Pro Sports

Crosby, McDavid top list of NHL players to watch this season

Posted October 10, 2016 7:00 am

By LARRY LAGE

FILE - In this March 30, 2014, file photo, Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby (87) works the puck in the corner against Chicago Blackhawks' Peter Regin (12) in the second period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh. Crosby is one of the top players to watch in the 2016-17 season. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File) The Associated Press

Sidney Crosby, coming off Stanley Cup and World Cup of Hockey titles, has to top any list of NHL players to watch this season.

The Pittsburgh Penguins superstar may never approach the 36-goal, 120-point season he had a decade ago when he won his first of two Hart Trophies as NHL MVP. Crosby can, though, strike a balance between being patient with the puck and aggressive with or without it when needed.

"He just wins," said Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock, who has coached Crosby at the Olympics and World Cup. "Sid is unbelievable."

Crosby has been diagnosed with a concussion and his availability with the season coming up fast was unknown Monday. Here's a look at some other players to watch in the talent-rich league when the season starts this week:

ALEX OVECHKIN

As a scorer, the 31-year-old Washington Capitals winger isn't showing any signs of slowing down. Ovechkin had 50 goals last season, reaching the milestone for the third straight year. He won his fourth straight and league-record sixth overall Richard Trophy as the NHL's top scorer. No one else has won it more than twice since the 1998-99 season when the trophy was first awarded.

PATRICK KANE

The Chicago Blackhawks winger won his first Hart Trophy by easily surpassing his previous career highs with 46 goals and 106 points. Kane couldn't celebrate the accomplishment too much because the Blackhawks were bounced out of the playoffs in the first round after hoisting the Cup in 2015 for the third time in six years. Kane and Co. will be fired up to make another run.

CONNOR MCDAVID

If the 19-year-old captain can stay healthy, no one will be surprised if he has a 100-point season with the Edmonton Oilers. McDavid, the No. 1 overall pick last year, had 48 points in 45 games during his injury-shortened rookie season.ˆ The smooth-skating center looked like one of the game's greats at the World Cup.

AUSTON MATTHEWS

The Maple Leafs have a reason for hope, for a change, because of the 6-foot-3, 216-pound center they drafted No. 1 overall. Matthews appeared as if he belonged on the ice with the best hockey players on the planet last month at the World Cup, perhaps giving him a boost of confidence as an NHL rookie.

P.K. SUBBAN

Nashville acquired a motivated player in a blockbuster trade last summer, adding the 2013 Norris Trophy-winning defenseman and sending captain Shea Webber to Montreal. Subban scored a career-low six goals last season for the Canadiens and will get every opportunity to bounce back with the Predators.

CAREY PRICE

Montreal's franchise and fans likely breathed a sigh of relief during the World Cup when it was clear Price is healthy and still one of the game's best goaltenders after missing more than 10 months with a knee injury. With Price and Weber, the Canadiens will be tough to score against.

BRENT BURNS

The reigning Western Conference-champion San Jose Sharks may want to give the gap-tooth, big-bearded defenseman a deal before he becomes a free agent next summer. If they don't, Burns may take his on- and off-the-ice act to a team that will pay him perhaps $7 million to $8 million a year with a long-term contract.

BEN BISHOP

The Tampa Bay Lightning might move Bishop, who is entering the last season of his contract, before the trading deadline this season because they won't want to lose him to Las Vegas in the expansion draft next summer. Tampa Bay appeared to make a plan for the future in net last summer when it signed 22-year-old Andrei Vasilevskiy to a three-year extension.

___

Follow Larry Lage at http://www.twitter.com/larrylage and follow his work at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/larry-lage

___

This story has been corrected to show that Subban won 2013 Norris Trophy.

FILE - In this April 21, 2016, file photo, St. Louis Blues' Jay Bouwmeester, left, and Chicago Blackhawks' Patrick Kane chase the puck during the first period in Game 5 of an NHL hockey first-round Stanley Cup playoff series in St. Louis. Kane is one of the top players to watch in the 2016-17 season. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2016, file photo, Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban (76) clears the puck away from Tampa Bay Lightning center Cedric Paquette (13) during the third period of an NHL hockey preseason game in Nashville, Tenn. Subban is one of the top players to watch in the 2016-17 season. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2016, file photo, Team Canada goalie Carey Price (31) makes a save against Team Europe during second-period World Cup of Hockey finals action in Toronto. Price is one of the top players to watch in the 2016-17 season. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2016, file photo, North America's Auston Matthews, center, scores against Sweden's goalie Henrik Lundqvist, right, Victor Hedman, left, and Daniel Sedin, second left, during the first period of a World Cup of Hockey game in Toronto. Matthews is one of the top players to watch in the 2016-17 season. (Mark Blinch/The Canadian Press via AP, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this May 30, 2016, file photo, San Jose Sharks' Brent Burns (88) plays against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final series in Pittsburgh. Burns is one of the top players to watch in the 2016-17 season. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Sept. 29, 2016, file photo, Canada's Shea Weber (6) collides with Europe's Anze Kopitar (11) during the first period of Game 2 of the World Cup of Hockey finals, in Toronto. Weber is one of the top players to watch in the 2016-17 season. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Oct. 3, 201`6, file photo, Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8), of Russia, eyes the puck next to St. Louis Blues center Jori Lehtera (12), of Finland, during the first period of an NHL preseason hockey game in Washington. Ovechkin is one of the top players to watch in the 2016-17 season. (AP Photo/Molly Riley, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2016, file photo, Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Ben Bishop (30) blocks a shot as Nashville Predators left wing Colin Wilson (33) watches for the rebound during the second period of an NHL hockey preseason game in Nashville, Tenn. Bishop is one of the top players to watch in the 2016-17 season. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this March 28, 2016, file photo, Anaheim Ducks' Ryan Kesler (17) chases Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid (97) during first period NHL action in Edmonton, Alberta. McDavid is one of the top players to watch in the 2016-17 season. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP, File) The Associated Press

Article Comments

Article Categories
Content Providers Hockey NHL Pro Sports Sports Sports Leagues Sports Types

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.