Do you think if Kucherov were Canadian and McDavid were Russian there'd be a different narrative?

[CashMash]

They would have received free 14 million for which they would have strengthened the team and it is obvious that they would have maked to the PO- LTIR rule made for such situations and Tampa used it too

"it is obvious they would have made the playoffs"

No. That's a credit to tampa's depth and management. 14 million is 14 million. How you use it depends a lot.

 

[Iapyi]

To be fair Cherry said “the Euros don’t play like Euros anymore Canada better stop trying to act tough and get down to playing hockey because you can’t bully those guys anymore”
That was years ago
To be fair most small skilled guys before 1990 would have been targeted with horrific punishment if they tried to “show anybody up being fancy”

He's also been mispronouncing names since before 80% of this forum was born.

Was it anti European bias when he said Luongo or Bieska wrong?

who keeps bringing up Don Cherry in this thread? did he say anything recently? He literally has no platform anymore and as a Canadian I haven't heard a peep from him since he was fired.

The ones who are trying to be a warrior all the time don't want to hear these things because it goes directly against their agenda. Very clear and obvious what is happening with all this crap about Russia vs Canada, Europe vs Canada that is going on. It is transparent and lame as heck. Trying to use Don Cherry as a wedge is pathetic. Kudos to you guys for helping to bring it to light.

 

[geoo9]

"it is obvious they would have made the playoffs"
No. That's a credit to tampa's depth and management. 14 million is 14 million. How you use it depends a lot.

Tampa was sht this season and somehow made it, i dont know how Edm would use that 14 mil but they won't be naked without McDavid in similar situation to Kucherov. It is Huge amount of freee money - almost Kucherov + Point

 

[Iapyi]

The topic of this thread is literally bewildering.

If McDavid was Russian and paced 150 points this year, while Canadian Kucherov paced for ZERO points this year... yes, the narrative would still be McDavid is the best player in the world.

What a joke of a thread.

Thread seems like weak assed attempt to divide and conquer.

 

[geoo9]

Also, just go to a live NHL game where McDavid is playing. He's unreal. I personally haven't seen any hockey player like that since Bure.

For me I didnt saw anybody like Kucherov whos not that strong fast , not relying at own size advatage and stickhandling but dominated league at postseason scoring (hardest thing to do at current NHL) 10 years but playing there only since 2015.

Spoiler

If you watch all those top players and Kucherov - you see difference that Kuch didnt used Pace - he does everything so smothly like it is much slower game but every his motion have max eficiency, he just see game at 4D or thinked motions before receiving puck - for example he never shoots wristers looking at goalie - he hides puck , then he hides head motion and didnt even looked to goalie untill puck in the net because goalie reacts to shooter headmovement if he didnt see puck. There are hundreds such little thing in his game - you can not just notice them without replay and it is almost impossible or opponents read him live- and that is reason why harder to defend against him at postseason when guys who relying only at speed stickhanling etc have harder time to score.

here for example his oal against Lundqvist - he does same trick as against price at 1 st game of series - hid puck at defender and then nolook wrister

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

Tampa was sht this season and somehow made it, i dont know how Edm would use that 14 mil but they won't be naked without McDavid in similar situation to Kucherov. It is Huge amount of freee money - almost Kucherov + Point

Shit this season

finished 8th overall in the league.

 

[geoo9]

Shit this season

finished 8th overall in the league.

3d at own div, Edm were 2nd at own -that is what matters

 

[T REX]

3d at own div, Edm were 2nd at own -that is what matters

What are you trying to say?

 

[WATTAGE4451]

I think the narrative would likely be the same because of the disparity in teams.

Not to mention, I think people already acknowledge what a beast Kucherov is in the playoffs. It's not like anyone dismisses how good he produces just because he's Russian. I also think people think McDavid's got a lot to prove as a playoff performer because of his lack of production (relatively speaking) in the playoffs thus far.

It's crazy that McDavid gets criticized for lack of production for ONLY being a ppg Player in the playoffs thus far.

Playoffs are short sample sizes and most players would kill for those numbers.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

3d at own div, Edm were 2nd at own -that is what matters

Your narrative that the lightning aren’t a good team is….very weird.

 

[geoo9]

Your narrative that the lightning aren’t a good team is….very weird.

they were not that good at regular season they looked and played like TBL without Kucherov but having his cup used other way to make PO somehow and they did it. As i Said he have not linemante who was PPG played at regular season and MCD have better linemates

 

[JasonRoseEh]

Absolutely and anyone saying otherwise has no concept of the hockey media.

 

[geoo9]

I saw mostly Narrative - that McD needs help as someone said, When Euro star of his team falls - narrative always - Mentally Weak , lack of leadership etc. I dunno why but it is what it is

 

[Anahome]

It's crazy that McDavid gets criticized for lack of production for ONLY being a ppg Player in the playoffs thus far.

Playoffs are short sample sizes and most players would kill for those numbers.

Ovechkin was criticized for being over a ppg player in the playoffs. I can understand pens fans. Their two best centers performed very well and won the cup in 2009. Oilers have two best centers as well.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

If there's something unrelated to their play that affects the narrative it's their draft position. Not only draft position but McDavid was the best prospect since Crosby at the time of the draft. When a guy puts together dominant and historic seasons, no matter what his playoff production is, a second rounder (or third?) would have a hard time being seen as better.

Also, MacKinnon has been a better producer in the playoffs and is a former first overall and Canadian, so McDavid's status as the best prospect since Crosby weighs very very heavily.

 

[Sanchise90]

McDavid would get much more criticism if he wasn't Canadian. Remember when Ovi failed to pass 2'd round of Playoffs for a long time?

That's what I was going to bring up. Even with Ovie's individual award mantle at the time overshadowing Crosby's, everyone pointed to Crosby's Stanley Cups as to why he was the better player as an end all, be all. This is kinda the reverse of that situation in a way...

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

While I think people underrated Kucherov, people are also quick to jump on McDavid for anything negative

 

[Sanchise90]

It is kinda funny how this argument has flipped compared to the Ovie vs Crosby debate in the mid 2000s. Even though there were years Ovie was legitimately the best player in the NHL, Crosby winning the Stanley Cup and the Capitals not being able to get out of the 2nd round was the end all be all for the argument of Crosby vs Ovechkin. This is despite how much better those Pens teams were overall than those Caps teams personnel wise.

I mean what team had the centre depth the Pens had during those years (Crosby, Malkin, Staal)? It's just funny how the argument shifts when the player who is performing better in the regular season is actually well liked and Canadian...

 

[Sanchise90]

+ Magnificent 'Leadership Skills' & 'Intangibles' would appear.

Like Jonathan Toews - 'Captain Canada'.

Most overrated player in NHL history...