Slow Start for Crosby


Sidney Crosby has finally scored! In his sixth game of the 2015/16 season Crosby finally made his way onto the scoresheet with a goal and two assists. The player with the fifth highest career points per game in NHL history had gone the first five games of this season without a point. Maybe it was his off-season job as a Tim Horton's drive-thru cashier that dulled his skills, but this year has been the slowest start in Sid's career. His previous worst start to a season was 2010/11 when he gathered only 3 points in his first 5 games played. Now, it may not be entirely fair to compare Crosby to the top two players in career points per game; Gretzky and Lemieux...but it sure is fun.

As one may expect, neither The Great One or Le Magnifique ever started an NHL season pointless in five games. Gretzky's worst five game start was 1996/97 when he collected a pedestrian four points in his first five games. In fact, Wayne Gretzky never ONCE went five games in a row without getting at least one point over his entire career. The closest he ever came to this was from March 22 to April 4 1999 when he received only one assist over a six game period. Of course he had played 1475 NHL games to this point and had less than three weeks left before retiring. 


Mario Lemieux like Gretzky never started a season with less than 4 points in 5 games, which he did in 2001 and again in 2005. Conversely, Lemieux's best five game start to a campaign was in 1988/89 when he exploded for 19 points (9 goals, 10 assists). Gretzky's best five game start was in 1983/84 when he collected only 15 points (7 goals, 8 assists). As a comparison, Crosby's best start was in 2011/12 when he had 11 points (2 goals, 9 assists) in his first 5 games.

So, as much as Crosby is killing fantasy teams around the world with his poor start, it can't continue. He'll likely end up with close to 100 points when it's all said and done right near or at the top of NHL scoring.




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