Olympics: Datsyuk says this medal means more than the Stanley Cup

[More 2004]

Is the Gold won by the American woman fulfilling to them because its a tournament with only 2 team capable of winning gold?

At least EVERY woman was eligible to play.

 

[Got One Cup]

To bad he didn’t win it playing against the best every country had to offer. It’s like a heavy weight bragging he beat a feather weight fighter, good job buddy.

 

[NMF78]

Is the championship of the toughest hockey tournament the most prestigious? That is what I am basing it on. I guess you would be correct that there could be different definitions of what prestigious is but to me the football world cup is obviously the most prestigious football tournament that there is because of the level of play and the history and that is also how I view the Stanley cup.

The football World Cup isn't the highest level of play in the sport though, the top club teams play at a much higher level these days.

 

[Saekk]

Wow, all the crying from NA in this thread, glorious.

 

[sennysensen]

Pavel certainly has a right to value this higher than the Stanley Cup. And is wise for him to say that considering he lives in Russia / plays in the KHL, to say otherwise would be quite unpatriotic, and could have consequences for his legacy there.

However, it would make more sense if it was accomplished in an Olympics where all the best players were playing.

It is a fantastic accomplishment, but considering the fact that the Swedes, Finns, Canadians, Americans, and Germans were at or below AHL level, the talent level was quite a bit below even the World Championship. I'd say the Russians accomplished much more when they won the World Championship a few years back.

Maybe the euphoria comes from the pressure of expecting to win, and still managing to win despite some difficulties. When you have to win, and come through, it's really good for them.

It also helps to overcome Russia's history of choking / underperforming in big games. Arguably they did underperform, going to OT with the Germans. Russia still only has 1 best-on-best victory ever: the sole Canada/World Cup they won (1991 I think?).

 

[MapleLeafistan]

He's not wrong...winning for your nation is 100x better than winning a some meaningless league cup.

 

[TomasHertlsRooster]

I could absolutely understand valuing an Olympic Gold Medal higher than a Stanley Cup in normal circumstances but in these Olympics? What a f***ing joke. You guys had like 5 legit NHLers on your team and you needed overtime to beat a German team with a bunch of guys who literally would be unable to crack the AHL, what pride is there to take in that? If I played hockey, it would be like my college team entering a high school tournament and just barely winning in overtime against a weak team full of guys who will never even play in college.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

Nah, I don't think I'm missing the point. It is the point that all teams are hurt by the nhl not being able to compete in the Olympics (some more than others). Russia may have had some players in the khl, but Canada still had some talent to pick out of the ahl and retired nhl players. Maybe it's a little in Russias favor, but Canada has had a clear advantage in terms of ability to produce talent.

I'm sorry that Canada isn't literally 12x better than Russia.

Sorry.

 

[Bedards Dad]

North American hockey fans need to understand that for an European hockey player winning Olympic gold or the World Championship means more to them then the Stanley cup. And i dont have a problem with that. Who are we to be judging him. thats how he feels thats how we feel period. we have to respect that, the NHL in Europe is not very important. Here in North America we have such a big ego about our Leagues.

That's fine, if his dream is to beat severely handicapped competition all the power to him. Just need to understand most people would not agree. Best vs best he would be supported 100% by most people, but that was not the case for these Olympics.

 

[Bedards Dad]

Is the Gold won by the American woman fulfilling to them because its a tournament with only 2 team capable of winning gold?

Beating Canada is HUGE for them (and vice versa), every other game means nothing. With no disrespect to Germany, they are not a silver medal team (of bronze medal team) in a best on best hockey tournament.

 

[Bedards Dad]

Wow, all the crying from NA in this thread, glorious.

Congrats on beating teams multiple levels below you?

 

[Jarey Curry]

Datsyuk: Olympic gold medal means more than Stanley Cup

“When you play for your country and I win this medal, this special time, it’s more important,” Datsyuk said. “I have accomplished my dream. Now I have no dream.”

I hope this puts to rest the questions on whether this was important or not to Russians.

Lol but he's a role model for the young Russians so he "has to" say that to influence the in the right direction. Obviously he would not trade his SC ring for gold medal in the Olympics and obviously they played against a harder team in the SC finals

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

That's fine, if his dream is to beat severely handicapped competition all the power to him.

Russians weren't impacted by the lack of NHL players?
It seems to me that all the countries were on a levle playing field.

 

[Yakushev72]

Now I have no dream. LOLZ. You beat teams that were playing college players and has beens. GREAT JOB DATSYUK!

Feeling a little left out?

 

[Yakushev72]

Congrats on beating teams multiple levels below you?

The teams that could have competed with Russia refused to show up. What can we do about it?

 

[RandR]

A lot of sour grapes in this thread.

Excluding cases of things like cheating or lying to do it, there is nothing wrong with someone getting the most pride in the accomplishment that carries the most meaning to oneself personally, especially when it happens to be the one he had to wait the longest to achieve.

And that is aside from the very obvious possibility that amongst his family and closest friends winning a gold medal for their country does matter more than his achievements in a league 1/3 of the way around the world.

 

[JianYang]

....and his comment should not come as a surprise.

Unless you are born and raised in North America, its not difficult to see an olympic gold medal hold more prestige than a Stanley Cup.

 

[Jumptheshark]

As a Canadian living in Europe and having attended both Olympics and World Championships, I think some North American do not understand how much it means to the players to win either for their country.

I would love to see a few of the posters on this board and in this discussion in Denmark in may for the world championships

 

[Prairie Habs]

....and his comment should not come as a surprise.

Unless you are born and raised in North America, its not difficult to see an olympic gold medal hold more prestige than a Stanley Cup.

A Stanley cup woudn't mean much if you barely edged out an ECHL team in game 7 OT to win it...

 

[JianYang]

A Stanley cup woudn't mean much if you barely edged out an ECHL team in game 7 OT to win it...

But this topic is not about the fans, its about datsyuk, and how much the medal means to him. Its not up to us to decide how much it means to him, or how much it should mean to him.

The way the OAR celebrated after that OT goal, you could tell it meant something. What do you think a kid growing up in Russia, especially in datsyuk's time was thinking about as his pinnacle? An olympic gold medal, or a Stanley Cup?

 

[jj cale]

But this topic is not about the fans, its about datsyuk, and how much the medal means to him. Its not up to us to decide how much it means to him, or how much it should mean to him.

The way the OAR celebrated after that OT goal, you could tell it meant something. What do you think a kid growing up in Russia, especially in datsyuk's time was thinking about as his pinnacle? An olympic gold medal, or a Stanley Cup?

His point still stands though, what would a Canadian or American kid think about finally getting to a Stanley Cup final only to know you are going to face an ECHL team? Would he still be as estatic and value it as much as he would have facing the best opposing N.H.L team? not bloody likely.

And would this same kid value an olympic gold against the best the world had to offer more then the Stanley Cup against an ECHL team? My guess is yes, I know I would.

So the circumstances under which datsyuk won it make some fans over here scratch their head why he would value it more considering the level of competition was so low and far from the best in the world. i mean, winning it did not mean Russia was the best in the world, we all know that.

Still, i agree it is his decision what he values, it is just that so many people question how he can value it so highly under those circumstances. His Stanley Cup win was indeed a far bigger accomplishment in terms of level of competition. I guess the disconnect comes from some people thinking any olympic gold has high intrinsic value no matter the competition and others think it really only holds high value when it is won against the top competition.

 

[Braunbaer]

North American hockey fans need to understand that for an European hockey player winning Olympic gold or the World Championship means more to them then the Stanley cup.

They also need to understand that NA or the US in particular isn't the center of the world.

 

[JianYang]

His point still stands though, what would a Canadian or American kid think about finally getting to a Stanley Cup final only to know you are going to face an ECHL team? Would he still be as estatic and value it as much as he would have facing the best opposing N.H.L team? not bloody likely.

And would this same kid value an olympic gold against the best the world had to offer more then the Stanley Cup against an ECHL team? My guess is yes, I know I would.

So the circumstances under which datsyuk won it make some fans over here scratch their head why he would value it more considering the level of competition was so low and far from the best in the world. i mean, winning it did not mean Russia was the best in the world, we all know that.

Still, i agree it is his decision what he values, it is just that so many people question how he can value it so highly under those circumstances. His Stanley Cup win was indeed a far bigger accomplishment in terms of level of competition. I guess the disconnect comes from some people thinking any olympic gold has high intrinsic value no matter the competition and others think it really only holds high value when it is won against the top competition.

Its certainly a cultural thing, and what you have become accustomed to.

Didn't the Soviets send their best back when the USSR was a thing, while the NHL did not? Soviet kids watching those olympic and world championship teams have success were probably thinking that they would like to do that one day. That's where the meaningfulness stems from IMO.

In Europe, the sporting culture is different. Take soccer for example. There are no salary caps. You have a few powerhouse teams that accumulate the vast majority of talent, and a ton of "have not" teams. Kids dream of playing for a club like Real Madrid, where you are playing with the best of the best, and you win lots of trophies. They don't think twice about their level of opponent.

In north america, we strive for parity, and the mentality is very different. I think its just best to defer to the athletes, and let it mean to them what it means to them, and accept it.

 

[jj cale]

Its certainly a cultural thing, and what you have become accustomed to.

Didn't the Soviets send their best back when the USSR was a thing, while the NHL did not? Soviet kids watching those olympic and world championship teams have success were probably thinking that they would like to do that one day. That's where the meaningfulness stems from IMO.

In Europe, the sporting culture is different. Take soccer for example. There are no salary caps. You have a few powerhouse teams that accumulate the vast majority of talent, and a ton of "have not" teams. Kids dream of playing for a club like Real Madrid, where you are playing with the best of the best, and you win lots of trophies. They don't think twice about their level of opponent.

In north america, we strive for parity, and the mentality is very different. I think its just best to defer to the athletes, and let it mean to them what it means to them, and accept it.

It's definitely a culture thing for sure.

I accept what it means to datsyuk, i just understand where some North American fans are comig from on this issue also. Very little of their questioning of his viewpoint really comes from thinking North America is the center of the world as has been implied here. Most of it comes from them thinking.."how can he value that gold so much?.......the competition was so low and winning it doesn't mean you are the best in the world which is where the value of an olympic gold is supposed to come from "

 

[Bedards Dad]

It doesn't, at least not to me and others. Please realize that the entire planet doesn't need to subscribe to the view of the world favored in Toronto. A North-American $$$-obsessed regional league decided, as the only league on this planet, to sabotage the Olympics. So what? Olympic Gold is still Olympic Gold, and a regional league sabotaging the contest is an unimportant footnote in terms of winning or not winning the Olympic Gold.

Datsyuk is a legitimate Triple Gold Crown member, and not one with a footnote, just because one regional league decided to sabotage; that has nothing to do with Datsyuk, and you can't put an asterisk next to his name just because of what a regional league decides to do or not to do. That is outside of Datsyuk's scope of action, and you can't penalize Datsyuk with an asterisk because of other people's actions or non-actions. No one is required to pay attention to that regional league despite it being the best regional league.

Yep, some folks may wish to turn the world on its head by proclaiming a regional league more important than a global competition, and a footnote more important than the main text, but it just isn't so.

If that makes you feel better then sure. But just know they beat up on vastly inferior competition and if it were true best on best they would not have gone home with gold.