Players that don't seem interested in winning a Cup?

[Tripledeke333]

There is a difference between being loyal to an organization, not wanting to uproot your family and not wanting to win a cup.

When I think of players who don’t want to win a cup I think of players like in Toronto who clearly cared more about money, or when Taylor Hall signed in New Jersey.

 

[TheGroceryStick]

It's just a big dumb silver thing anyway ...........

 

[dalewood12]

Zach Hyman

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

McDavid

 

[Albatros]

Of course every player wants to win the cup. You don't become that good at hockey without being competitive.

There are hockey players that don't even like hockey.

 

[PettersonHughes]

Patrik Laine comes to mind, he's got the size and elite shot to be dominant but seems overly reliant on teammates to set him up. Reminds me of when Ovie would always park in the circle and wait for his pass, but now (at least when he won) he developed a more well-rounded game with hitting. Still have yet to really see that from Laine.

Dubois kinda got screwed by Tortorella in Columbus but he had that moment where he just stopped trying (which led him to get traded for Laine) so I'd include him in the conversation. Add in Jake Virtanen and you'd have a sizeable, talented line that just doesn't show up.

 

[DingDongCharlie]

Yes in his second year.

Isn't the goal to win a cup every year?

He just doesn't strike me as the type of guy who values winning over everything else.

Which is fine when you have a family and other commitments. Nothing wrong with that.

He played 125 playoff games with 120 playoff points won a Cup and went to the conference finals 3 other times. 2 Olympic Gold medals, World Cup Gold, World Junior Gold. He’s Captain of the club that drafted him. Of course at 36 after spending his entire career he’s more interested in stay in SoCal. Dude, horrible example.

 

[Machinehead]

2021-22 New York Rangers Roster and Statistics | Hockey-Reference.com

Buddy, the Devils are the 9th best team in the Metro and there's 8 teams.

 

[AussieWings]

There is a difference between being loyal to an organization, not wanting to uproot your family and not wanting to win a cup.

When I think of players who don’t want to win a cup I think of players like in Toronto who clearly cared more about money, or when Taylor Hall signed in New Jersey.

This is pretty much what I came here to say.

"Doesn't think wining a Cup right now is more important than family/loyalty/friendship/environment," isn't the same as "Not interested in winning a cup."

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

There is literally no way to tell who cares about winning Cups or not winning Cups, unless you ask a player and he tells you. Marc Staal probably doesn't have a lot of options for teams that would want him, so re-signing in Detroit is probably good for him. Even fewer would have paid him 2 mil per.

That’s why I think this thread is unfairly judgmental towards players.

Unless you’re like Hall and sign a 1 year deal with Buffalo claiming you want to have a shot at the Cup (lol), most players are looking for a good combination of salary, stability for their families, good city/environment and a team that can at least qualify for the playoffs.

Guys like Thornton or Spezza were definitely trying to win the Cup when they signed in Toronto. Even though they disappoint every year, they do have the talent on paper to make a run if they start pulling on the rope together.

Montreal proved yet again this year that anything can happen in the playoffs.

 

[Beau Knows]

McDavid

Giroux?

 

[NextYear67]

All the Leafs

 

[Nolan Giesbrecht]

That’s why I think this thread is unfairly judgmental towards players.

Unless you’re like Hall and sign a 1 year deal with Buffalo claiming you want to have a shot at the Cup (lol), most players are looking for a good combination of salary, stability for their families, good city/environment and a team that can at least qualify for the playoffs.

Guys like Thornton or Spezza were definitely trying to win the Cup when they signed in Toronto. Even though they disappoint every year, they do have the talent on paper to make a run if they start pulling on the rope together.

Montreal proved yet again this year that anything can happen in the playoffs.

Seems like signing with a bad team on a one year deal is the perfect situation to guarantee a trade to a contender at the deadline. Maybe Hall’s signing shows the exact opposite of what you’re proposing.

 

[Fixxer]

I liked Alex Radulov with the Habs, but to me it's clear that the guy is a hired gun going after his paycheck. Not saying he doesn't give his all when playing, but money seems to be a top priority on choosing where he will be playing.

 

[Martin Skoula]

Shane Doan is forever the posterboy for this.

 

[AdvancedPressure]

Austin Matthews - seems more interested in playing footsies with Bieber at UFC events in May/June than being on the ice winning hockey games.

 

[CascadiaPuck]

Maybe it is best to express this in terms of % of pay cut the player would be willing to absorb to have a great shot at winning the Cup (say to play for a Top 5 team).

It's an interesting consideration for us "regular people" too, working at our respective jobs. It's very possible that there are other cities in Canada or the US that would be better for our employment prospects. What would it take to get you to move? I know I'm missing out on opportunities by living and working in Vancouver, but I would probably only uproot my family from this place for a very hefty pay increase (definitely not for a pay cut). You have to think players with families might have similar takes. Echoing what others have said: it's not that they don't have interest in success or don't give their all towards winning, but they have additional priorities.

 

[TanguaySauce]

Don't know if it's been said but Kaprizov has to be high on this list

 

[sxvnert]

Marleau was the most obvious case. Went to pitts after people began questioning his desire for it vs the howe record.

 

[Phil Kessels Hot Dog]

How many millions should a player leave on the table to be considered interested in winning the cup? 1, 2... 8... 16?

 

[MtoD]

There is a difference between being loyal to an organization, not wanting to uproot your family and not wanting to win a cup.

When I think of players who don’t want to win a cup I think of players like in Toronto who clearly cared more about money, or when Taylor Hall signed in New Jersey.

You think of something that never happened?

That's a pretty interesting way to judge things that actually happened..

 

[Tom Polakis]

That’s why I think this thread is unfairly judgmental towards players....

It's a silly thread, in which players who spent their entire career loyal to a team and putting it all out there trying to win are castigated for not going elsewhere. I don't get it; should the Sedins have moved after becoming such a big part of Vancouver's identity? I have the highest respect for those players. There are many examples of players who were very "interested in winning a Cup," but didn't want to bail on a city where they had established roots.

 

[PaulD]

When was the last time a player with an NMC forced a trade to a contender? Or took an actual discount?

Last week. Bogosian. 750k to play for the lightening .
Could have got more money from lots of teams

 

[PaulD]

There are hockey players that don't even like hockey.

Leave retired leafs out of this would ya.

 

[Soundwave]

This reminds me of NBA fans who shit on Giannis Antetokounmpo for re-signing with Milwuakee instead of bailing out and going running to join a super team in LA or something.

Not interested in winning a title they said. Will never win in Milwuakee they said.

How you like me now?