You Get Only One (Cup/Medal/Hart/HHoF)

[HugeInTheShire]

then they grow up and realize that the financial stability for life that a Hart trophy gives you is way more important then the other 3 options

Pretty sure any 3rd or 4th liner is fairly financially secure even without a Hart trophy. OP doesn't state you get one season in the NHL just that you're an NHL player.

 

[I am not exposed]

There are two answers to this question: it's a fan answer of "cup" and a pragmatic answer of "hall of fame".

Hall of fame guarantees multi-generational wealth and it sets up you and the next few generations up financially. A cup is what all players want but winning a cup as a $800k rookie isn't going to pay the bills.



You're going to run out of money if you only get $2 million at age 25.

Not necessarily. Depends on your living expenses. $2 million should actually last most people a lifetime. Unfortunately most people are just terrible with money. Simply invest in an index fund that follows the S&P500. A safe withdrawal rate is the amount at which you can spend your retirement savings and never run out in your lifetime. Which is your annual spending and times it between 20 and 30. For example if your average spending rate per year was $40,000, then that would be a million dollars (x25). You could spend up to $80,000 per year using the 4% rule and would be fine with $2 million at 25. This factors in inflation btw.

 

[Three On Zero]

I'd rather be the guy who shared an historic "Do you remember when?" moment, rather than the guy with the better 15-page resume. People remember Cups over resumes. Give me a Cup.

Sure, a HoF career is worth a lot more money, but even depth players make a few million. I'd rather be an average player with a great story of playing on a great team that accomplished something great.

You can also have a great story about how you were the best forward/defenceman in the league. Should you choose a personal trophy over the cup. Imagine having a story where you can tell your grandkids how you were once the best player in the league as opposed to telling them you were a depth player on a cup winning team.


I think a lot of it is perspective and just exactly how good of a player you are though

 

[ijuka]

Hall of fame for me.

Any random bozo can win a cup with like 2mil total career earnings

But to make the hall of fame you need to be really good for a really long time, which means that you earn far more money

 

[Letsdothis]

Why is everyone assuming a nobody on a Cup team?

Being great on a Cup team, just not HHOF, should be the clear winner.

Patrik Elias made $70 million despite retiring 10 years ago. Gets fondly remembered by Devils fans and won a Cup.

I'd rather that than a Roenick, who is a bit richer and in the Hall, but no Cup.

I mean if you look at a list of Cup winners who didn't make HoF, majority of those are no-names.

 

[Machinehead]

There are a lot of caveats here.

Sure, if you happen to win the Cup in the year or two you played, and that's it, I could see the money argument.

Even as a 4th liner, if you last 15 years, you're going to earn close to $15,000,000.

Money becomes an issue because a lot of guys go in and out, with a 5-year career putting you in the top 50%. Career length isn't specified in the poll.

That being said, if you do stick around for any decent length of time, you're set financially. You don't need to be particularly good in the NHL. The worst-paid players in the league make what CEO's make.

 

[Sheppy]

HHOF.

I'd love a cup, but if you're an HHOF player, odds are you've done everything in your power over the course of your career to get a ring.

 

[Lshap]

You can also have a great story about how you were the best forward/defenceman in the league. Should you choose a personal trophy over the cup. Imagine having a story where you can tell your grandkids how you were once the best player in the league as opposed to telling them you were a depth player on a cup winning team.


I think a lot of it is perspective and just exactly how good of a player you are though

I totally get the appeal of what you're saying, but 'The Best' is a longer arc that doesn't always have that one defining moment.

The 'best' astronaut is probably John Young. He logged the most time in space, flew Gemini, went to the moon twice, and commanded the first Space Shuttle.

I'd rather be Neil Armstrong. Not as good a resume, but one helluva moment.

 

[Three On Zero]

I totally get the appeal of what you're saying, but 'The Best' is a longer arc that doesn't always have that one defining moment.

The 'best' astronaut is probably John Young. He logged the most time in space, flew Gemini, went to the moon twice, and commanded the first Space Shuttle.

I'd rather be Neil Armstrong. Not as good a resume, but one helluva moment.

I’ve seen enough Alien movies to know I don’t want to be either of them .

I understand that reasoning though.

 

[Phil Kessels Hot Dog]

HHOF. I was originally thinking Hart, but you'd have to have a pretty weird career to win a Hart and not make the Hall.

 

[Albatros]

Agreed. But from his perspective, although he was great, he accepts lacking a Cup puts him in a tier below the greats who do have at least one. The greatest are all great and it’s only Cups that separates them. And they understand this.

And what separates Dionne from some cup winners is that he made more money in LA. Signing there as a free agent was a conscious choice, he also had an offer from the Montréal Canadiens on the table. I'm sure he'd agree Guy Lafleur had the greater NHL career with 5 cups and all the individual awards, but he also never made anywhere near as much money playing hockey in Montréal.

 

[Soundwave]

I'd rather be the guy who shared an historic "Do you remember when?" moment, rather than the guy with the better 15-page resume. People remember Cups over resumes. Give me a Cup.

Sure, a HoF career is worth a lot more money, but even depth players make a few million. I'd rather be an average player with a great story of playing on a great team that accomplished something great.

This is so patently not even true, lol.

How many people remember Cup winners like Pokey Reddick, Tim Taylor, Andre Roy, Chris Dingman, Ben Smith, etc. etc. etc.

The idea that these players are remembered over like a Henrik Sedin, Jarome Iginla, Matts Sundin, Henrik Lundqvist is laughably false.

There's tons of even mid-tier players that no one really gives a shit that they won a Cup. Anyone care today that Dustin Penner once won a Cup?

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

Most hockey players don't grow up pretending they are getting awarded the Hart or getting inducted into the HHOF. If only to fulfill the childhood dream, it has to be the Cup.

 

[Figgy44]

Not all people approached this poll in terms of thinking about money. I didn't. I approached it from a POV of anonymity while also assuming I'm not a star calibre player, nor do I want the fame that goes along from being a star+ calibre player. I also came from the assumption I wouldn't be a superstar making tons of money.

HHOF and major awards, you'd be recognized pretty easily by hockey fans. Passenger to a cup or a gold medal team, even some die hard hockey fans may not recognize you as easily.

But I'm also of an ethnicity where if my name was on the cup/major award/HHOF, my name would be the answer to certain questions in a game of hockey trivia. I'm OK with that, but I'd also rather be obscure as well.

I was stuck between passenger to the cup and Olympic gold. I just thought it would be a cooler flex as a Canadian to completely blend in with other hockey fans and then be able to say my name is on the Stanley cup. If I were outside of North America, I'd prefer the Olympic gold than cup.

My selection was basically Jim Paek but different ethnicity/country of birth. I'd love to be closer to a Paul Kariya, but my body would be more broken than his if I aimed for accolades and HHOF.

 

[Soundwave]

Most hockey players don't grow up pretending they are getting awarded the Hart or getting inducted into the HHOF. If only to fulfill the childhood dream, it has to be the Cup.

A 9 year old will also choose a box of cookies over Nvidia stock, doesn't mean that's smart.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

This is so patently not even true, lol.

How many people remember Cup winners like Pokey Reddick, Tim Taylor, Andre Roy, Chris Dingman, Ben Smith, etc. etc. etc.

The idea that these players are remembered over like a Henrik Sedin, Jarome Iginla, Matts Sundin, Henrik Lundqvist is laughably false.

There's tons of even mid-tier players that no one really gives a shit that they won a Cup. Anyone care today that Dustin Penner once won a Cup?

I'm pretty sure that Dustin Penner cares that he once won a Cup. And I'm guessing he wouldn't trade that Cup for a longer, more decorated individual career.

 

[dgibb10]

then they grow up and realize that the financial stability for life that a Hart trophy gives you is way more important then the other 3 options

HOF gives more financial stability than the hart.

 

[Evergreen]

I’d take the Cup ring. That’s the one you’d be asked about the most post-career. HOF is a very good choice as well.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Too many people here have the mentality of a 10 year old lol, winning a Cup is cool but if you're not a major part of the team no one cares that much.

If you had an agent and/or wife-fiance, they would slap you upside the head 50 times and tell to choose HHOF career.

Being a nobody on a Cup team is not worth throwing probably in the range of $60+ million in career earnings down the toilet.

Even Cup winning teams don't give a shit about small time role players on their teams, they discard them all the time as soon as the off-season starts.

There are plenty of guys on Cup winning teams who are playing in Europe or out of the NHL within 1-3 seasons.

I get a Cup being important to someone who's been in the league for a while and is financially set but if you're not financially set, choosing a Cup over multi-generational wealth (if you invest even reasonably well) is dumb as bricks.

Being a HHOF player also means you have it made with a post-career in hockey if you want. You can become a sportscaster on Sportsnet, TNT, ESPN, you can work as a scout, coach, assistant GM, GM, POHO, work for the NHL, etc. etc. etc. All kinds of doors are open to you for life basically if you want. If you're a role player on a Cup team from like 20 years ago ... guess what? No one gives a shit about you.

All you're doing is implying context that isn't given to pick the money, at no point does the OP say you get a single season in the NHL unless you take the HOF career. Your assuming you're just some nobody on a Cup team instead of having an NHL career and winning the Cup.
Also you don't have to be in the HHOF to work in the NHL unless guys like George Parros or Mike Greir are in your HHOF somewhere. Also laughable take that you need that to be a sportscaster or broadcaster, take a look at any teams broadcast team, you'll find a whole lot of Ken Daneyko's and very few HHOF players.

 

[dgibb10]

Why is everyone assuming a nobody on a Cup team?

Being great on a Cup team, just not HHOF, should be the clear winner.

Patrik Elias made $70 million despite retiring 10 years ago. Gets fondly remembered by Devils fans and won a Cup.

I'd rather that than a Roenick, who is a bit richer and in the Hall, but no Cup.

Elias has had an HHOF worthy career tho.

 

[Soundwave]

All you're doing is implying context that isn't given to pick the money, at no point does the OP say you get a single season in the NHL unless you take the HOF career. Your assuming you're just some nobody on a Cup team instead of having an NHL career and winning the Cup.
Also you don't have to be in the HHOF to work in the NHL unless guys like George Parros or Mike Greir are in your HHOF somewhere. Also laughable take that you need that to be a sportscaster or broadcaster, take a look at any teams broadcast team, you'll find a whole lot of Ken Daneyko's and very few HHOF players.

You don't have to be a HHOF player but it certainly opens massive doors. Jarome Iginla can go work for any NHL team. He could also call up ESPN and they would love to have him. So would Sportsnet. Whatever you want to do, you can probably get a job in hockey doing it. So can Henrik Sedin. So can Henrik Lundqvist.

You have a wealth of choices even after your career ends, albeit by that point you probably have so much money you don't even give a f***. You won the more important game 10x over, which is called the game of life.

 

[Lshap]

This is so patently not even true, lol.

How many people remember Cup winners like Pokey Reddick, Tim Taylor, Andre Roy, Chris Dingman, Ben Smith, etc. etc. etc.

The idea that these players are remembered over like a Henrik Sedin, Jarome Iginla, Matts Sundin, Henrik Lundqvist is laughably false.

There's tons of even mid-tier players that no one really gives a shit that they won a Cup. Anyone care today that Dustin Penner once won a Cup?

You seem to be missing the point of this thread. The Cup winner does not have to be among the most obscure names in history. That's ridiculous.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

A 9 year old will also choose a box of cookies over Nvidia stock, doesn't mean that's smart.

Valuing money over everything else doesn't make you smart.

 

[Soundwave]

To state the other obvious one, a HHOF career because ensures not only a high level of wealth, it basically seals the deal on generational wealth and high level status, it means you will (lets be honest) have your pick of any kind of partner you could dream of.

You're at the top of the dating food chain, beautiful women will effectively be fighting to get your attention in every city you fly into. That's how it goes for pro sports athletes who are big ticket players and have the bank account to back it up. Any concerns you have about that area in life are basically taken care of for you as you have options the normal male could only dream of.

Again, you win the actual game of life, which is more important than any made up game.

 

[Figgy44]

A 9 year old will also choose a box of cookies over Nvidia stock, doesn't mean that's smart.

A hard working 49 year old often considers spending a lot of money on realizing their dream (ie: car) of their childhood. There's a guy out there who openly says (and probably has the means to) he wants to buy an NFL team to realize his childhood dream. Don't discount what it is worth to some people to realize their childhood dreams.

A 49 year old driving around in the classic dream car of his childhood could qualify as not smart. But IMO, it's really cool and an awesome flex.