Why doesn't the NHL have stars with personality like LeBron James or Conor McGregor?

[Youngguns1380]

How about just appreciating the game. Sick of people outside of hockey that want the NHL to be the NBA. I am glad it’s not. Tired of the me, me, me crowd in professional sports. Learn to enjoy play-off hockey not change the game to coddle to you. If you think it’s boring then good, move on we don’t need you.

 

[Allie Kitsune]

Sure, let's have McDavid start acting like Conor McGregor.

Let's have him start sexually harassing someone's wife.
Let's have him punch out an old man because he doesn't want to drink.
Let's have him throw a hand truck at the Kraken or Flames' team bus (or plane).

That'll be GREAT for the NHL.

 

[BMacLeafs]

Sure, let's have McDavid start acting like Conor McGregor.

Let's have him start sexually harassing someone's wife.
Let's have him punch out an old man because he doesn't want to drink.
Let's have him throw a hand truck at the Kraken or Flames' team bus (or plane).

That'll be GREAT for the NHL.

Given how toxic hockey culture is, I'm surprised he hasn't done that already.

 

[SkinsFan09]

How about just appreciating the game. Sick of people outside of hockey that want the NHL to be the NBA. I am glad it’s not. Tired of the me, me, me crowd in professional sports. Learn to enjoy play-off hockey not change the game to coddle to you. If you think it’s boring then good, move on we don’t need you.

Never seen a sport where people want it to not gain more fans so badly.

 

[GoJetsGo55]

Probably because any time a player shows an ounce of personality Twitter and HFB lose their minds.

 

[MichaelFarrell]

Because the Nhl is run by dinosaurs. And many of the fans are dinosaurs. Evander Kane for example gets called a sociopath and narcissist on HF because he has some charisma in interviews

That is a completely off-base comment. He’s called a sociopath and narcissist because he’s a total jerk. His teammates have not seemed to like him anywhere he’s gone for a reason. He is not charismatic at all btw

 

[BrindamoursNose]

Because hockey isn't really an individual sport like the NBA or UFC

Some football players break through, but not many. Baseball has like 1 personality (Bryce Harper) that anyone cares about - and even that's a stretch.

 

[Nfumass]

Given how toxic hockey culture is, I'm surprised he hasn't done that already.

Super toxic, you should probably stop watching, why would you support a sport that is so toxic?

 

[Rcknrollkillnmachine]

Conor McGregor is a criminal, I'm not sure why we should be pining for the NHL to have more of those.

As an Irish person thank you. The guy is toxic and a poor ambassador for Ireland.

 

[McVespa99]

That is a completely off-base comment. He’s called a sociopath and narcissist because he’s a total jerk. His teammates have not seemed to like him anywhere he’s gone for a reason. He is not charismatic at all btw

Agree to disagree.

 

[Harvey Birdman]

While I wish players would show more personality on and off the ice. Someone acting like an absolute tool like Conner or having a press conference just to stroke my ego and wax poetic about the choice of were they are going to sign when they made the choice weeks prior like Lebron. No thanks.

I want players to show more personality but show it about passion for the game. About winning. About beating the opposing team when they had you on the ropes all night. Show personality through the character of the game. No lame half baked antics or demonstrations of self importance.

 

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaa]

Hockey culture is and always will be - team first.

 

[GMR]

Stannis Baratheon had more humor and charm than Connor McDavid.

LeBitch is a POS. Not someone the NHL needs either.

The NHL needs someone like The Rock or Stone Cold.

 

[Kranix]

LeBron doesn't really have personality. There's way better NBA stars for entertainment value.

 

[BenchBrawl]

Both look like spoiled brat assholes, so good.

Thank god we had Crosby instead.

 

[Sabresruletheschool]

LeBron by all accounts is a very involved and good parent, has never been in trouble with the law despite being in the spotlight for 20 years. Never cheated on his wife. Not seeing where the garbage human descriptor is coming from?

Are you his brother or something? How do you know all this information? Do.you know what he has for dinner Tuesday nights also?

 

[aylib]

I mean stars who act like stars. LeBron calls himself The King; why can't McDavid do that? I would love to see an active NHL superstar start firing on Twitter the way McGregor does. Go to a presser in a three piece suit and sunglasses and start talking shit. Spice the game up a bit, you know? Too many of these guys are scripted ChatCPT robots and I can see why it's hard for the casual fan to get invested.

What do you think? Is it just a cultural thing with hockey where everyone has to speak in tired cliches and never, ever rock the boat? Why are there so few entertaining characters in the game?

McGregor and his drunken stupor twisting supremely low class things about family members, religion, etc while getting blasted on coke and beating on geriatrics? You want that? I guess Kane tried, it didn't seem like the public was into it.

 

[KingsHockey24]

People with personality get a stupid amount of hate in the NHL.

PK Subban, Drew Doughty, etc.

 

[MadLuke]

It's a fair point that basketball attracts charismatic athletes.

McGregor is kind of a one off. There are other brash fighters, but no one else has combined his skill and charisma in MMA history.

Never lost a fight, not even a single round during all is career,

Lebron performance in Trainwreck was really good, the pre-game ritual a good idea some of the celebration and dunk, but otherwise seem an almost perfect career/private life, saying the good things not that special close to what we see in hockey.

 

[Shinjuku Calling]

I don't care about why I just hope it doesn't change.

 

[SkinsFan09]

Are you his brother or something? How do you know all this information? Do.you know what he has for dinner Tuesday nights also?

Are you legitimately asking 15 years into the social media era how I know if one of the most famous people in the world has been arrested, which is a matter of public record anyway? I promise if LeBron had law run ins we'd find out within a day and if he had an affair TMZ would have the details like they do for literally every other celebrity.

None of this is much of a secret for public figures.

 

[MadLuke]

People with personality get a stupid amount of hate in the NHL.

A bit like strong favor you tend to have more hate-love as you get bigger personality, but Luc Robitaille, Bryzgalov, Chelios, Roenick, Hull, Roy, Tortorella, Pronger, Jagr, older Ovechkin ?

 

[ZenOil]

Upper class conservative families supply the leagues talent pool.....for the most part. Not a criticism. Is what it is. They typically need booze or brain damage to lighten up.

 

[alko]

Before every game there should be some promo made. Like in Wrestling was:

 

[canuckster19]

Probably because any time a player shows an ounce of personality Twitter and HFB lose their minds.

Yep, Kesler/Burrows, jesus, it's like these people have amnesia.

The question should read, why isn't the league doing more to gift the best players to NY/Chicago/LA, cause there's no way in bloody hell that would have been balked at if they were in one of those three cities pulling their shenanigans.