Topic: Did anyone see Malkin play today?

[gpw11]

The game wasn't carried here, but from highlights it looked like he more or less lit it up considering it was his second NHL game and first regular season full game.   Scored the lone goal for his team, aparently had a nice crossbar shot, and shattered the glass?  I was thinking he was probably over hyped, but it looks like it may be another year when the hyped up rookie actually does very well.

[scottws]

What other hyped-up rookies in the past have lived up to their hype?

[gpw11]

Both Crosby and Ovechkin pretty much did last year. Danny Heatly as well a few years before, but not to the same extent. And....Mike Piazza.  Oh, and Lebron James.

[scottws]

Never heard of those guys, except for the last two.

[angrykeebler]

i dont think James lived up to the hype considering everyone hailed him as the next Jordan.

[gpw11]

Yeah, but wasn't his average for points/assists/rebounds per game in his rookie season right up their with Jordon's?  I remember hearing on the radio that James, Jordon, and some other guy are the only ones to beat a certain milestone in regards to said average in their rookie year.

[Ace_O_Spades]

Both Crosby and Ovechkin lived up to the hype... any time a rookie gets over 100 pts it's outstanding

Malkin isn't really a rookie... he's been playing professionally in Russia for years. Yeah yeah, technically he's an NHL rookie, but c'mon, the guy is competing for the Calder against a bunch of rookies straight out of Junior.

Sneaky fuckin Russians.

[scottws]

Reminds me sort of of this guy named Rashad Jeanty on the Bengals.  He was in the CFL for 3 years, and now he's in his first year of NFL play and he's considered a rookie.

But he's not a top rookie or anything like that.

[gpw11]

Both Crosby and Ovechkin lived up to the hype... any time a rookie gets over 100 pts it's outstanding

Malkin isn't really a rookie... he's been playing professionally in Russia for years. Yeah yeah, technically he's an NHL rookie, but c'mon, the guy is competing for the Calder against a bunch of rookies straight out of Junior.

Sneaky fuckin Russians.

I'd argue that he isn't really competing at all.  In my mind I think the real competition is between him and Semin (who can't be considered a rookie at all since he played in the NHL before the lockout).  I think it'll just be interesting to see which of Malkin/Crosby or Semin/Ovechkin ends up working out better. 

And Rashad Jeanty played for edmonton I believe.  Weird, I didn't know he got signed in the nfl.  I hadn't heard anything about him since he was out for the playoff due to injury.  But yeah, I imagine most leagues in most sports consider players rookies their starting year, regardless of the fact that they've played pro before (at least moving up).

[gpw11]

Oh, and you could possibly argue that Ovechkin wasn't a rookie either.  I'm pretty sure he was playing Super League in russia during the lockout.  I think.  I may be wrong on that.