Is Sidney Crosby really a dirty player? Depending on which NHL team you root for might decide where you stand on this issue. Certainly Ottawa and Buffalo fans think so, at least after recent events. Pittsburgh fans would never admit to their beloved Sidney Crosby being a dirty hacker or slasher. Either way, Sid the Kid certainly tows the line of being dirty.
In a meeting with the Ottawa Senators on March 23rd, Crosby did some damage to Marc Methot with his stick. The below video shows Methot entering the Penguins zone and attempting to wrap the puck around the Pittsburgh net. As he does so, Crosby comes down hard attempting to slash Methot's stick, but instead getting his hand. The effect of the slash is pretty gruesome. However, this is a somewhat common play in hockey and often just results in a broken stick or a slashing penalty. I would not call this incident alone a dirty play or mark Crosby a dirty player for it. Methot and the Senators have definitely committed more egregious offenses against Crosby in the past. If anything this just goes to show that Methot needs better hockey gloves.
In a meeting with the Ottawa Senators on March 23rd, Crosby did some damage to Marc Methot with his stick. The below video shows Methot entering the Penguins zone and attempting to wrap the puck around the Pittsburgh net. As he does so, Crosby comes down hard attempting to slash Methot's stick, but instead getting his hand. The effect of the slash is pretty gruesome. However, this is a somewhat common play in hockey and often just results in a broken stick or a slashing penalty. I would not call this incident alone a dirty play or mark Crosby a dirty player for it. Methot and the Senators have definitely committed more egregious offenses against Crosby in the past. If anything this just goes to show that Methot needs better hockey gloves.
The other Crosby incident is far worse and a much more obvious dirty play. This was just one day earlier than the slash on Methot. As the Sabres are possessing the puck in the Penguins zone, Crosby circles back behind Ryan O'Reilly and gives him a little ball tap, or as the Sabres broadcaster called it "dirty-pool". No matter where you fall on the argument about whether or not Sidney Crosby is a dirty player, you have to admit this one is indefensible. You simply do not do this in an NHL game. I watched this game and I have no idea why Crosby elected to do what he did. The Sabres are a pretty mean team themselves, I would say they have a lot of dirty players that have taken liberties with Crosby in the past. So I am sure if this was retribution in someway for a past game. No matter what happened in the past, this was a blatant suspendible offense.
The league elected not to suspend or fine Crosby for either play. He should have been disciplined for the tap on O'Reilly. Many have argued that the NHL refused to take action because Crosby is the league's best player and is the face of the NHL in many ways. That should not matter when the evidence is this blatant. Crosby should have been fined, if not suspended. You cannot allow this type of thing to become common across the NHL. The league has now set a precedent. So if Marc Methot ball taps Crosby the next time they play, the league cannot take action.
I am not of the opinion that Sidney Crosby should be labeled a dirty player. He plays with an edge and maybe is too active with his stick. Most of of his penalties are slashing and he gets away with a lot of slashes too. However, he does not make plays to injure opponents or hit players in vulnerable situations. He is targeted more than any player in the NHL. Every team in the Metropolitan Division has taken a run at Crosby at some point with the intent to injure. He is high sticked, slashed and hit from behind on a near nightly basis. However, you rarely see Crosby respond in kind. So on the rare occasion where he does do something that seems dirty, you can understand why it happened and maybe why he gets a pass.
I am not of the opinion that Sidney Crosby should be labeled a dirty player. He plays with an edge and maybe is too active with his stick. Most of of his penalties are slashing and he gets away with a lot of slashes too. However, he does not make plays to injure opponents or hit players in vulnerable situations. He is targeted more than any player in the NHL. Every team in the Metropolitan Division has taken a run at Crosby at some point with the intent to injure. He is high sticked, slashed and hit from behind on a near nightly basis. However, you rarely see Crosby respond in kind. So on the rare occasion where he does do something that seems dirty, you can understand why it happened and maybe why he gets a pass.
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