Top 5 disappointing NHL playoff performances of the last decade
Let's be honest: Sidney Crosby didn't have a great playoff run.
After the debris settled following their loss to the New York Rangers in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semi-final, the Pittsburgh Penguins had some explaining to do - and who better to take the fall than the man who came up with a measly one goal and eight assists in 13 games.
Don't fret, Sid. You're in good company.
Plenty of NHL stars have had suspect playoff outings after previously proving themselves as a valuable team commodity. Whether it's playoff jitters, regular season fatigue, or just general incompetence, here are five other players who can relate to Crosby and his disappointing 2014 playoff run.
Teemu Selanne, Colorado Avalanche (2004)
Joining the Colorado Avalanche at the start of the 2003-04 season, expectations were high for "The Finnish Flash" to perform on a team that boasted the likes of Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, and Selanne's former Anaheim Mighty Ducks teammate Paul Kariya.
While he didn't have a great regular season to begin with, Selanne really bombed when the Avalanche made the playoffs and he could only muster three assists in 10 post-season appearances. Colorado was eliminated in the second round after losing its Western Conference semi-final 4-2 to the San Jose Sharks.
We'll see if the Avs put his number in the rafters when he retires.
Markus Naslund, Vancouver Canucks (2007)
Once the offensive cornerstone of the Canucks, Naslund had a tough time finding his rhythm during 2006-07 season. That said, he still managed to register a respectable 60 points, but things went a little sour in the playoffs.
Naslund was a virtual ghost in 12 playoff appearances, only managing four goals and a single assist as the Canucks lost 4-1 to the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference semi-finals.
The former Canucks captain stuck around for one more season in Vancouver before signing with the New York Rangers as a free agent.
Dany Heatley, San Jose Sharks (2011)
Coming off a debut season where he scored 39 times for the Sharks, it looked like all the trouble of getting the prolific winger out of Ottawa was paying off quite nicely - and it was, but only for a little while.
Heatley registered nine points in 18 post-season appearances in 2011. Bad, but not truly atrocious. What's truly atrocious is a two-time 50-goal scorer only putting up three goals in those 18 games. Despite his performance, the Sharks made it to the Western Conference finals but ultimately fell short in Game 5 against the Vancouver Canucks.
Alexander Semin, Washington Capitals (2012)
A premier sniper, Semin paved a name for himself as the Capitals' second-best scorer behind Alexander Ovechkin; things were good for a while, especially after an impressive 2009-10 season in which he registered 40 goals.
To say Semin underperformed during the Capitals' 2012 playoff run would be an understatement. The Russian winger had three goals and one assist in 14 games before the Capitals lost Game 7 of their Eastern Conference semi-final to the New York Rangers.
Dustin Brown, Los Angeles Kings (2013)
While he's never been known as a scoring machine, Dustin Brown had one of the worst playoff performance turnarounds ever after winning the Stanley Cup as the captain of the Kings in 2012 and registering 20 points in 20 games.
The following playoff run in 2013 wasn't quite a success. The Kings ultimately lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference finals and Brown's performance didn't help things, as he plodded to three goals and an assist in 18 games.