Penguins Veteran Evgeni Malkin Disrespected in Latest NHL Quarter Century Team Rankings

No shock there, Evgeni Malkin is once more ranked too low in the NHL Quarter Century Team projections.

Year after year, Malkin is one of the most underrated players in the game, and the most recent top player rankings for the 2000s again prove that.

The NHL is conducting fan voting for its 2000s Quarter Century Team, honoring the best players of the past two decades. When the new rankings came out, Malkin came in at 9th.

Although the top three, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, and Connor McDavid, are good, things become questionable after that.

Malkin trails behind players such as Patrick Kane, Marc-Andre Fleury, Nathan MacKinnon, Martin Brodeur, and Nicklas Lidstrom.

All are wonderful talents, but taking a closer examination of Malkin's career, one would realize he is way overdue for much greater accolades.

Take Nathan MacKinnon, the next forward listed above Malkin at number six. MacKinnon, only 29 years old, has already achieved an impressive resume with a Calder Trophy, a Hart Trophy, and a Stanley Cup.

He's now one of the NHL scoring leaders and is on track to win this year's Art Ross Trophy, something Malkin already has.

MacKinnon entered the league at age 18, a couple of years younger than Malkin. For the sake of creating an equitable playing ground, let's consider MacKinnon's initial 11 years (ages 20-31) against those of Malkin's initial 11.

Throughout that period, MacKinnon played 73 more games and scored 1,001 points (362 goals, 639 assists). Malkin, by contrast, amassed 930 points (370 goals, 560 assists) playing fewer games.

What was different? Malkin won two Art Ross Trophies, a Hart Trophy, and most importantly, three Stanley Cups during the time. Statistically and in hardware, Malkin has the edge.

He's more decorated, has more playoff wins, and produces the same points with fewer games played.

MacKinnon's prime years could still be in front of him, but in measuring the greatest players at this Quarter Century mark, Malkin's achievements can't be ignored, and he no doubt, at the bare minimum, should have been moved up to number six on the list.