Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon sparks fierce battle over Penguins' all-time greatest player
Photo credit: Eric Bolte / Imagn Images
Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon sparks massive hockey debate after weighing in on who should be crowned the greatest Pittsburgh Penguins' player of all-time.
MacKinnon was recently put on the spot and asked to choose between Sidney Crosby and Mario Lemieux, a question that's long fuelled debate among Penguins fans.
Nathan MacKinnon sparks massive hockey debate.
Tom Banks from Hockey Unplugged writes that in a recent video with the NHL, Avalanche's MacKinnon was put to the test, choosing between several iconic players. Right out of the gate, he faced some difficult decisions, opting for Jaromir Jagr over both Mark Messier and Alex Ovechkin, a pick that quickly caught the attention of fans.
"That's where things got tough however, as Sidney Crosby was the next name up, eventually being matched up with 'Super Mario' Mario Lemieux, where unsurprisingly, MacKinnon chose his fellow Nova Scotia native and Team Canada teammate." -Banks
Given his well-known friendship with Crosby, it wasn't a shock to see MacKinnon choose him over legends like Gordie Howe, Jagr, Bobby Orr, and even Lemieux. However, it was his pick over Lemieux that sparked the most buzz in the comment section, igniting a wave of passionate debate among fans.
"This all comes back to a major debate between Penguins fans of who is the greatest player in franchise history, and in the comments, fans were clearly siding with Lemieux, calling out MacKinnon for choosing 87 over 66." -Banks
While younger fans may lean toward Crosby, those who watched both agree Lemieux was the more gifted talent, and if not for injuries, he might be seen as Gretzky's equal.
MacKinnon ultimately chose his friend Crosby, a player many believe he'd love to team up with in the NHL, but for most fans, Lemieux remains the greatest Penguin of all-time.
Previously on Avalanche Insider
| POLL | ||
AOUT 1 | 25 ANSWERS Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon sparks fierce battle over Penguins' all-time greatest player Who would you say is the greatest Penguins' player of all-time? | ||
| Sidney Crosby | 3 | 12 % |
| Mario Lemieux | 19 | 76 % |
| Jaromir Jagr | 1 | 4 % |
| other | 2 | 8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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