Draft a McDavid clone or win the Cup?

[Aceboogie]

Winning in that sense will always have a bit of a shame taint for me. Like the Pens, sure they won 3 Cups but they also drafted 5th, 2nd, 1st, 2nd and 1st in 5 straight drafts... If you have those opportunities (because of those losers consolation prizes) and can't achieve anything with it, then it's a shame (like the Oilers so far)

The NHL has been rewarding losers for too long. Glad they are starting to change this.

Wouldnt there be more shame in literally be given a cup. Say this were to actually happen, I dont think anyone in the hockey community with legitmately recognize this as a cup win, and personally I dont think many people would themselves either

 

[Aceboogie]

I'm going off the basis that we'll never know. Like, we got to make a wish, but then we get memory wiped. If we were aware of our choice, it would absolutely change things.

I think a good example that is real world applicable could be this. Say you are either the Pens right now, or were the Hawks in 2014ish. Would you rather keep the team as is and likely win one more cup, or would you make significant rebuilding moves that would put you near the bottom of the standings (and we assume win the draft lotto) and be able to pick Dahlin (or a hypothetically McDavid)

Say Pitt trades Kessel + Letang + Guluztan for futures, or Chicago traded Hossa + Seabrook + Hjmarlsson for futures and finish bottom 5 and get McDavid. Team goes on with McDavid + the remainign core

or

keep the team as is and have a very good chance of winning another cup (for fun those teams can take Tavares for 1 season only to solidify a cup win)

 

[ijuka]

I'd much rather draft a McDavid and watch him play for my team for years to come than win a Cup.

 

[Skobel24]

I think a good example that is real world applicable could be this. Say you are either the Pens right now, or were the Hawks in 2014ish. Would you rather keep the team as is and likely win one more cup, or would you make significant rebuilding moves that would put you near the bottom of the standings (and we assume win the draft lotto) and be able to pick Dahlin (or a hypothetically McDavid)

Say Pitt trades Kessel + Letang + Guluztan for futures, or Chicago traded Hossa + Seabrook + Hjmarlsson for futures and finish bottom 5 and get McDavid. Team goes on with McDavid + the remainign core

or

keep the team as is and have a very good chance of winning another cup (for fun those teams can take Tavares for 1 season only to solidify a cup win)

In that case, I'd pick have a ****** year and get McDavid, but you're missing a detail here. The team in question doesn't need to sell off to acquire McDavid. The concept is that they just have a **** year and draft him as a result, without selling off to actually plummet. Chicago, in this case, would still retain their core.

As a fan of a team who hasn't won in a while (nearly 30 years), but still has a very solid young core, I'd choose a cup. Even without that generational talent, they still have a group that could likely compete for a while. Whereas a team like Chicago has won a few cups, and is starting to see the window close quicker and quicker each year.

Edit: Just realized your scenario is a bit different. Honestly, I'd probably keep the Flames core, add Tavares, and try to re-sign him. Calgary has some weaknesses, but I don't think they're worth blowing up. Selling off could get them a ton of prospects/picks, but there's no guarantee they'll pan out. It's a hue gamble to take.

 

[DearDiary]

The ultimate goal of an NHL franchise is to win cups for many years. Taking just one cup guarantees nothing. Anyone with foresight and the confidence in their team to build around a McDavid clone will and should take the player. Besides, the OP never said anything about finishing last, just that they drafted a McDavid clone. They could have used a 7th rounder on him if they found him playing somewhere nobody else was scouting.

OP never said that the team collapses after they win the cup. For all you know the win multiple, plus the team would obviously already have elite talent to win.

So this poll is pretty much Pittsburgh vs Oilers

Mediocre team, but you get McDavid
vs
Win the cup with elite players, chance for more cups

 

[Lays]

McDavid clone. What is fun about a guaranteed cup? Why even watch the season? Obviously I'm in the minority here but most of you want to be handed a cup for not drafting a McDavid? I feel like that's cheating and I'm a '00 born Rangers fan who's team hasn't won a cup since I was born and we've been close a lot. I'd rather have the excitement of not knowing, are you guys really going to be happy after the guaranteed cup win and be excited?

 

[pheasant]

McDavid clone. What is fun about a guaranteed cup? Why even watch the season? Obviously I'm in the minority here but most of you want to be handed a cup for not drafting a McDavid? I feel like that's cheating and I'm a '00 born Rangers fan who's team hasn't won a cup since I was born and we've been close a lot. I'd rather have the excitement of not knowing, are you guys really going to be happy after the guaranteed cup win and be excited?

The poll is asking about people's preference. There is no genie in a bottle granting you a wish. I even explained in the OP that "you as a fan [...] get to enjoy the whole season of winning."

Its picking your preference between two hypotheticals. Not one hypothetical where you control the future.

 

[Aceboogie]

In that case, I'd pick have a ****** year and get McDavid, but you're missing a detail here. The team in question doesn't need to sell off to acquire McDavid. The concept is that they just have a **** year and draft him as a result, without selling off to actually plummet. Chicago, in this case, would still retain their core.

As a fan of a team who hasn't won in a while (nearly 30 years), but still has a very solid young core, I'd choose a cup. Even without that generational talent, they still have a group that could likely compete for a while. Whereas a team like Chicago has won a few cups, and is starting to see the window close quicker and quicker each year.

Edit: Just realized your scenario is a bit different. Honestly, I'd probably keep the Flames core, add Tavares, and try to re-sign him. Calgary has some weaknesses, but I don't think they're worth blowing up. Selling off could get them a ton of prospects/picks, but there's no guarantee they'll pan out. It's a hue gamble to take.

Each team would have to sell off assets to get to the bottom to be in range for mcdavid

 

[Xspyrit]

Wouldnt there be more shame in literally be given a cup. Say this were to actually happen, I dont think anyone in the hockey community with legitmately recognize this as a cup win, and personally I dont think many people would themselves either

In the point of this poll, you'd be right. However, I wasn't thinking about this when writing the post you quoted.

 

[I am not exposed]

OP never said that the team collapses after they win the cup. For all you know the win multiple, plus the team would obviously already have elite talent to win.

So this poll is pretty much Pittsburgh vs Oilers

Mediocre team, but you get McDavid
vs
Win the cup with elite players, chance for more cups

Or as others have pointed out, it could be Carolina.

 

[treple13]

Or as others have pointed out, it could be Carolina.

If we take just since the lockout, that means your team could be Carolina, Anaheim, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Boston or Los Angeles.

Of those seven teams, three of them won multiple Cups. If your team is good enough to win a Cup, there's a lot better chance you stay a contender than become a Carolina.

If you had to predict which team is more likely to win a Cup in the future, would you pick Pittsburgh or Colorado (if they added McDavid)? I'll go with Pittsburgh.

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

I'll take winning the cup this season. Because then you could also add on a cup the next season after that, and the season after that, and the season after that...

 

[Mr Positive]

I'd think most fans would say the cup, but 10 times out of 10, any GM/owner in the league would take the clone

 

[dr robbie]

A 3 peat, or having our 3C be McDavid . The league would hate us either way. Uncle Gary might even disown us at this point.

 

[treple13]

I'd think most fans would say the cup, but 10 times out of 10, any GM/owner in the league would take the clone

No owner/GM would ever trade being the best team in hockey for one of the worst. They realize how hard it is to build a contender. It's better to have one already than to be terrible.

 

[La Bamba]

McDavid clone.

I know a lot of fans think winning the Cup is the whole purpose of hockey but I think having 11+ years of watching one of the greatest talents of all time play for your team is a better treat than just a SINGLE Cup win.

 

[King1s]

Wow at the people who say winning the cup is the purpose of a nhl team. No. It is to make money. Are you guys like 10?

 

[Redline]

I quite honestly would trade 100 McDavids for 1 cup. Nothing else matters.

 

[CanadienShark]

Sharks need a cup, but also need to stay relevant long term after Thornton.

Hertl - McDavid* - Donskoi
Labanc - Thornton - Pavelski
Hansen - Couture - Boedker
Karlsson - Tierney - Ward

and eventually

Couture - McDavid* - Donskoi
Labanc - Hertl - Meier
Boedker - Norris - Tierney
Sorensen - Carpenter - Karlsson

 

[bobholly39]

I quite honestly would trade 100 McDavids for 1 cup. Nothing else matters.

Yeah but that's stupid

The questing isn't McDavid and no cups vs no McDavid and cup.

The question is cup and no McDavid or McDavid for career and take your chances on cup.

Full career of McDavid I like my chances for more than 1 cup. Especially on most current teams with already strong cores

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

Yeah but that's stupid

The questing isn't McDavid and no cups vs no McDavid and cup.

The question is cup and no McDavid or McDavid for career and take your chances on cup.

Full career of McDavid I like my chances for more than 1 cup. Especially on most current teams with already strong cores

Is that the question? If that's the case I think the poll is giving the McDavid choice an advantage.

 

[Redline]

Yeah but that's stupid

The questing isn't McDavid and no cups vs no McDavid and cup.

The question is cup and no McDavid or McDavid for career and take your chances on cup.

Full career of McDavid I like my chances for more than 1 cup. Especially on most current teams with already strong cores

Is it?
That team just won the cup which generally means there is a good chance more follow. So basically you're saying it's stupid to achieve the ultimate goal with a good chance for more to follow when you could draft a great player and hope he leads you to the same reward you just turned down?

 

[unknown33]

option 1 is likely to end up being a greater return

 

[Kairi Zaide]

I quite honestly would trade 100 McDavids for 1 cup. Nothing else matters.

so, I don't know your age, but say you are 25. You would rather your team win the cup this year and then slowly start playing like absolute **** for the rest of your life. Because that's what I get when you say "Nothing else matters".

And seriously, what does a cup do TO YOU, as a fan, 5 years from now? 10 years? Would you really value the memories of a cup, 10+ years from now, over 10+ years of great entertainment and excitement, if you had the choice?

 

[treple13]

Yeah but that's stupid

The questing isn't McDavid and no cups vs no McDavid and cup.

The question is cup and no McDavid or McDavid for career and take your chances on cup.

Full career of McDavid I like my chances for more than 1 cup. Especially on most current teams with already strong cores

Why are there so many people on this thread missing that it isn't the same team either adding McDavid or winning a Cup?

Again this is basically would you rather be a fan of a Pittsburgh OR be a fan of a Vancouver/Colorado/New Jersey except add McDavid.

The first team is likely to already HAVE star players. The second team just has McDavid. At best, future cups are equal and you already HAVE a cup on the first team