming out of the zone.
Starting point is 00:10:02 And Malkin goes into the offensive zone and just does a beautiful spinorama backhand roof job. And the house just comes down. That goal was... The best part of that goal, the best part of that goal that you're talking about was the sound. Yeah. Because it clanged off the crossbar and went in and it hit the crossbar so flush that it just echoed.
Starting point is 00:10:27 You could hear it everywhere. And I mean, you know, you brought up Carolina 2009. I'll say this. Of the five championships that the penguins have won, three of them have had an unquestion. MvP, and it's 2017 with Crosby. It's 1992 with Marya Lemieux. 1991, and I would also say 2016, you can make a case for Yarmier-Yager and then Phil Kessel, respectively, for how good they were in those post seasons. But 2017, that was Sidney Crosby's Kahn Smyth.
Starting point is 00:11:05 He was the head and shoulders best player in the world in those playoffs. 2009, same thing for Hvgeny Malkin. He was the unquestionable best player in those playoffs, and there was nobody on his level in that Carolina series proved it. But I think that will do it. So happy birthday to Evgeny Malkin, but this will not do it for the Hvgeny Malkin talk. We are going to talk about an interview that he had with an outlet earlier this week about all things of Gennie Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Pittsburgh Penguins, as well as his career here in the National Hockey League. and Hunter and I will talk about that in the second segment,
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Starting point is 00:13:07 create an account, and use code locked on NHL. for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply, again, create an account, and use code L-O-C-O-N-N-H-L-H-L for $20 off. Download game time today, last-minute tickets, lowest price, guaranteed. Welcome back to the Thursday edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm one of your host, Patrick Damp, hanging out here in my little COVID cave,
Starting point is 00:13:33 joined as always by the one and only Hunter Hodes. and Evgeny Malkin did a really, really good interview earlier this week with RG.org, known as responsiblegaming.org. Yes, it is a betting website, but they still do a lot of sports news as well as hockey news. And they got a nice little interview with Evgeny Malkin, who had quite a lot to say. And if you're watching us here on YouTube, you can see it right there on our rundown where he said, Pittsburgh is Crosby, Crosby in Pittsburgh. No one in Pittsburgh would understand if he changed teams. Understandably, Hunter, you talked about it last week with Josh Yohe while I was off on vacation.
Starting point is 00:14:15 We've talked about it on the show a little bit when it comes to Sidney Crosby and his apparent extension that we expect to be signed soon. But it's August 1st as we record this in six days. He's going to be celebrating a birthday. So we pretty much can see the writing on the wall there. But this was really interesting to me because it kind of puts the shoe on the other foot from where we were just a few short years ago when we were worried about whether or not of Gennie Malkin was going to resign with the penguins. And Crosby stepped in and basically said, if you don't bring back Malkin, you're probably going to lose me too. Right. And you got to show the full quote as well.
Starting point is 00:14:55 Because after he did say, you know, Pittsburgh is Crosby, Crosby is Pittsburgh. No one would understand if he changed teams. he did say, I know anything can happen. Sometimes these things happen to have a 1% chance of happening. But before signing my current contract, Sid and I talked, and he told me that the Penguins are us, me, him and Crystal Tang, I signed my contract. He will probably make the same decision.
Starting point is 00:15:15 Aguany Malkin is not concerned about this whatsoever. I'm sure he and Crosby are probably in constant communication throughout the offseason about a whole bunch of topics. I'm sure they've discussed this as well. But it's nice to see Malkin again confirming what everyone knew. Crosby talked to the prior management during the Malkin negotiations and wanted him to resign here and finish his career here. Now you're kind of seeing something similar here with Malkin, at least talking through the media,
Starting point is 00:15:41 saying, yeah, I want to finish my career with Crosby, who I started it with, and obviously with Chris Littang as well. And another quote that I really found funny about this, he said he would be ready to play until he's 45 in one case. If Crosby signs an eight-year contract with the penguins, he said, it will be hard. but I have to. I hope I won't play until I'm 45. I want to play for another two years. As for another one, we'll see after that I want to spend time with my family. Family is an important part of my life. And then he said they want to return to hockey soon after they retire, but I think my body will
Starting point is 00:16:12 tell me when to stop. So basically, Pat, for as long as Crosby signs, he wants to play with him until he's ready to retire and then Malton will go out with him. The two are best friends, again, as I said to start the show, they're a duo together and they want to go out to. together do the same way they came in together. Yeah, and I can't blame Fgeny Malkin for saying that, but God, I hope that doesn't happen. And not just because I, you know, I have some weird notion where I want of Gennie Malkin to retire or leave Pittsburgh because if you know me, you know I have been one of the hardest fighting soldiers in the war of Afghani Malkin when everybody tries to trade them. Everybody tries to downplay his value. I always like to quote friend of the show in my
Starting point is 00:17:01 former co-host on the Dying Alive podcast, Jesse Marshall, when he would always say, if you trade Faggeny Malkin, you no longer have Fagney Malkin. So, but you look at what he's been through in his career. He's had two knee surgeries. He's had so many other high contact injuries, not just you know, bumps and bruises or things like that. And I don't want to downpil play what Sidney Crosby has gone through because obviously you only get one brain. Concussions and TBIs are extremely serious. I know that firsthand. I've had multiple and it scares me.
Starting point is 00:17:41 But Sidney Crosby has not really had the same level of injury as of Gennie Malkin. And part of the reason I think we've seen him slow down a little bit over the past few years is when you have two surgically rebuilt knees, in a sport like hockey, that's eventually going to catch up to you. Evgeny Malkin also plays whether people in this town want to believe it or not, a much more rougher game than, say, Sid, maybe not much more than Sid, but he's a lot more brute force than Sidney Crosby.
Starting point is 00:18:14 Crosby's a little bit more finesse with some grit mixed in. When Fagney Malkin was at his best, he was a bear, he was a bully. He was a guy who just physically overpowered you. And that kind of hockey starts to catch up with you. That said, though, he's played 82 games for two straight years. And that's extremely rare for him, which he got into talking about. And I think it gets back to something you and I have talked about on this podcast, is that he's played 82 games two years in a row.
Starting point is 00:18:44 They've missed the playoffs twice. This is going to be an extremely motivated penguin's team going into this year. Oh, I agree. And Pat, is the secret for him to not play all eight. two games maybe just rest for a game or two. Just God forbid, don't get hurt here, Gino, but, you know, maybe take a game or two off and then maybe have that be the catalyst to them making the playoffs. I'm obviously just joking here, people. Yeah, hey, let's just bring in some load management. Let's take some NBA cues here, have Gino play like 70, 72 games, get them 10
Starting point is 00:19:15 games off. Same with Cid. And this team will probably win the Metro if you do that. Yeah, I mean, who's to say, really? But I think, you know, or maybe Pat, they clinch a playoff spot, somehow some way before the final week of the regular season, then you can rest in those final few games, right? I guess that would work a little bit as well. But Gino did say, yeah, he enjoys playing a lot. He says he does want to play Alt A2 again this season and make the playoffs and he's hoping that there won't be any injuries. He's just hoping there are especially no serious ones, of course, but he even went into how he's happy with the way he's been preparing for each NHLC season, especially these last two years. And yeah, he along with Chris LaTang and Sidney Crosby and
Starting point is 00:19:53 Eric Carlson, I'll throw him in there as well, even though I know we've been mostly discussing the big three today, I think all of them are going to be very motivated heading into the season to get back to the playoffs. This is not a core group that wants to just kind of go quietly into the night. They want to at least make the playoffs at least one more time and maybe see if they can squeak out a deep run by some divine miracle one more time before they all call quits. They are not going to be happy if they miss the playoffs every single year going forward. until they retire just because of how many times you've been to the playoffs, how experienced they are in those games, how much they love playing in those games.
Starting point is 00:20:31 A motivated player, as I've said a couple of times already, is a very dangerous one. Well, the week is going to be getting multiple motivated, dangerous players on this Penguins team for this year. I don't disagree with you. And because I look at it like this. And again, this is so far down the road. This is, you know, an August 1st podcast where we're still waiting for
Starting point is 00:20:53 training camp to open. So, you know, if you want to clip this and come back at me in April, feel free, but I'm just going to say, again, it's August 1st. But we see it every year in the Stanley Cup playoffs. There's one team that you didn't expect to, I don't want to say win it, because you look at the last handful of years, the team that's won the Stanley Cup, you've pretty much been like, yeah, that was the team that a lot of us expected. We're going to win the Stanley Cup or at least had one of the better chances. But you always see a team that you don't expect to win a round or two, to go to the second round of the third round. And you think, oh, man, where did this team come from? There's a lot of good ingredients for the penguins to
Starting point is 00:21:31 maybe do that. Do I expect them to do it? No, I really don't. I barely expect them to even make the playoffs this year. But you look at a lot of the talent they have on their roster, Sidney Crosby, Gany Malkin, Chris LaTang, Eric Carlson. Those are some ingredients that can make you a team with some motivation and a handful of guys who might have a chip on their shoulders to show that they can still play at this level, maybe you get something good out of that. But I think that will do it here for this second segment. We're going to keep the good vibes going on this show.
Starting point is 00:22:03 And because we've been talking about, of Gennie Malkin, Sidney Crosby, we're going to fold in Chris LaTang and just the Penguins franchise in general that we've been so spoiled to have since the change into the salary cap era. And Hunter and I will talk more about that right after this. All right, welcome back to the Thursday, August 1st edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm Patrick Damp. That's Hunter Hodes.
Starting point is 00:22:30 And there's a story. I wanted to say article, but I'm going to call it a story because it's not really an article. But Athletic does it every year. They do their salary cap franchise rankings. And you know if you listen to this show, because I always say it if you listen to this show, you're in the 1% of the 1% of hockey fans. You're an absolute sicko. searching out hockey content in August.
Starting point is 00:22:56 So they do, you know how good the athletics hockey coverage is. It's kind of the whole thing that jumped them off that got them on the map. They did such a great job with hockey. And one of the things that they do every year around this time, they dropped this on July 29th. They do their salary cap era franchise rankings. And it takes into account what franchises have been the best since the 2005, 2006 season.
Starting point is 00:23:21 They factor in by points, winning the Stanley Cup, losing in the Stanley Cup final, losing in the conference final, and making the playoffs. It's 11 points for winning the Stanley Cup. It's five points for losing in the Stanley Cup final, three points for losing in the conference final, and a point for making the postseason.
Starting point is 00:23:42 For another year, sitting atop the mountain is the Pittsburgh Penguins. They were there in 2023. here in 2024. And while the last two years have been tough, it does put into perspective how good this franchise has been run since the salary cap came into effect. I know we lament the lack of prospects, the lack of draft picks, but since I would say 2007,
Starting point is 00:24:11 because Crosby's rookie year, kind of an outlier, this team has been in go for it mode, and they've succeeded. I mean, just look at the stats. Three Stanley Cups, four Stanley Cup finals, five Eastern Conference final appearances, 16 straight seasons of making the Stanley Cup playoffs. I mean, it's crazy how successful this era of Penguins hockey has been. Yeah, I know the last couple of years have not been good. The team has been mismanaged a bit during that time.
Starting point is 00:24:40 Mike Sullivan is also not blameless there either with some of the coaching decisions, excuse me, that he's made. But you look at this era overall. ball, you can't put any other team over the Penguins. You know, if someone wants to argue the Chicago Blackhawks, I mean, okay, but I'm still taking the Penguins considering what they have accomplished during the salary cap era. It's an era that just for this era of Penguins hockey that we probably won't ever see again, to be honest.
Starting point is 00:25:06 It's going to take a lot to go right, I think, to see an era like this again. Oh, absolutely. I think the two franchises, and they are two and three in the Athletics ranking. that you can say come close to the Penguins, or obviously the Tampa Bay Lightning, because the Penguins were the first team to get the first back-to-back championships in the salary cap era, then the Tampa Bay Lightning did.
Starting point is 00:25:30 And as a quick aside, I think I've said it on the show before. If not, I'm just going to restate my position. I count the COVID Cup because, but if you, again, referencing the athletic, if you read their reporting from about a year after the bubble playoffs happened, those teams were miserable.
Starting point is 00:25:48 That Tampa crew was also really good, man. Like people forget that Tampa Bay team that won it that year was stacked. It was an insanely good team. And you saw just how great their top players were overall. You know, I did something on the national show with Nick Serrars a couple weeks ago. We ranked the top last 10 Stanley Cup winners. I had that Tampa Bay team, you know, decently high up on my list. It was better than the other back-to-back Tampa Bay team.
Starting point is 00:26:12 Yeah. And those teams in the bubble, like by all accounts and reporting were miserable. They did not want to be there. They did not like it. So it was a slog. And you talk about that you put, you counteract that with what joy there is in the normal Stanley Cup playoffs. When you're in the Stanley Cup playoffs, yeah, it's a grind.
Starting point is 00:26:31 Yeah, it's mentally taxing. It's physically taxing. But you are beyond happy to be there. It's the greatest tournament in sports for a reason. Being able to win that Stanley Cup was huge. And then you look at the Chicago Blackhawks. They got three as well. and they were right there with the Penguins every year.
Starting point is 00:26:50 We unfortunately never got that Taves and Kane versus Malkin and Crosby Stanley Cup final. We came close a couple times, but man, that would have been fun. But the other thing I wanted to add real quick before we close out the show is the NHL, and they do this thing. If you follow their accounts in the summer, they will put out statistics and facts that have, next to no value for anything. But if you're at a party and you want to be the hockey guy
Starting point is 00:27:22 and you want to know and you want to show you got more knowledge than anybody, follow those accounts because they'll give you something. They put out a stat or a graphic with statistics on them for the most combined points by teammates since 2005. Number one, Sydney Crosby and of Guinea Malkin with 2,359. And you may think, ho-hum, yes, they're two great players. there's got to be somebody close. No, no, there is not.
Starting point is 00:27:49 At number two, Nick Baxter and Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals with 2,141. But interestingly enough, at number four, with 1,789 points together, or 1,798, excuse me, sorry, bit of a misspeak there, but I'll keep it rolling here. Sidney Crosby and of Gennie Malkin. And here's the thing. they have this in real small print at the bottom and I'm only noticing it because I got it on my second screen here. These are points scored while playing in the same game.
Starting point is 00:28:26 So you think about all the time of Gennie Malkin has missed, all the time Sidney Crosby has missed, all the time Chris Lattang is missed. And these guys still have put up all these points. Good Lord, we are spoiled. Oh, 100%. And you did say Crosby and Malkin twice, by the way, Pat. So just want to clear it up for the listeners and watchers.
Starting point is 00:28:45 That's, hey, hey, hey, I'm, I'm coming back from injury here myself. So, you know, got to shake the rust off. He's still under the weather here, people. But that is Sydney Crosby and Chris LaTang at 4th with 1,798 points just above them. Canaan Taves of the Chicago Blackhawks, 1,921. And the Sadeen brothers coming at number five with 1,765. Yes, I'll be honest, real quick. I did not expect Henrik and Daniel to have that low of an amount.
Starting point is 00:29:12 I know 1765 is not that low, but like it just felt like every game they were putting up multiple points per person. I'm still not surprised that they're in the top five just because of how great they were during the prime of their careers in Vancouver. I loved watching the Sadine brothers whenever they were on the ice. But yes, back to your point, everyone here has been spoiled for basically 20 years at this point with how great those three players have been for the penguins. all sure bets to make the Hockey Hall of Fame. I mean, obviously, Crosby and Malkin Will. I've seen some weird talk about Chris Lattang and making the Hockey Hall of Fame. To me, he's in the Hockey Hall of Fame as a lock.
Starting point is 00:29:50 I mean, three Stanley Cups. I know he doesn't have the Norris to his name. But, I mean, when he was in the prime of his career and when he was playing the best hockey of his career, I still think that 2016 season overall was the best season of his career. I think when he was on his game, there were not five better defensemen in the league, better than him. And I think overall, he will be in the hockey Hall of Fame whenever that comes calling. It may not be first ballot, but he will get in 100%. Yeah, you kind of beat me to that because I think I said it before. I don't count him as a first ballot Hall of Famer. I count him as a guy second,
Starting point is 00:30:25 third, fourth, just because there's going to be guys from this era who I would say are better than him, not just defensemen, just players in general that are going to get their due before he does. But I'm with you on that. I think he's going to get in. Man, it has been an unbelievable two decades in Pittsburgh. I know we're flustered. I know we're frustrated. I know times are relatively tough for us as Penguins fans. But when you're flustered this season, just keep in mind everything we have been spoiled with for the past 20 years.
Starting point is 00:30:59 So that's how I wanted to end the show. So that will do it for us on the Thursday edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. we will be back with a fresh and new episode tomorrow, Friday, August 2nd. But as always, thank you for making us part of your daily and weekly routine. For Hunter Hodes, I am Patrick Damp. Thanks again for tuning in and we'll talk to you on Friday.

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