Neutral fans: Is there a player you're rooting for winning the Stanley Cup this year?

[Dr Robot]

RoR

 

[Maverick41]

Not entirely neutral, but these are some guys I would be rooting for regardless of which team they play for.

Frederik Andersen
Jaccob Slavin
Joe Pavelski
Miro Heiskanen
Roman Josi
Anze Kopitar
Pius Suter
Tomas Hertl
Josh Morrissey
Connor McDavid
Leon Draisaitl
Mathias Ekholm
Zach Hyman
Adam Henrique

If you want me to trim it down, my top3 are Andersen, Pavelski and Ekholm.

 

[Zenos]

There are people out there that are "west is best" or "as long as the cup stays in the west that just might root for McDavid even if they are Flames/Canucks fans. After 30 years maybe at this point they just want to see a Canadian team win it even if it were Edmonton

Were you rooting for the flames in 04?

 

[TropicOfNoReturn]

Jamie Benn
Brent Burns

 

[waitin425]

Max Pacioretty

 

[BobRossColton]

How's there only one mention of Parise?

 

[KevinFinnerty]

Bobrovksy and Parise

 

[nucks88]

There are people out there that are "west is best" or "as long as the cup stays in the west that just might root for McDavid even if they are Flames/Canucks fans. After 30 years maybe at this point they just want to see a Canadian team win it even if it were Edmonton

Yeah right……screw the rest of the Canadian franchises…..

Were you rooting for the flames in 04?

Or the Canucks in 2011 ?

 

[Dust]

Yeah right……screw the rest of the Canadian franchises…..


Or the Canucks in 2011 ?

I found myself rooting for the Flames in 04, mostly because Iginla is a likable guy and that was a Cinderella run. Couldn't root for the Nucks in 2011, too many unlikable players on the team.

 

[GrumpyKoala]

Mark /$tone

 

[nucks88]

I found myself rooting for the Flames in 04, mostly because Iginla is a likable guy and that was a Cinderella run. Couldn't root for the Nucks in 2011, too many unlikable players on the team.

I don’t separate the player from the team - want nothing but failure for all the other Canadian franchises, especially after 2011…..

 

[Sniper99]

Were you rooting for the flames in 04?

God no. Im just sayin it did happen.

Yeah right……screw the rest of the Canadian franchises….


Or the Canucks in 2011

Actually yes. Leafs fan here. Like hell I wanted Boston to win a cup

 

[Gnome17]

McDavid is already easily the best player who has never won a Stanley Cup. Its him.

 

[mr figgles]

McDavid, Pavelski, and former player Rod the bod

 

[glenngineer]

First one that came to mind was Pavelski. Problem with that is I hate Suter so that means he gets one. But then, if they both win one, Duchene gets one and I think he's a good dude so if it means Suter has to get one so Pavs and Dutch get one, I'm ok with that.

Other former Preds I like to see lift the Cup are Ekholm, Arvidsson and Fiala.

 

[Miller Time]

Monahan winning the cup would make me smile.

Overcame a lot just to stay in the league, let alone resume being a productive player.

Seems to be a great teammate and consummate pro. Be nice to see him do the victory lap with the cup

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

Sam Bennett.

I hope he gets the Smythe too and tells the Flames to eat shit on a podcast over the summer.

 

[troyerlaw]

First one that came to mind was Pavelski. Problem with that is I hate Suter so that means he gets one. But then, if they both win one, Duchene gets one and I think he's a good dude so if it means Suter has to get one so Pavs and Dutch get one, I'm ok with that.

Other former Preds I like to see lift the Cup are Ekholm, Arvidsson and Fiala.

Pavelski, Burns. Okposo.
As a Caps fan, i’d be stoked for Orlov and Kuz to win 2nd ring.
Makar too, in Colorado. Always happy to see him collect additional hardware. What a player

 

[Commander Clueless]

What's a neutral fan? Is that one of those weirdos who like hockey but don't have a team?

The league is incompetent, the rules aren't enforced consistently even period to period, and the players intentionally have no personality as a rule.

Why would you cheer for that without some sort of obsessive investment that comes with being a team fan?

Weird behavior. Don't trust those people.

Also the answer is probably McDavid.

 

[swiftwin]

Mark Stone

 

[BB79]

This combination intrigues me.

What, Canes and Stars?

I followed the Whalers back in the day, once they relocated I stop caring about them, they basically were an expansion team, the old identity gone. Grew into more of a heated rival in the new location. Salt in the wounds that they now wear Whalers gear for alternates. Take it off, you're not the Whalers. You abandoned that identity when you left. Banners still in the XL Center (Hartford Civic Center) and all.

I have more disdain for Dallas. 1999 sucked as a Sabres fan but even to this day I run into enough snooty stuck up fans talking crap about my franchise that it's enough for me to pull for Vegas over them.

Why would you cheer for that without some sort of obsessive investment that comes with being a team fan?

Want a real mind-f? I have 2 favorite teams.....they're rivals. Don't ask.

 

[Panthaz89]

Sam Reinhart of course.

 

[ViD]

Not a player, but I want to see a Canadian team finally win the cup

 

[Ezekial]

I honestly really don't give a shit who wins i just want the games to be good.

 

[JoVel]

Not a player, but I want to see a Canadian team finally win the cup

We can hit 30 non Canadian winners in a row this year, which would be quite the milestone.