Crosby playing at another level

By Jeff

Has Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby ever looked better than he has this season? He has tallied 15 goals and 14 assists in the last 14 games alone. He has at least one point in every game during that span.

For the season, Crosby is leading the league in goals (21) and points (44) and is second in assists (23). Steven Stamkos is having a great year in Tampa Bay, but Crosby would take home the Hart Trophy if the season ended today.

You should feel honored if he slew foots you.

Other than killing penalties, there is nothing Crosby doesn't do for his team. No one else on the Pens has stepped up and scored goals. Evgeni Malkin, who is second on the team with eight, is off to a slow start this season, Jordan Staal is still hurt and there isn't another big scoring threat on the team. Despite other teams knowing this, Crosby still finds all kinds of ways to score. Whether it's a deflection, rebound, breakaway or terrible angle, Crosby finds a way.

When he's not scoring, he's making great passes that most people wouldn't even see, let alone pull off. Just look at his assist on Kris Letang's goal in the Rangers game Monday. It's easy for Pens fans to appreciate what a great play that was because we see similar plays by Crosby so often.

Points aside, No. 87 also wins faceoffs and isn't afraid to block shots. The faceoffs is something that is especially impressive, because he used to be terrible at them. Now he wins 55.4 percent of them, and no player in the league takes more than Crosby does. He's taken 644 draws. Johnathan Toews is second with 590.

Of course, every other city hates the man. Montreal even boos him, despite the fact he clinched the Gold Medal for Canada in the Olympics. The common criticism of Crosby is he "cries" to the refs a lot. It's true that he speaks to refs throughout the games about calls and non-calls. But what hockey player doesn't? Seriously, watch other teams and see what happens when they have a penalty called against them or they don't get a call. They talk or yell at the refs too. The difference is, nobody cares what some fool in Columbus does (despite their solid season so far), so the camera isn't on him constantly and no one gives it a second thought when he complains.

Crosby was appointed the face of the league by Gary Bettman. He didn't ask for it, but it's true. So the camera's watch everything he does. When play is stopped, it's Crosby they put on the television. As a result, you're going to see him talking to the refs more than anyone else. Does that make him a whiner? No, it makes him a good leader. The captain of the team is the one who is supposed to talk to the officials. If he thinks his team is getting a raw deal, it's his responsibility to relay that message.

Regardless of what you think of Crosby, his talent can't be denied. No one in the NHL is playing better right now, and Crosby has never played better in his career.

Joe Esposito - You're The Best Around