Does a cup affect McDavid’s legacy?

[TheBeard]

It’s pretty unanimous Connor is the best player of this generation and among the best of all time already. Especially now that he’s the 5th fastest to 800. His postseason numbers are phenomenal as well yet, because of things out of his control his Oil teams have underwhelmed year in and year out (for the most part). My question is does winning a cup affect his legacy or is it already firmly cemented in the top 10. How much would winning a cup shoot him up the list or does it not change anything seeing how dominant he’s been since he joined the league?

Click to read more...

 

[Nemesis Prime]

no

 

[EichHart]

Imo absolutely none as it’s a team sport. However, most will likely disagree

 

[EchoesoftheEighties]

Winning a cup always affects your legacy.

It's just a bit too early to judge anything though. At this point in their careers (8 years), Sid had 1, Ovi had 0, Bourque had 0, Yzerman has 0 etc.

People just like to have hot takes

 

[Sky04]

Absolutely

 

[Divine]

Yes, it does.

Has there been a generational player that hasn't won a Cup? It's literally what you play for. How can you be the greatest at something without ever reaching the pinnacles that your peers do?

Part of winning the Cup is it dispels the myth that you can't win. Remember Ovechkin? The argument was always he's a great player, but you can't win a Cup with him. He restructured his game, focused more on defence, his stats took a hit but he won a Cup.

If McDavid doesn't win a Cup, he'll be the best player to never win a Stanley Cup IMO. It will prevent him from being considered with the all-time greats. I'd have him behind Crosby if he can't win one.

 

[IafrateOvie34]

No because the SC is a team achievement. He's got a lot of time left in the NHL to get a SC on his personal checklist.

 

[Chet Manley]

As an old fart I don't get the rush to predict his future accomplishments. We'll know in what will seem like a really long time yet somehow a blink of an eye.

 

[Albatros]

Bedard or someone else may very well turn out to be the best of this generation, way too early to tell yet.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

Part of winning the Cup is it dispels the myth that you can't win. Remember Ovechkin? The argument was always he's a great player, but you can't win a Cup with him. He restructured his game, focused more on defence, his stats took a hit but he won a Cup.

I don’t like this argument. Ovechkin won his Cup because the team played well enough to, not because he restructured his game to focus more on defense. Peak Ovi was a better player than the Ovi that won the Cup.

I agree that a Cup affects McDavid’s legacy though.

 

[Sky04]

I don’t like this argument. Ovechkin won his Cup because the team played well enough to, not because he restructured his game to focus more on defense. Peak Ovi was a better player than the Ovi that won the Cup.

I agree that a Cup affects McDavid’s legacy though.

He didn't restructure anything, if he did then he'd play like that every year and the caps wouldn't be bounced out in round 1 every single year since. As you said, the Caps as a unit pulled through but this is sports and your ultimate goal is to win regardless of how difficult and the greats are judged by their ability to win. If a team with McDavid never wins a cup that is 100% a black mark on his career and he'd be the first person to say so.

 

[Divine]

I don’t like this argument. Ovechkin won his Cup because the team played well enough to, not because he restructured his game to focus more on defense. Peak Ovi was a better player than the Ovi that won the Cup.

I agree that a Cup affects McDavid’s legacy though.

Yeah, but hockey is a team sport. Even the stats in hockey are team stats. McDavid would not get as many assists if he didn't have goalscoring teammates.

The closest personal stat in hockey is probably goals, and only unassisted goals at that. So almost all the metrics we judge McDavid on are already team stats, so I don't get why Cups can't be counted.

 

[TheBeard]

Yeah, but hockey is a team sport. Even the stats in hockey are team stats. McDavid would not get as many assists if he didn't have goalscoring teammates.

The closest personal stat in hockey is probably goals, and only unassisted goals at that. So almost all the metrics we judge McDavid on are already team stats, so I don't get why Cups can't be counted.

It’s tricky because while I agree wholeheartedly about the team aspect, a player considered top 5 of all time should be able to will his team to a cup so long as they’re at least mediocre. I do think that leadership aspect factors in when you’re debating the players deserving to be on that Mount Rushmore of the nhl.

 

[lionsDen]

One of the best regular season players ever… we’ll see if he can lead his team to a cup

 

[SillyRabbit]

Every single player on the top 10 list has won the Cup.

Hell, every single player on the top 20 list has won the Cup too.

If we’re projecting McDavid as high as top 5 potentially, that has to come with a Cup.

I do expect that he will win at least one in his career though.

 

[Hamilton Bulldogs]

Theres not a single person in team sports that is in the greatest of all time conversation without a championship.

It absolutely will effect his legacy.

 

[Toene]

If he doesnt get it done with the Oils, he'll have the opportunity to do it with another club (à la Raymond Bourque). I just can't imagine a legit top-10 player of all-time (when a is said and done) won't win a cup.

 

[Tacitus Kilgore]

If it has to be asked, then yes it does

 

[jcs0218]

If McDavid never wins a Stanley Cup, then this will definitely be used against him in any debate considering his all-time status.

This rule has applied to every hockey superstar before him. Why would he be immune to this standard?

Even during times of expansion and salary cap, Crosby and Ovechkin achieved Stanley Cups.

McDavid needs to be held to the same standard.

 

[AnInjuredJasonZucker]

One of the best regular season players ever… we’ll see if he can lead his team to a cup

He's also 5th all-time for playoff points per game (filtered for 10 GP).

 

[Divine]

He's also 5th all-time for playoff points per game (filtered for 10 GP).

Behind his own teammate

 

[LGBlues]

The team's goals against also affects the legacy of his super stats.

 

[AnInjuredJasonZucker]

Behind his own teammate

And? I replied to a post insinuating that he's only a great performer in the regular season.

 

[Divine]

And? I replied to a post insinuating that he's only a great performer in the regular season.

The teammate he dominates in the regular season is better than him in the playoffs. That's the sentiment behind great regular season player.

 

[Dust]

The team's goals against also affects the legacy of his super stats.

This absolutely does not matter lol.

"Remember that year Connor put up 100 points in 53 games?"

"Yeah but remember they were 16th overall in goals allowed, totally discredits the stats" - said nobody, ever.