1) To people saying "no one deserves a cup," that's just psuedo tough talk you feel like you should say to be a hard ass. Guys who deserve a cup are the ones who put their heart and soul into their game and into leading their team, but are let down by coaching, management, or the poor efforts of teammates. And it really can only be considered that they "deserve" a cup by the time at which they are no longer really good enough to lead a team, but they shouldn't be anchors holding out past being useful either.
And if your response to me is "it doesn't matter how hard you as an individual work, there's some luck involved with your team and how your management works for you" then you are saying the antithesis of your own point in that "a cup is earned not deserved." What else is a guy supposed to do?
2) I don't think Ovi is at that point yet. WSH is still a top team, Ovi is still a top five goal scorer in the league, and he has good management behind him. Call me back in a few years if WSH is out of the playoffs and Ovi can't put up 40 anymore.
3) A few guys who I think off the top of my head?
Lundqvist- One of the greatest of all time in net, and has been very good in the playoffs overall. If it was realistic to give a goalie the C, then he would have it in a snap. He's carried some ****** Rangers teams over the years, and they've let him down severely.
Sedins- Definition of deserving it. They were so good for so long and had all the pieces on the roster to do so but Luongo was never good in the playoffs and they got knocked out by solid teams. They've stayed supremely loyal to the 'Nucks and ownership are ********.
Thornton- Guys one of the playmaking GOATs and has done so much to help his teams win. San Jose has been plagued by depth guys underperforming and Nabby being poor in the playoffs.
Marleau- Great point scorer, same team for twenty years, but he was never a very good leader. Still deservering of a cup though considering what has happened with San Jose.
Doan- Amazing leader all around, incredibly loyal, but he was never of the caliber of the guys above. Also, I question just how much he really wanted the cup. I mean, after all his chances to leave the mickey mouse franchise that has been the Arizona/Phoenix Coyotes, I think he was more worried about his franchise than his trophy case.
Tavares could be with these guys if he re ups with NYI.
To respond to OP, not Giroux here because of the same reasons as Ovi. Still young, still has a good team around him.
I don't think Iginla deserves one. Never had any love for him as a player, and right now he's a corpse on the ice. Also, I don't like the way he's been hunting for a cup for like five years now. It's supposed to be a two or three year search max after leaving a team you know has no chance. For all we know, with Iginla on the wing two years ago, Calgary could have made a run. And now that he's telling the GM he's ready to ship his decrepit, 5m+ ass over to another team to piggyback his way to CUP.
