Backdoor Memorial Cup win vs OHL title

[EON]

I would easily take winning the OHL title over winning a backdoor memorial cup if I have to choose between the two, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with a team being proud about winning a backdoor memorial cup. It's just about being the best team over the course of one week, as opposed to being the best team over the season/postseason.

 

[EvenSteven]

I would easily take winning the OHL title over winning a backdoor memorial cup if I have to choose between the two, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with a team being proud about winning a backdoor memorial cup. It's just about being the best team over the course of one week, as opposed to being the best team over the season/postseason.

Agree here. I can't imagine my team going out in the first round and then hosting the Mem Cup. Not only because the team is getting in through the back door, but as fans, what are we to do while we're waiting around for the Memorial cup tournament start? Part of the allure of winning your league championship is the long playoff run and entertaining hockey that comes with it. As a fan, it would suck having to wait around for 5 or 6 weeks to see my team host the tournament.

It was all bad enough back in the day when a team would get a bye through the first round. When the Rangers got a bye it sucked because we had to sit around and wait an extra couple weeks for playoff hockey to start.

 

[bobber]

One of the risks of hosting a Memorial Cup is not being able to ice a team good enough to go all the way through the play offs. There are too may variables that could come into play like injuries to your top players as an example.This past season goaltending was at a premium. Maybe the hypothetical host is going with a tender that is average or a slight bit better. There are no guarantees that a host team will win every series they encounter. Presently the way the Mem Cup tourney is structured and what is required to win a bid it really leaves a lot to chance if you are the city that host the tourney. In saying this you may see teams that really have no chance in hell of going through the front door hosting.

 

[three dog night]

I always wonder when Missy hosted the cups they regretted not throwing the series away against Niagara because injuries especially in the finals cost them the Memorial Cup .

 

[NOA]

Winning the OHL title is the way to go but it doesn't make that Memorial Cup loss suck any less.
Being a Storm fan that 2014 team was amazing and I think everybody can agree they would have been a very worthy champion had they beat Edmonton but on the day they fell flat. Regardless of how great the rest of that season was there is still a hole there and it bothers me still 4 years down the line.
That said the organization still hasn't won a Memorial Cup and I would rather at the very least that first one comes by running the gauntlet. I don't think it matters as much to a team like Windsor for example who has done it a couple times through the front door so winning the way they did last year probably wasn't a big deal to the fans of the Spits.

I think of a team like Shawinigan, they have won a Memorial Cup but never a QMJHL title, that just sounds awkward to me.

Hopefully one of these days the Storm get it done.

I feel the same as an Erie fan. That Erie team had mem cup champion talent. They would have been just as worthy

But like the Flint poster mentioned, since US city will (unfairly) never probably get the chance to host.. there is no other option for us but to value the OHL title more. I just look at it like this.. what’s more impressive? Winning 16 games in 2 months (and probably doing it in 20-23 games) or winning 4 games in 1 week (and it taking 4-6 games). I don’t look at what the mem cup stands for but more of how much more of a crapshoot it really is.

Another thing to consider is the journey in the OHL. For me last year, seeing Erie beat London in 7 games and imo one of the best goalies in OHL history (Tyler Parsons) was great. Then they managed to beat the “hottest team” in the CHL, who had one of the greatest runs ever in the second half of the year. Then they beat the East champs. They beat some great teams which probably costed them when they faced another great team, but a well rested team, in Windsor. Unfortunately for Erie, another league hosting in 2017 might have made all the difference and allowed them to run through the mem cup and be champs.. though we will never know

 

[RayzorIsDull]

I would easily take winning the OHL title over winning a backdoor memorial cup if I have to choose between the two, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with a team being proud about winning a backdoor memorial cup. It's just about being the best team over the course of one week, as opposed to being the best team over the season/postseason.

That's where I am at. Nobody is taking anything away from a backdoor victory and it's still a Memorial Cup but having a year where you don't get out of round 1, clearly not one of the contenders to win an OHL title it takes away from the journey. 68 games+20 playoff games concluding in a championship means as much as winning a week long sprint where it can be a flip of the coin.

 

[hockeylegend11]

That's where I am at. Nobody is taking anything away from a backdoor victory and it's still a Memorial Cup but having a year where you don't get out of round 1, clearly not one of the contenders to win an OHL title it takes away from the journey. 68 games+20 playoff games concluding in a championship means as much as winning a week long sprint where it can be a flip of the coin.

I would agree with alot of what you say,if Windsor had a terrible regular season,they didn't they had 90 points despite not icing a full all season, rated top 10 teams in the country 15-16 times throughout the season,most games missed due to injury or otherwise,then any other contender,1st time that a 4/5 matchup in the playoffs with 90 points each or more,the teams played 13 games against each other and London wins 7-6,with 1 more home game, hardly dominating,we all know what happened in games 2 and 7 that affected outcomes,toss in the fact that Windsor didn't ice a full squad till the Mem Cup,made the difference,even the Erie coach admitted they hadn't seen a full Windsor team all year, that's huge,a good home team, with the best goalie and defense in the tournament was huge as well.
Like I said had Windsor been a healthy team all year, only got 80 points or less,got blitzed in the playoffs I could be swayed to your thinking,that didn't happen thus the difference in my view.

 

[Savard18]

I stated, I'd prefer the OHL title in nearly all situations but there seem to be a lot of posts dismissing the MC as luck or a crapshoot. I'm not sure I fully agree with this. First of all, it's not a one and done single elimination tournament. I don't look at the Olympics or International tournaments as "oh that's just luck" or something. The MC does have MORE of that element than 4 playoff rounds but it's not just a luck thing. Not to mention at least 3 of the teams there did the business and won their league. It IS still a best of the best tournament even if occasionally one team didn't have much league playoff success that year. I'm sure "backdoor Windsor" or Seattle last year were much more formidable opponents than Saginaw or Ottawa or Oshawa were this year in the league playoffs.

 

[Savard18]

I would agree with alot of what you say,if Windsor had a terrible regular season,they didn't they had 90 points despite not icing a full all season, rated top 10 teams in the country 15-16 times throughout the season,most games missed due to injury or otherwise,then any other contender,1st time that a 4/5 matchup in the playoffs with 90 points each or more,the teams played 13 games against each other and London wins 7-6,with 1 more home game, hardly dominating,we all know what happened in games 2 and 7 that affected outcomes,toss in the fact that Windsor didn't ice a full squad till the Mem Cup,made the difference,even the Erie coach admitted they hadn't seen a full Windsor team all year, that's huge,a good home team, with the best goalie and defense in the tournament was huge as well.
Like I said had Windsor been a healthy team all year, only got 80 points or less,got blitzed in the playoffs I could be swayed to your thinking,that didn't happen thus the difference in my view.

Yeah, last year was an anomaly. There were 5 teams (Half!) from the Western Conf ranked in the CHL top 10 last year, not to mention the injuries Windsor had. Probably lead the league in injuries and injuries to key players. If ever there were a team with legit excuses for the backdoor MC, it was Windsor last year.

 

[aresknights]

Seemingly, a good majority on here value the OHL championship. That's where I have always been at as well.
To win the Memorial Cup tourney is indeed a solid accomplishment, but one where you only need to win 2/3 key games in 1 week. The league titles require a much longer, tougher battle vs your direct peers.

The Memorial Cup is either gravy for a league winner or a redemption/consolation prize for a back door team.

 

[aresknights]

I would easily take winning the OHL title over winning a backdoor memorial cup if I have to choose between the two, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with a team being proud about winning a backdoor memorial cup. It's just about being the best team over the course of one week, as opposed to being the best team over the season/postseason.

Well put. And most seem to agree.

 

[youngblood10]

Understandably the merit of winning the privilege to participate in the Memorial Cup is a big factor in this debate. And that the majority of centres will never have a chance to host under the current price points does as well.

What I have found surprising is so many who's reasoning would actually place the Hamilton Spectator Trophy (regular season champions) as the biggest prize of them all.

 

[Otto]

What I have found surprising is so many who's reasoning would actually place the Hamilton Spectator Trophy (regular season champions) as the biggest prize of them all.

I certainly wouldn't ... I'd rank it 3rd behind Memorial Cup

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Understandably the merit of winning the privilege to participate in the Memorial Cup is a big factor in this debate. And that the majority of centres will never have a chance to host under the current price points does as well.

What I have found surprising is so many who's reasoning would actually place the Hamilton Spectator Trophy (regular season champions) as the biggest prize of them all.

I don't think it's necessarily valuing it as the biggest prize of them all. I think it's valuing what you have done over 68 games then most likely 20+ playoff games. For instance I could probably tell you the last 17 winners of the OHL title. I couldn't tell you the last 17 winners of the Memorial Cup.

 

[Tarantula]

I couldn't care less about the Ham Spec. Too many variables with the O regular season with some players returning to their JR clubs after some NHL games, and the WJ break. The Robertson is the big one for me as you play through all 4 playoff series to win it. The MC is a quick tourney, so it is gravy to win it, back door or not.

Even back when there was just 3 teams they would bolster their rosters with some additional sprinklings. Pat Riggin played goal for Ottawa during the 77 MC I believe.

I don't argue against 4 playoff rounds.

 

[TheGremlin]

I feel the same as an Erie fan. That Erie team had mem cup champion talent. They would have been just as worthy

But like the Flint poster mentioned, since US city will (unfairly) never probably get the chance to host.. there is no other option for us but to value the OHL title more. I just look at it like this.. what’s more impressive? Winning 16 games in 2 months (and probably doing it in 20-23 games) or winning 4 games in 1 week (and it taking 4-6 games). I don’t look at what the mem cup stands for but more of how much more of a crapshoot it really is.

Another thing to consider is the journey in the OHL. For me last year, seeing Erie beat London in 7 games and imo one of the best goalies in OHL history (Tyler Parsons) was great. Then they managed to beat the “hottest team” in the CHL, who had one of the greatest runs ever in the second half of the year. Then they beat the East champs. They beat some great teams which probably costed them when they faced another great team, but a well rested team, in Windsor. Unfortunately for Erie, another league hosting in 2017 might have made all the difference and allowed them to run through the mem cup and be champs.. though we will never know

If Erie had good goaltending in the Memorial Cup they would have easily won Memorial Cup. They definitley had the talent in every other position. I believe if they had a very good goalie they probably win at least 2 OHL titles and at least 1 Memorial Cup.

 

[TheGremlin]

That's where I am at. Nobody is taking anything away from a backdoor victory and it's still a Memorial Cup but having a year where you don't get out of round 1, clearly not one of the contenders to win an OHL title it takes away from the journey. 68 games+20 playoff games concluding in a championship means as much as winning a week long sprint where it can be a flip of the coin.

I think if Windsor was healthy for at least half the year they finish higher then 5th seed and get home ice. I feel they did really well for the amount of injuries the team went thru and only iced the full lineup for about 3 games. I do agree it would probably have been much sweeter if they won OHL title and then Memorial Cup but they did that twice so they just wanted to try it a different way. I do think tho if any other team would have gotten decent goaltending Windsor doesn’t win.