Which of the following scenarios in 2024-25 would be best for McDavid's legacy?

[Mulletman]

McDavid is on pace to become one of the best hockey players of all time. Who knows what will happen in 2024-25 when it comes to McDavid. Maybe he finds another gear, maybe he starts focusing on defense, maybe he improves his 200 foot game and leadership, or maybe he finally starts to regress as a hockey player? Out of the following options below, which would improve his legacy the most?

Option 1: McDavid continues on the same path with focus on playmaking and puts up 34+121=155 points, wins the Art Ross, Hart and Ted Lindsay. Then gets eliminated in the 3rd round after putting up 7+28=35 points in he playoffs. Ends up leading all players in points in the playoffs, despite not making the finals.

Option 2: McDavid is back! Puts up 72+97=169 points, wins the Art Ross, Rocket, Hart and Ted Lindsay. Comes up short and gets eliminated in the first round after putting up 7+7=14 points in 7 playoff games.

Option 3: McDavid focuses more on his defensive game, puts up 40+82=122 points +57 and 9 shorthanded goals. 4th in overall points but wins the Selke. Follows it up by getting eliminated in the 2nd round, but puts up 9+20= 29 points in just 14 games and becomes the first player to lead the playoff in points while playing just 2 rounds.

Option 4: McDavid is on fire! Puts up 45+76=121 points in his first 41 games, then gets injured and is out for the rest of the year missing out on the playoffs. Ends up 3rd in points and gets nominated for both the Hart and Ted lindsay but does not win either trophy.

Option 5: McDavid takes a step back and puts up just 30+85=115 points and is just 6th in overall points and doesn't get nominated for any awards. But in the playoffs McDavids is on fire with a record breaking performance of 22+27=49 points in 25 playoff games. McDavid wins his 2nd Conn Smythe but the Oilers lose in the finals once again, this time against Carolina.

Option 6: McDavid has a solid regular season putting up 48+98=146 points, wins the Art Ross but loses the Hart and Ted Lindsay to Matthews, who finally scores 70+ goals. McDavid underperforms in the playoffs putting up 21 points in 24 games. The Oilers win the cup, but Draisaitl is seen as the hero who carries them to the cup and wins the Conn Smythe with 39 points. Bouchard also outscores McDavid in the playoffs.

Option 7: McDavid battles nagging injuries the whole season and sits out now and then playing just 61 games but still puts up a solid 30+68= 98 points. The injuries get worse so McDavid sits out most of the playoffs but once the Oilers are down 3-1 in the finals, McDavid returns and puts up 3+3= 6 points in the final 3 games scoring timely goals and helping the Oilers win the cup. But Draisaitl wins the Conn Smythe and HfBoards sees it as McDavid having a somewhat "2020 Stamkos run" to win the Cup.

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[Evergreen]

7. The only other option that is close is 6.

 

[Bob Barker]

Option 4. People love to "what if"

 

[Video Nasty]

Option 4. People love to "what if"

You call them people, I call them Penguins fans.

All seven options are not ideal, but they were fun to read. Options 5-7 are the only ones that really matter. They all involve a return to the Finals.

Option 5 seems like the least damaging on an individual level. Another all-time performance that ends in another loss shouldn’t garner that much heat. The same people would dog him, but I think most would be a little discouraged to see another superhuman effort not get the necessary results, when so many other average or sub-par performances got rewarded for less.

Sure, he gets the coveted Cup win in Options 6 and 7, but it comes with a lot of baggage, which would serve as powerful ammunition for his detractors.

Ultimately, no one is going to get off his back until he wins the Cup as the main driver.

The Oilers have already lost in the Finals in 7 games. Anything else besides a Cup in the 2025 playoffs is a failure. I’ll admit that I can’t comprehend the fallout from an early exit.

 

[blundluntman]

Option 7. He doesn't need hardware at this point for people to take him more seriously, he just needs to win a cup in a clutch fashion. He can just pick up where he left off the next season.

 

[bobholly39]

Option 4 is too overpowering to ignore.

It would have put him on pace for 242 points in 82 games. That's insane....that is also definitely better than peak Lemieux/Orr/Gretzky - and not only is it better, I'd argue it's a whole tier higher.

That's what I voted for.

In order though, I'd rank:

1. 4 (121 points in 41 games). This is insane - 242 point pace? Adjust that to ~80s scoring environment and it might be closer to 300 points. This is to overpowering a statline.

2. Option 2. 169 points is getting super close to peak Gretzky/Lemieux territory, adjusted for era. 72 goals too? This insane. No cups, that's true, but 14 points in round 1 is still a phenomenal playoff so doesn't hurt him

3. Option 5. Beating both the all-time goal + point record in the same playoff year is insane. Conn Smythe again is important. I hate seeing this in a losing cause - but still, breaking records is nothing but positive for McDavid. It would give him one of the strongest playoff resumes ever, despite no cup yet. The 115 regular season point isn't great, but no one will care with those back to back playoffs

4. Option 1. It's almost "boring" because he's already done that. Combine his 2023 season and 2022 playoffs and voila. A fantastic addition to his career, but stands out a bit less than the first 3

5. Option 3. I hesitated with this one - almost wanted it higher, but some of the other options are too attractive. Having McDavid turn into a selke winner out of nowhere would be insanely impressive. I like the combination of the 2+ ppg in playoffs, meaning when it counts he still scores a ton - despite no cup yet again.

6. Option 7 . McDavid is the hero - despite injury comes back and saves the day with the help to win the cup. No smythe or individual trophies? No problem - he was injured, so there'a an excuse, even though he would be the hero. Great to his legacy, and a great addition to 2024 playoffs

7. Option 6. This would be such a fantastic year, so I feel bad putting it last, but something had to go here. Having his teammate almost double him in points in playoffs isn't ideal. Neither is losing the lindsay and hart to Matthews again. Great year, great addition to his legacy, but less so than others.

 

[Gurglesons]

Option 6.

Cup and another Ross put him in the conversation of being better than Lemieux.

 

[T REX]

Option 4 is too overpowering to ignore.

It would have put him on pace for 242 points in 82 games. That's insane....that is also definitely better than peak Lemieux/Orr/Gretzky - and not only is it better, I'd argue it's a whole tier higher.

That's what I voted for.

In order though, I'd rank:

1. 4 (121 points in 41 games). This is insane - 242 point pace? Adjust that to ~80s scoring environment and it might be closer to 300 points. This is to overpowering a statline.

2. Option 2. 169 points is getting super close to peak Gretzky/Lemieux territory, adjusted for era. 72 goals too? This insane. No cups, that's true, but 14 points in round 1 is still a phenomenal playoff so doesn't hurt him

3. Option 5. Beating both the all-time goal + point record in the same playoff year is insane. Conn Smythe again is important. I hate seeing this in a losing cause - but still, breaking records is nothing but positive for McDavid. It would give him one of the strongest playoff resumes ever, despite no cup yet. The 115 regular season point isn't great, but no one will care with those back to back playoffs

4. Option 1. It's almost "boring" because he's already done that. Combine his 2023 season and 2022 playoffs and voila. A fantastic addition to his career, but stands out a bit less than the first 3

5. Option 3. I hesitated with this one - almost wanted it higher, but some of the other options are too attractive. Having McDavid turn into a selke winner out of nowhere would be insanely impressive. I like the combination of the 2+ ppg in playoffs, meaning when it counts he still scores a ton - despite no cup yet again.

6. Option 7 . McDavid is the hero - despite injury comes back and saves the day with the help to win the cup. No smythe or individual trophies? No problem - he was injured, so there'a an excuse, even though he would be the hero. Great to his legacy, and a great addition to 2024 playoffs

7. Option 6. This would be such a fantastic year, so I feel bad putting it last, but something had to go here. Having his teammate almost double him in points in playoffs isn't ideal. Neither is losing the lindsay and hart to Matthews again. Great year, great addition to his legacy, but less so than others.

pace is an imaginary number so your post is false from the get go

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Asking for a trade

 

[Nadal On Clay]

1) 7
2) 6
3) 4

 

[Mulletman]

You call them people, I call them Penguins fans.

All seven options are not ideal, but they were fun to read. Options 5-7 are the only ones that really matter. They all involve a return to the Finals.

Option 5 seems like the least damaging on an individual level. Another all-time performance that ends in another loss shouldn’t garner that much heat. The same people would dog him, but I think most would be a little discouraged to see another superhuman effort not get the necessary results, when so many other average or sub-par performances got rewarded for less.

Sure, he gets the coveted Cup win in Options 6 and 7, but it comes with a lot of baggage, which would serve as powerful ammunition for his detractors.

Ultimately, no one is going to get off his back until he wins the Cup as the main driver.

The Oilers have already lost in the Finals in 7 games. Anything else besides a Cup in the 2025 playoffs is a failure. I’ll admit that I can’t comprehend the fallout from an early exit.

Be honest, you would love option 4 too. You could spend the whole year destroying guys like daver and wetcoast in thread after thread discussing "pace". You would most likely enjoy that way more than Oilers winning the cup...

 

[bobholly39]

pace is an imaginary number so your post is false from the get go

Gretzky's 215 points "adjust" to 170. The highest adjusted point total of the modern era.

I'm pretty sure HF adjusts to current season totals, or just about. So 142 points in 41 games ~ 242 points in 82 games adjusted.

So - McDavid would pace for 72 more points then the highest point toal of all-time, with adjustment. If I'm doing the math right - that would mean that McDavid would have paced for 366 points the year Gretzky hit 215.

The number is too high to ignore. People are glossing over that option too much. This is 100% the most impactful of the 7 options listed here.

 

[Video Nasty]

Be honest, you would love option 4 too. You could spend the whole year destroying guys like daver and wetcoast in thread after thread discussing "pace". You would most likely enjoy that way more than Oilers winning the cup...

I want as little mystery as possible when it comes to McDavid’s career. I detest pace arguments.

I’ll take 160 points, a sweep of the hardware, and the Oilers lifting the Cup in 2025.

Might be the best tenth season of a show I’ve ever watched.

 

[T REX]

Gretzky's 215 points "adjust" to 170. The highest adjusted point total of the modern era.

I'm pretty sure HF adjusts to current season totals, or just about. So 142 points in 41 games ~ 242 points in 82 games adjusted.

So - McDavid would pace for 72 more points then the highest point toal of all-time, with adjustment. If I'm doing the math right - that would mean that McDavid would have paced for 366 points the year Gretzky hit 215.

The number is too high to ignore. People are glossing over that option too much. This is 100% the most impactful of the 7 options listed here.

You either in real life get to that number or not. There's no extrapolating numbers. Stop with the faux pace stuff.

Unless it actually happened, it didn't. Pace is fake.

 

[PuckG]

He could score 0 points in 28 playoff games (max) through an entire playoff run, but as long as he gets a cup now, he’s cemented so option 6 or 7.

Then the morons whining about no cup in a team sport can also take a break.

 

[bobholly39]

You either in real life get to that number or not. There's no extrapolating numbers. Stop with the faux pace stuff.

Unless it actually happened, it didn't. Pace is fake.

A fantasy thread talking about 7 pure fantasy scenarios - and you harping on what's real or not.

 

[bambamcam4ever]

pace is an imaginary number so your post is false from the get go

He said 242 points, not 242i points.

 

[BruinsFan37]

Any option not involving a cup is a lateral move at best. Option 4 nobody but stats nerds will remember in a couple of years, but cup win(s) last generations.

Option 6 or 7 is a tossup to me. I went with 6 cause even with him underperforming in the playoffs in 6, at least he played all of them, don't feel like the final three games can overcome that, even with the result (20-25 playoff games played vs 3)

 

[Mulletman]

Option 4 nobody but stats nerds will remember in a couple of years, but cup win(s) last generations.

Not true! Crosby's 2010-11 is legendary around here and is discussed way more than any of his cup wins or Art Ross wins. A magical "what if half season" could do wonders for McDavid's legacy!

 

[I am not exposed]

He could score 0 points in 28 playoff games (max) through an entire playoff run, but as long as he gets a cup now, he’s cemented so option 6 or 7.

Then the morons whining about no cup in a team sport can also take a break.

They will move to the lack of Olympic medals for McDavid...

 

[Albatros]

Either he wins the cup or he doesn't, as the captain he'll still be the one to lift it even if Draisaitl gets them there. Nothing in the regular season can replace that.

 

[BruinsFan37]

Not true! Crosby's 2010-11 is legendary around here and is discussed way more than any of his cup wins or Art Ross wins. A magical "what if half season" could do wonders for McDavid's legacy!

Everyone here is a stats nerd to some extent, certainly more invested than the average fan, and the average fan is what a player's legacy is built upon.

 

[Regal]

I don’t know if a cup makes as much of a difference as some are suggesting if he isn’t dominant in it. The narrative would just change to how he couldn’t do it as the best player. In some ways I think another insane regular season would be better now and he can get a cup still in another season. Maybe option 5 as well. Breaking the playoff goal and point totals would be insane. Especially if he produces in the losses at the end of the finals.

 

[DitchMarner]

The fact that option two has only two votes tells you how flawed the evaluation process of many hockey fans is.

It's not going to happen, but if someone put up 72 goals and 169 points, that would literally be a peak Gretzky/Lemieux calibre season today. In a scoring environment similar to last year's, those numbers would adjust to about 70 goals and 164 points. Gretzky's highest adjusted point total for a single season is 170. A showing of 2 PPG in the playoffs is very impressive as well.

But sure, that wouldn't be better for a player's legacy than being carried to a Stanley Cup.

 

[PainForShane]

The fact that option two has only two votes tells you how flawed the evaluation process of many hockey fans is.

It's not going to happen, but if someone put up 72 goals and 169 points, that would literally be a peak Gretzky/Lemieux calibre season today. In a scoring environment similar to last year's, those numbers would adjust to about 70 goals and 164 points. Gretzky's highest adjusted point total for a single season is 170. A showing of 2 PPG in the playoffs is very impressive as well.

But sure, that wouldn't be better for a player's legacy than being carried to a Stanley Cup.

It's almost like 75% of hockey fans (current sum of options 6 and 7) understand that winning a Cup is an accomplishment that matters. Who would've thought?

For perspective, Auston Matthews just scored 69 goals this past year with ridiculous possession numbers, resulting in his being a Selke nominee for the first time ever (well deserved). He's led the league in goals 3 of the last 4 reg seasons and his 69 goals are the most in the NHL since Lemieux 30 years ago. And no one cares.

Same with McDavid's regular season accomplishments, especially when considering them in the context of his legacy. He needs to win a cup.