Malkin Didn't Disappear Upon Sid's Return
Andrew Chiappazzi | Pittsburgh Penguins
Jun 16, 09:59 PM | Hype this story!
Note: An earlier version of this article contained inaccurate numbers. Some additional stats have been added, as the message still stands, although additional explanation has now been added.
With the criticism leveled towards his play in the Stanley Cup Finals, one would think that Evgeni Malkin was the second-coming of Konstantin Koltsov.
From Joe Starkey to Mark Madden, from national broadcasters to passionate fans, Penguins nation is concerned that Evgeni Malkin HAS to be the focal point of the Penguins offense to succeed. They point to Malkin’s all-world performance while Crosby was out with a high-ankle sprain as evidence.
They’re also wrong and the statistics bear that out.
Malkin With Crosby In The Lineup – Regular Season
53 games, 27 goals, 33 assists.
1.13 points per game, .51 goals per game.
Malkin Without Crosby In The Lineup – Regular Season
29 games, 20 goals, 26 assists
1.58 points per game, .68 goals per game.
So, in the regular season, Malkin increased his game while Crosby was out. But it goes beyond all of that. Of those games with Crosby, Malkin had 14 multiple point games and 12 games without a point at all. Without Crosby, he had 7 games without a point and 14 games with multiple points.
That averages out to a multiple point performance every 3.7 games with Crosby in the lineup, and a multiple point performance every 2.07 games without Crosby in the lineup. It also averages out to a silent game every 4.42 games with Crosby and a pointless game every 4.14 games without Crosby.
Therein lies the rub. While Malkin’s production certainly increased without Crosby, he actually became more streaky. His points came in bunches, while his empty games continued at about the same pace. Had he held true to form just by looking at the end results, his frequency of games without points would have dropped without Crosby in the lineup.
But the real question was not about the regular season, but Malkin’s inability to light the lamp in any fashion in the latter part of the Stanley Cup.
So what about the playoffs? The real story is when Malkin was injured/sick. All reports say that he was ill beginning late in the Philadelphia series. Plus, there was Game 1. Remember that remarkable short-handed goal that Geno scored, burying a wicked slapper past Martin Biron? Well, the reason he was so wide open was he was so shaken up from a nasty hit from Mike Richards on his first chance, he barely got back onsides.
So, we have this breakdown…
Malkin In Playoffs Through Game 1 Versus Philadelphia (Game Of The Richards Hit)
10 games, 8 goals, 9 assists.
1.7 points per game, .8 goals per game
Crosby had 4 goals and 13 assists in this time span.
Malkin In Playoffs After Richards Hit
10 games, 2 goals, 3 assists.
.5 points per game, .2 goals per game
Crosby had 2 goals and 8 assists in this time span.
It’s clear that Crosby and Malkin complement each other very well. It’s also clear that Malkin’s production dropped significantly after being rattled in the Philadelphia series. He was never the same after that, and his drop in production likely has more to do with that incident rather than any issue with Crosby.
I understand why there is hesitation to accept Malkin and Crosby on the same team for the next half dozen years or more. It’s scary to see two all-world talents not only be able to produce, but co-exist in the same locker room. For some, it’s jealousy. For others, it’s the fear that all is not well and that something is going to be taken away.
In reality, it should be celebrated and cherished instead of trying to run the shy and socially unsure Malkin out of town.
Comments
TIM
Jun 17, 12:26 AM
I agree whole heartedly. He got leveled on that play, and he didn’t seem to recover too well from that. I think the Richard’s hit on him plus getting sick, and also Detroit being a good defensive team, was the reason he “disappeared”. I am on of Malkin’s biggest supporters, and I don’t buy for one second that he stops trying once Sid is in the line up. He was solid last season was even better this year, and he will continue to grow. Don’t buy the BS. Malkin is a legend in the making.
Pens1967
Jun 17, 07:26 AM
Thanks, Andrew, for writing this. It needed to be said. The stats are telling and show BOTH players benefit from the each other.
That said, I just cannot believe the Malkin-bashing that’s been going on esp in the media. It borders on xenophobia. This kid made a clandestine escape from his home to come to the US at 19. He spoke not a word of English nor did he have much familiarity with the Arabic alphabet. He was dropped into the middle of American culture and expected to fit right in off the ice! Amazing.
Matt Bodenschatz
Jun 17, 10:05 AM
I don’t understand it either. Malkin has publicly stated that he is easy to please and that he doesn’t need $8.7 million to be happy. By all accounts, he is a great human being. But, because he doesn’t speak English, it’s difficult to see, which leads to trade and character speculation from media.
Pens1967
Jun 17, 10:49 AM
Matt, your last sentence says it all.
Just for comparison, I lived in Northeast Philadelphia for over 30 years until moving back to western Pennsylvania last year. It just so happens that NE Phil has one of the largest concentrations of Russian emigres in the country. It’s the number one destination point for them. I spent more than two years having Russian neighbors, seeing Cyrillic words and listening to Russian being spoken and I would not have a clue if someone dropped me off in middle of that country.
Malkin does speak English and he certainly understands it, but he’s just not comfortable speaking it a lot in public – yet. I recall he did a between periods, in the runway, interview with Potash toward the end of the season and he spoke pretty well. I recently read somewhere that he’s going to move out of the Gonchar’s home and get his own place next year and that his parents may come over as well to live with him. If true, that will speed up the English learning process as he will have to be the Rus-Eng translator for them.
ikiss
Jun 17, 11:18 AM
Actually, Malkin had 46 pts in 29 games without Sid in the lineup, or 1.59 ppg
Dabich
Jun 17, 11:48 AM
Andrew, great write-up! The media seems to be having a field day with Malkin, and it’s terrible. As a Pen’s fan, it’s a treat to have Crosby AND Malkin on the same team. I hope management has the sense to keep him so we can enjoy BOTH our superstars for many years to come!
Bob Roberts
Jun 17, 01:05 PM
Malkin took the Richards hit in the shoulder. Anyone recall why he missed some preseason games and some regular season games in his rookie year?
Bobby
Jun 17, 01:54 PM
Malkin is going through some of the same issues as Bobby Clemente and we’ve now got a bridge and statue in his honor.
Ivan
Jun 17, 01:55 PM
Pretty sure the “big hit” was in Game 1. The game was 3-2 after Malkin had scored with less than 10 seconds to go in the 1st. The Flyers were on the power play and Malkin took the hit from Richards… Then he scored on that same shift to make it 4-2. He had a 3-pt game.
I honestly think this “big hit” talk is ridiculous though. I believe it was just a coincidence that Malkin struggled. And, oh yeah, he was also playing in the 3rd and 4th rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs. He was tired. And Detroit played great defense.
sam
Jun 17, 01:55 PM
youre wrong.
you counted the games crosby missed from 3/12 to 3/25 and 4/06 in malkin’s “without crosby” game total, but counted the points he scored in those games toward his “with crosby” point total.
thus, you made his PPG with crosby seem higher than it actually was, and his PPG without crosby lower than it actually was.
i’m sure this was an honest mistake, but you have to get the facts right if youre going to post something so against the grain. do you really think that ALL of the PROFESSIONAL journalists who wrote about this subject would have messed this up? come on.
anyways, here are the correct point totals, game totals, and PPG for malkin, with and without crosby in the regular season
without crosby: 46 points, 29 games, 1.59 PPG
with crosby: 60 points, 53 games 1.13 PPG
see the difference now?
MIKE
Jun 17, 02:47 PM
Two points:
1. Being an immigrant from Russia myself I know how tough are first few years are.
His language skills are fine in terms of reading and writing. Gainig confidence in speaking and speaking publicly is much more complicated and a longer process.
2. Sam is right with the numbers, but I don’t really see the “difference” in Malkin’s performance. He had to share time and responsibility with Sid. He has a bit less quality time with Sid in the lineup and still had a pretty good 1.13 PPG. This is understandable and it has nothing to do with his ego, him felling “uncomfortable”, and him being in the Sid’s shadow. I attribute better PPG numbers to more quality ice time and having more opportunities to create.
Thomas m. Feaster
Jun 17, 06:16 PM
Absolutely 100% dead right. I love Geno,he’s great to watch and Crosby’s equal.People a week or two earlier were putting down Sid during the playoffs. They’re so narrow minded. Geno didn’t have the jump in his skating after the hit. I always watch his every shift closely,because he’s so skilled and fun to watch. He definitely was hurt and sick. People want to trade him and keep Staal. Staal doesn’t have the offensive skill yet to be their no. 2 center. He isn’t near the passer or creative offensively. He is a two way checking line center that could be a consistent 20 or more goal scorer. People are insane to want to get rid of Sid or Geno. They are two unselfish superstars. With Sid out the power play was better. They should have kept two separate units during the playoffs. Don’t like Geno on the point. We had a great run though and we had our chances.
Andrew Chiappazzi
Jun 17, 08:22 PM
Thank you all for commenting. After rechecking the stats, there were some errors. They have been adjusted and the new numbers are in the article.
Also, there is a new section of the article with more stats, looking at the consistency of Malkin’s performance without Crosby in the lineup.
You’ll find that while his overall goals and points per game went up without Sid, his streakiness became more of a factor too. Spread out over the course of a full season, I believe Malkin would earn more points with Crosby rather than without.
Thanks again for commenting.
sam
Jun 18, 09:24 AM
listen, i respect your opinion and all, but once again, youre argument is completely flawed.
with or without crosby, malkin’s pointless nights occured at about the same rate. no big deal there.
without crosby, malkin’s multi-point performances occured MORE FREQUENTLY than when he was with crosby.
now, your claim is that because he more frequently had multi-point games, that makes him “more streaky”??? that doesn’t make the slightest bit of sense.
if malkin had multi-point games more often without crosby, all that means is that he stepped up his game with crosby out of the lineup. if you deny that, then there’s no way that you could have possibly followed the penguins this year. sorry.
don’t get me wrong, i think that malkin + sid is better than either one without the other. as some other commentors pointed out, the increased production could IN PART be due to an increase in ice time, quality power play time, etc…
i don’t believe that the reason geno played better was because he liked being the only star, as some have claimed. rather, he played better simply because he had to.
but whatever the reason was, you cannot deny that he played better without sid. spin the statistics however you want, but don’t deny what is proven to be true.
Jonas
Jun 18, 10:10 AM
This is my first time here (found it through The Pensblog.) Great site!
I thought Malkin played significantly more minutes per game with Sid out of the lineup. Did anyone count his points and goals per played minute? That would be interesting to see.
Matt Bodenschatz
Jun 18, 12:48 PM
Jonas, welcome! We hope to see you around more frequently!
Dabich
Jun 18, 01:23 PM
Is this Jonas, the teacher Jonas?
Hi Jonas :)
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