With the Panthers and Oilers facing off again in the Stanley Cup Final, and if Florida wins.. how do you think that impacts Connor McDavid's ultimate hockey legacy? Will he still be seen as an all-time legend if he can't win the biggest prize, even if it's not entirely his fault?
How would another Stanley Cup Final loss impact McDavid's legacy?
- Thread starter Hwkkul
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I didn’t know he was retiring right after the series.
Sure winning the SC will help a lot more but seriously his playoff and overall resume is beyond reproach right now.
Anyone arguing otherwise is on very weak ground and conflating team success with the actual individual performance here.
GlitchMarner
There was a Glitch and my username was switched
I've never blamed him for the fact that he doesn't have a Cup, but in my honest opinion, losing in the Cup final this year may give some support to the notion that you can't win with him as your main guy (I am not saying that I would believe that personally).
In the past, he played on teams that just weren't good enough to win it all. Last year, he, Bouchard, Draisaitl and a great PK basically dragged EDM to within one game of a Cup win (and Draisaitl wasn't that good after round two). This year, EDM has looked great in the playoffs and has home ice advantage in the SCF. Obviously, FLA is a strong team and beating the Panthers wouldn't be easy for any team, but you really can't say the Oilers have no business being in the Cup Final or have no chance against FLA.
I'm picking EDM to win. If FLA wins and McDavid has a poor or mediocre series, it'll definitely be a blown opportunity for him and may be something people look back on and point to as a reason to keep him out of the Big Five or Four. If he has a great series and FLA wins because EDM's PK is trash and/or Skinner turns into a pumpkin, then the loss shouldn't be held against McDavid... but it definitely will be by some.
In the past, he played on teams that just weren't good enough to win it all. Last year, he, Bouchard, Draisaitl and a great PK basically dragged EDM to within one game of a Cup win (and Draisaitl wasn't that good after round two). This year, EDM has looked great in the playoffs and has home ice advantage in the SCF. Obviously, FLA is a strong team and beating the Panthers wouldn't be easy for any team, but you really can't say the Oilers have no business being in the Cup Final or have no chance against FLA.
I'm picking EDM to win. If FLA wins and McDavid has a poor or mediocre series, it'll definitely be a blown opportunity for him and may be something people look back on and point to as a reason to keep him out of the Big Five or Four. If he has a great series and FLA wins because EDM's PK is trash and/or Skinner turns into a pumpkin, then the loss shouldn't be held against McDavid... but it definitely will be by some.
T REX
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Greatzsky 99
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Nothing, by reaching the finals as 3 times underdogs it has
improved his legacy up till this point, imo( as someone who
dont put everything in GOLD, as growing up in another
country where Silver and Bronze is apprichiated) hes passed
the resumee of MacKinnon for example, 2 Finals 1SF beats
1 cup, and more series wins, probably not many would agree
but thats how i see it, obiusly big to win a cup, but legacy
is more than that.
Thank you!
improved his legacy up till this point, imo( as someone who
dont put everything in GOLD, as growing up in another
country where Silver and Bronze is apprichiated) hes passed
the resumee of MacKinnon for example, 2 Finals 1SF beats
1 cup, and more series wins, probably not many would agree
but thats how i see it, obiusly big to win a cup, but legacy
is more than that.
Thank you!
Greatzsky 99
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Sometimes people has to put things into perspective i think, last year was like
a golf tournament won by missing a 18 feet put, thats how small the difference was, if it happens 4 or 5 times then we can talk imo, but even 2 times is not enough, and both
edm and flo could easily been down 0-3 this year and most likely out.
Hockey2Hockey
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Greatzsky 99
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T REX
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So many what if's...but I think he wins one eventually. Might be this year. He's so unbelievably epic...my only thing with him is he relies so much on his speed. He's that much faster than everyone else. WHat happens when he slows down. He's not nearly as cerebral as Kuch. He and Mack are greyhounds on steroids. Monsters. I do not think either's game will age well. JMHO.
Hockey2Hockey
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Sorry I thought you meant this is his third SCF as underdogs.
Going by the odds, I think they are not as big of underdogs in this series compared to the other three. Unless I'm reading odds wrong.
More people picked Dallas and LA to win than they are Florida this time. Though Cats are still favorite.
Now, alot of that could be analysts saying "I'm done picking against these guys. They keep proving me wrong."
Greatzsky 99
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I find this obsession with winning the stanley cup strange
as if it the ONLY thing that matters for a hockeyplayer and the rest
doesnt mean anything, well then Henri Richard is the best Hockey player
of all time, Kane is better then Lemiuex, Messier is better then Gretzky
and Tretiak was as good as me.
i havent been around here for that long, but has this always been the
debate? or is it just a fixation with McDavid? same with Ovi? same with barkov?/cause this season is the same season as it is for Mcdavid now, when barkov made his first final
as if it the ONLY thing that matters for a hockeyplayer and the rest
doesnt mean anything, well then Henri Richard is the best Hockey player
of all time, Kane is better then Lemiuex, Messier is better then Gretzky
and Tretiak was as good as me.
i havent been around here for that long, but has this always been the
debate? or is it just a fixation with McDavid? same with Ovi? same with barkov?/cause this season is the same season as it is for Mcdavid now, when barkov made his first final
I'd say that a final loss would affect his legacy negatively, and a final win would affect his legacy positively.
This may strike people as a gross oversimplication but it really does get to the heart of the matter:
If you could go back in time and you're a GM in the 70s, are you going to take Marcel Dionne or Gilbert Perreault or do you take Doug Risebrough or Doug Jarvis?
Using this logic that winning a Cup (or making it past a certain round or winning first overall in the standings), the argument would lead to taking a Risebrougy or Jarvis.
To use any team achievement for an assessment of a player is utterly ridiculous. Is MacDavid supposed to step into Skinner's pads and make all thr necessary saves and them promptly go back up the ice and score?
If you could go back in time and you're a GM in the 70s, are you going to take Marcel Dionne or Gilbert Perreault or do you take Doug Risebrough or Doug Jarvis?
Using this logic that winning a Cup (or making it past a certain round or winning first overall in the standings), the argument would lead to taking a Risebrougy or Jarvis.
To use any team achievement for an assessment of a player is utterly ridiculous. Is MacDavid supposed to step into Skinner's pads and make all thr necessary saves and them promptly go back up the ice and score?
McFlash97
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Hes going to get at least 3 more chances with this group retooling. So it would suck, but its all aboit getting 1. Hes still 28 and looking better than ever.
KingsFan7824
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Barkov? Who? He isn't in the same conversation as McDavid.
MikeS24
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Why don't we wait until his career is over maybe?
How long did Ovi take?
Took the legend Yzerman 15 years
FDBluth
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Have you not seen him pass the puck? He'll be dishing sauce to teammates until his early 40s if he wants to.
T REX
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I'd honestly say that in many people's minds it will, if he can't get it done later, if this run isn't successful.
But already last year's push was amazing by him.
What I'm perhaps missing, from what little I can see, is that strong, calm leadership aura of for example Niedermeyer, Lidström, or Crosby. (I don't think that he'll ever be the more aggressive Stevens- or Pronger-type).
He gives me slight vibes of being either annoyed or stressed when things aren't working out.
But already last year's push was amazing by him.
What I'm perhaps missing, from what little I can see, is that strong, calm leadership aura of for example Niedermeyer, Lidström, or Crosby. (I don't think that he'll ever be the more aggressive Stevens- or Pronger-type).
He gives me slight vibes of being either annoyed or stressed when things aren't working out.
FDBluth
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Nah he uses a lot of deception at all times even when he's stationary on the powerplay. You can't break a Wayne Gretzky assist record (most assists in a playoff run ever) by just being fast.
CupsOverCash
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He better get it this time. Nobody besides fl fans or maybe other Canadian fans want fl to win. Yuk...
JaegerDice
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Not very much.
If he doesn't win a cup by the end of his career, THAT will impact his legacy.
But honestly, if he gets one or more, nobody will fixate on the ones they missed.
If he doesn't win a cup by the end of his career, THAT will impact his legacy.
But honestly, if he gets one or more, nobody will fixate on the ones they missed.
BLNY
Registered User
How did 4
There are more than 20 players in the HoF without a cup as a player. If he never wins one, he'll be the best of that group and will still go down as one of the best players of all time. Cups are team accomplishments and there's nothing he hasn't done at this point to try and put his team over.
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