justinschultzy:

Malkin has averaged 1.18 points per game over his 13-year career — all in the dead-puck era. That puts him 14th all-time and second to Crosby among active players. The only players ahead of Malkin who did not play in the two highest-scoring decades (1970s, ’80s) are Crosby and Peter Forsberg.

The story, however, is who’s directly behind him.

Jean Beliveau and Jaromir Jagr are behind him. Steve Yzerman and Alex Ovechkin and Pavel Bure and Bobby Hull and Gordie Howe are behind him, too. So are Gilbert Perreault, Pat LaFontaine, Eric Lindros and Mark Messier.

In fact, you will find 16 consecutive Hall of Famers just behind Malkin on that list. Which is to say, 14 already in, plus Ovechkin and Jagr….

Malkin has always thrived in Crosby’s shadow, largely free of the media glare Crosby absorbs so adroitly.

It’s not always this way with superstars. Alpha males naturally want to lead the pack. Kyrie Irving wanted his own team after a few years with LeBron James. Mr. Big Chest (Antonio Brown) couldn’t stand the fact that no matter what he did, at least one player (Ben Roethlisberger) was always going to be the bigger and better-paid star.

I’m thinking, too, of how Malkin has grown up here. How he picks his spots to talk and often speaks the bluntest of truths. He always has the pulse of the team.

I think of his big-game acumen and the fact he is second among active players in postseason points per game — behind Crosby — and just behind the likes of Phil Esposito, Guy LaFleur and Toe Blake, for goodness sake.

And how, even in a “bad year,” he has 66 points in 60 games with the biggest ones dead ahead….

Then-New Jersey Devils scouting director David Conte put it this way: “(Malkin) is an exceptional talent, and it’s not unreasonable to think the guy who goes second could be better than the guy who goes first.”

We could debate for days if that is in fact what happened. This much is indisputable: Evgeni Malkin is a civic treasure, not to mention one of the most talented and productive players in the history of the game.

I’m not sure we talk about that enough.

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/joe-starkey/2019/03/06/Joe-Starkey-Evgeni-Malkin-an-all-time-underappreciated-superstar/stories/201903060165

Joe Starkey: Evgeni Malkin — an all-time underappreciated superstar

Joe Starkey: Evgeni Malkin — an all-time underappreciated superstar

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette