Crosby voted smartest, most complete player in NHLPA poll
Sidney Crosby is aging like fine wine, and his peers have taken notice.
The Pittsburgh Penguins captain, who's put together an 89-point campaign at age 37, was voted the league's smartest and most complete player in the 2024-25 player poll, published Tuesday by the NHLPA.
Here are the full results:
Who is the best overall goalie?
| Player | Vote % |
|---|---|
| Andrei Vasilevskiy (TB) | 31.13 |
| Igor Shesterkin (NYR) | 23.58 |
| Connor Hellebuyck (WPG) | 15.57 |
| Sergei Bobrovsky (FLA) | 8.18 |
| Juuse Saros (NSH) | 4.40 |
| Other | 17.14 |
Hellebuyck finished third despite being a near lock to take home his second straight Vezina Trophy. Vasilevskiy's superior playoff resume might have something to do with it.
Who is the best overall forward?
| Player | Vote % |
|---|---|
| Connor McDavid (EDM) | 73.89 |
| Nathan MacKinnon (COL) | 9.62 |
| Nikita Kucherov (TB) | 6.41 |
| Sidney Crosby (PIT) | 1.53 |
| Kirill Kaprizov (MIN) | 1.53 |
| Other | 7.02 |
McDavid has been the answer to this question every year it's been asked since the NHLPA player poll began in 2017-18.
Who is the best overall defenseman?
| Player | Vote % |
|---|---|
| Cale Makar (COL) | 71.78 |
| Quinn Hughes (VAN) | 7.44 |
| Victor Hedman (TB) | 5.74 |
| Roman Josi (NSH) | 3.26 |
| Adam Fox (NYR) | 1.71 |
| Other | 10.08 |
Makar - likely to capture his second career Norris Trophy this season - wins in a landslide.
Who is the most complete player?
| Player | Vote % |
|---|---|
| Sidney Crosby (PIT) | 33.81 |
| Aleksander Barkov (FLA) | 30.95 |
| Nathan MacKinnon (COL) | 7.14 |
| Connor McDavid (EDM) | 6.98 |
| Auston Matthews (TOR) | 3.17 |
| Anze Kopitar (LA) | 3.17 |
| Other | 14.76 |
Barkov is the reigning Selke Trophy winner, but the players still swayed toward Crosby's all-around game.
Who is the best playmaker?
| Player | Vote % |
|---|---|
| Nikita Kucherov (TB) | 48.25 |
| Connor McDavid (EDM) | 20.16 |
| Leon Draisaitl (EDM) | 6.83 |
| Artemi Panarin (NYR) | 5.08 |
| Sidney Crosby (PIT) | 2.70 |
| Other | 16.98 |
Kucherov led the NHL with 100 assists last season and is one shy of MacKinnon for the lead this year.
If you need to win a faceoff, who would you pick?
| Player | Vote % |
|---|---|
| Sidney Crosby (PIT) | 20.39 |
| Ryan O'Reilly (NSH) | 9.95 |
| Anze Kopitar (LA) | 9.62 |
| Jordan Staal (CAR) | 7.83 |
| Aleksander Barkov (FLA) | 7.83 |
| Other | 44.37 |
Crosby has taken the most faceoffs in the NHL this season (1,759), but it's Ottawa Senators veteran Claude Giroux who leads the NHL in percentage (61.4%) among players with at least 500 faceoffs.
Who is the smartest overall player?
| Player | Vote % |
|---|---|
| Sidney Crosby (PIT) | 27.02 |
| Nikita Kucherov (TB) | 24.71 |
| Connor McDavid (EDM) | 11.53 |
| Aleksander Barkov (FLA) | 6.43 |
| Adam Fox (NYR) | 3.62 |
| Other | 26.69 |
More love for Crosby, who narrowly beat out Kucherov.
Who is the best overall skater?
| Player | Vote % |
|---|---|
| Connor McDavid (EDM) | 66.41 |
| Cale Makar (COL) | 11.41 |
| Nathan MacKinnon (COL) | 8.91 |
| Quinn Hughes (VAN) | 2.19 |
| Jesper Bratt (NJ) | 1.88 |
Was there ever any doubt? McDavid might be the best skater the game has ever seen, though Avalanche teammates Makar and MacKinnon are worthy of honorable mentions.
Which player has the best fashion sense?
| Player | Vote % |
|---|---|
| David Pastrnak (BOS) | 15.75 |
| Auston Matthews (TOR) | 15.75 |
| William Nylander (TOR) | 12.90 |
| Patrik Laine (MTL) | 3.80 |
| Roope Hintz (DAL) | 2.09 |
| Other | 49.72 |
There's only one way to settle the tie between Pastrnak and Matthews: a fashion show. It would probably go something like this between the division rivals.
Who would be a good broadcaster once they retire?
| Player | Vote % |
|---|---|
| Kevin Hayes (PIT) | 4.85 |
| Ryan Strome (ANA) | 3.88 |
| Brad Marchand (FLA) | 3.50 |
| Pat Maroon (CHI) | 3.50 |
| Eric Comrie (WPG) | 3.11 |
| Erik Johnson (COL) | 2.52 |
| Marcus Foligno (MIN) | 2.52 |
| Other | 76.12 |
While Hayes received the top spot, it's Maroon - retiring after the season - who could get first crack in front of a camera.
Which PWHL rulebook change would you like to see in the NHL?
| Rule | Vote % |
|---|---|
| Jailbreak goal | 29.7 |
| 3-2-1-0 point system | 24.36 |
| 1st place chooses playoff opponent | 16.83 |
| Unlimited individual shootout attempts | 15.64 |
| Trapezoid removal | 13.47 |
Jailbreak goal, in which a player is freed from the box if their team scores shorthanded, was deemed most popular by NHL players. But higher seeds choosing their Round 1 opponent, which finished third, could be a brilliant, made-for-TV event.
Which NHL arena has the best ice?
| Arena | Vote % |
|---|---|
| Bell Centre (MTL) | 44.96 |
| Rogers Place (EDM) | 14.87 |
| Canada Life Centre (WPG) | 10.77 |
| Xcel Energy Center (MIN) | 7.52 |
| T-Mobile Arena (VGK) | 4.62 |
Bell Centre takes this honor for a seventh season.
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