After Ovi, who needs the Cup the most to cement their status?

[MadLuke]

I disagree. Thornton has done so much for that organization, and shown a lot of determination playing with brutal injuries so that he can get a few more shots at the cup. If the Sharks win it this year, it counts among his major career accomplishments. He was the backbone of the organization and is still a valuable player for them, he would deserve a lot of credit if San Jose won it all. Not just for his still solid production, but for where he's taken that franchise over the last decade+.

Maybe but I have a bit of hard time seeing it in the scenario he is a bit of a passenger on that Shark cups, he would get ahead of who of is era career ranking wise that he is not already above off ?

Thornton is a 1,400+ points, Art Ross/Hart winner, is legacy is quite something already, playoff are some asterix on it and I am not sure a passenger cup would remove it to make him get ahead of a certain group.

 

[Damisoph]

Jumbo Joe.

 

[TheStroker]

Marleau or Thornton

 

[Goose]

Bozak.

 

[SillyRabbit]

I don’t think Thornton needs a Cup to cement his legacy, he already had a Finals appearance, and besides, at his age, he wouldn’t be a main contributor to the Cup win like when he was in his prime.

Nobody looks at Dave Andreychuk and talks about how that Stanley Cup cemented his legacy.

Thornton just needed to shed his playoff choker label and he did.

 

[Trocity]

Joe/Henrik, not close.

 

[Sun God Nika]

Karlsson would be a hall of fame lock, wouldn't mind Lundqvist getting one or Ovi getting another and reviving the Ovi vs Sid debate.

 

[gtrower]

Karlsson would be a hall of fame lock, wouldn't mind Lundqvist getting one or Ovi getting another and reviving the Ovi vs Sid debate.

The debate was revived with the Cup/Smythe/Rocket in 2018. A repeat of that would end it.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

I agree with Thornton and Lundqvist.

 

[TheNumber4]

Thornton. How could there be any other answer?

 

[CashMash]

If Rinne gets a a cup and maybe another Vezina on top of that, I'd say he moves into pretty significant territory for a goalie in this era.
Thornton and Lundqvist could use a cup as a cherry on top for their careers.
McDavid isn't old enough for me to say that he NEEDS one right now, but it'd be nice to get it over with, obviously.

 

[almostawake]

This has been said a lot in this thread, but winning a Stanley Cup as a passenger isn't going to cement Thornton's legacy. Maybe it could do it if he really carried the team in the playoffs and won the Conn Smythe. But winning it as a 2nd/3rd line center isn't going to change the perception of him all that much.

Lundqvist, IMO, it would help a lot. Right now he is well accepted as one of the great goaltenders of his era. But a generation from now with only one Vezina to show for it, I don't think he'll be remembered that way. Like, 15, 20 years from now it would be pretty easy for him to be considered similar to Ryan Miller, for example. Lundqvist being the starting goalie on a Rangers Stanley Cup championship removes any risk of that though.

IMO Subban is a player who's legacy would be cemented if he was key in leading his team to a Cup.

 

[bobholly39]

Carey Price might be #1

Thorntons status as a bad playoff performer is already set. Even a cup wont change that

Lundqvist same thing but as a good playoff performer instead. A cup would be a very nice way to finish off career but unsure its essential

Carey Price is very much up in the air. Best goalie of his generation? His peak says maybe. But a ton of questions about him and a ton of disagreements. One cup + smythe helps him the most.

McDavid will eventually get there too but hes obviously way too young to count now.

 

[JeremyTB]

Maybe but I have a bit of hard time seeing it in the scenario he is a bit of a passenger on that Shark cups, he would get ahead of who of is era career ranking wise that he is not already above off ?

Thornton is a 1,400+ points, Art Ross/Hart winner, is legacy is quite something already, playoff are some asterix on it and I am not sure a passenger cup would remove it to make him get ahead of a certain group.

Well apparently Thornton not having a stanley cup was enough to keep him off the top 100 all-time list.

 

[JeremyTB]

Carey Price might be #1

Thorntons status as a bad playoff performer is already set. Even a cup wont change that

Lundqvist same thing but as a good playoff performer instead. A cup would be a very nice way to finish off career but unsure its essential

Carey Price is very much up in the air. Best goalie of his generation? His peak says maybe. But a ton of questions about him and a ton of disagreements. One cup + smythe helps him the most.

McDavid will eventually get there too but hes obviously way too young to count now.

Thornton hasn't been a bad playoff performer for many years now. I thought he already put that behind him.

 

[end]

Nobody looks at Dave Andreychuk and talks about how that Stanley Cup cemented his legacy.

I think Dave Andreychuk having 600 goals and having raised the Cup as a captain is why he's in the HOF. If he only had one of those accomplishments I think he's still waiting.

 

[TheGuiminator]

On top of my head I’d say :

Price
Lundqvist
Thornton
Karlsson
Giroux

 

[Alex K]

Claude Giroux
Henrik Lundqvist
Sergei Bobrovsky
Erik Karlsson
Joe Thornton

 

[Nick Hansen]

Well apparently Thornton not having a stanley cup was enough to keep him off the top 100 all-time list.

Nah, he's retiring with that reputation. Still a sure-fire lock for the Hall, though.

 

[TheGuiminator]

This has been said a lot in this thread, but winning a Stanley Cup as a passenger isn't going to cement Thornton's legacy. Maybe it could do it if he really carried the team in the playoffs and won the Conn Smythe. But winning it as a 2nd/3rd line center isn't going to change the perception of him all that much.

Lundqvist, IMO, it would help a lot. Right now he is well accepted as one of the great goaltenders of his era. But a generation from now with only one Vezina to show for it, I don't think he'll be remembered that way. Like, 15, 20 years from now it would be pretty easy for him to be considered similar to Ryan Miller, for example. Lundqvist being the starting goalie on a Rangers Stanley Cup championship removes any risk of that though.

IMO Subban is a player who's legacy would be cemented if he was key in leading his team to a Cup.

This has been said a lot in this thread, but winning a Stanley Cup as a passenger isn't going to cement Thornton's legacy. Maybe it could do it if he really carried the team in the playoffs and won the Conn Smythe. But winning it as a 2nd/3rd line center isn't going to change the perception of him all that much.

 

[TheGuiminator]

This has been said a lot in this thread, but winning a Stanley Cup as a passenger isn't going to cement Thornton's legacy. Maybe it could do it if he really carried the team in the playoffs and won the Conn Smythe. But winning it as a 2nd/3rd line center isn't going to change the perception of him all that much.

Lundqvist, IMO, it would help a lot. Right now he is well accepted as one of the great goaltenders of his era. But a generation from now with only one Vezina to show for it, I don't think he'll be remembered that way. Like, 15, 20 years from now it would be pretty easy for him to be considered similar to Ryan Miller, for example. Lundqvist being the starting goalie on a Rangers Stanley Cup championship removes any risk of that though.

IMO Subban is a player who's legacy would be cemented if he was key in leading his team to a Cup.

I think Thornton’s reputation as a « choker » can still change by winning a Stanley Cup, even as a 2nd-3rd Line center. I mean he doesn’t need to have a 30 points playoff run & a Conn Smythe to solidify his legacy. All he would need is to have a significant role in his team : by making some key plays here and there that lead to big goals, maybe having 1 or 2 big goals and a 10-15 points run and I think he could save his playoff legacy

 

[CCM19]

Ryan Reaves

 

[RockTheRedDC]

OV again and then I don't care

 

[CallArnoldSlick]

McDavid. Guys like Thornton could certainly use a Cup, but McDavid is going for all time great ranks. He needs at least 2.

He certainly can't pull an Ovechkin and blow the first dozen years of his career with second round bounces.

I'm not saying the Oilers need to win this year or next, but they need to compete soon. The chances go by fast. Crosby had two finals appearances by the end of his fourth season.

 

[Ducks in a row]

Who are the players that have had outstanding careers so far that you really feel like need the cup cement their status as one of the best of current generation (and last) ?

Guys I personally hope will take it (unlikely as it may be): Thornton or Lundqvist.

Players I think have a good chance: Rinne and Stamkos.

None of them are comparable directly but just my personal opinion on players who kinda need it.

None because hockey is a team game and 1 player doesn't win a championship by themselves it takes a team to win.