The last thing I thought I'd feel compelled to do was add to the hyperbole surrounding Crosby. Then I watched his performance Monday night, and I couldn't help myself.
I wasn't even watching it live. My attention was focused on another compelling story at the time, with the Bruins squeaking out their ninth straight win with a 1-0 victory in Montreal that moved them into first place in the Northeast Division.
But even watching Crosby's triumph a day later, knowing exactly what happened, Crosby's play was riveting. There have been very few players over the years capable of captivating an audience the way Crosby can, and the opportunity to see him in action once again is worth wading through the hysteria over his return that has bordered on religious fervor north of the border.
Crosby's return, not only to the ice but potentially to the form he showed prior to his concussion, is a huge boon not just to the Penguins, but to the entire league and the game in general. I say potentially in regard to returning to his pre-injury form only because one game is far too small a sample size to know for sure that he really is back at that level.
The two goals and two assists he tallied make a huge statement that all is well, but adrenaline can be a powerful force. Once the excitement and nervous energy of being back has worn off, will the effects of a 10-month layoff become more apparent? More importantly, how will Crosby hold up when he goes up against legitimate NHL-level competition and faces a team that may actually try to hit him, unlike the pathetic, going-through-the-motions Islanders?
Crosby, and his legion of fans, won't truly know that he is back until he survives his first serious hit. He was hit just once on Monday, taking a shot from defenseman Travis Hamonic in the first, while dishing out a hit of his own on David Ullstrom in the third, but neither was a major collision.
No one wants to see anyone take a run at Crosby and his teammates will do everything possible to protect him (Steve MacIntyre was signed for a reason), but opponents aren't going to go easy on him. The stakes are too high in this league to give anyone a free pass, and at some point someone will line him up for a big shot. Crosby will have to prove he can withstand that, but the Penguins have taken every precaution to make sure he was fully recovered before allowing him to return to action.
Crosby's return is the feel-good story of the season so far, and it's hard to find anything not to like about having him back on the ice when it comes to the state of the league as a whole. Some individual members of that league, however, may not be completely overjoyed about the prospect of Crosby piling up points on a nightly basis once again.
Crosby's return makes the Penguins the clear favorite to hoist the Cup the spring. They were already sitting atop the Eastern Conference without him. Now with Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal all healthy at the same time, Pittsburgh has depth down the middle no one can match.
And the Penguins are no longer a team with no wingers to complement those centers. Crosby returns to a team that now features James Neal (team-leading 12-9-21 totals) and Steve Sullivan, along with Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis, while the defense boasts a top-flight offensive threat in Kris Letang, a shutdown force in Brooks Orpik and the all-around play of Zbynek Michalek and Paul Martin. Add in Marc-Andre Fleury in goal and there's no weak link in that lineup.
The Bruins might be the only team in the East with the depth and defensive structure to keep the high-flying Pens in check, but their quest for a repeat just got a lot tougher. Matchups for the rest of the league are now a nightmare when facing Pittsburgh as well.
Still, not even the most ardent fan of opposing teams can argue that the NHL isn't a better place with Crosby back in it. Watching him perform his magic on the ice again is a thrill. And if your team can beat the Penguins with Crosby in the lineup, well, that would just make the victory that much sweeter.