Stanley Cup or Olympic Gold Medal (US born player)

[6ix]

With the 2022 olympics less than a year away, it had me thinking what would be considered the greater accomplishment for a US born player.

Team Canada looks to be the favourite, but Team USA is also stacked. So let’s they in theory the gold medal game is Canada vs USA. If team USA were to win and take down team Canada in the gold medal came, would you consider that a bigger accomplishment than if they won a cup?

I’ve had trouble deciding so I thought I’d post a poll to see other people’s thoughts on this.

Click to read more...

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

What if they win gold without beating Canada?

 

[The Macho King]

Lol f*** gold. Lord Stanley is all that matters.

 

[JoVel]

82 games + playoffs versus a two week tournament...? Some fans may disagree but 99% of players take the Cup rather easily.

 

[IceNeophyte]

What if they win gold without beating Canada?

Would it be a different shade of gold?

 

[82Ninety42011]

Not too many kids grow up thinking I'm winning the Olympic Gold medal compared to the Stanley Cup in North America. Every kids dream Stanley Cup here is what I remember.

 

[Jericho111091]

Obviously the cup is the ultimate goal, but being part of the first team to win gold for the USA since 1980 would certainly be special

 

[6ix]

What if they win gold without beating Canada?

I think if they beat Canada it would add to the accomplishment more than them beating any other Country just because Canadian is viewed as the #1 hockey country and the rivalry.

 

[6ix]

82 games + playoffs versus a two week tournament...? Some fans may disagree but 99% of players take the Cup rather easily.

The grind for Lord Stanley is much harder. But the opportunity to win Gold is much rarer IMO because Olympics are once every 4 years and you have to be one of the best players for your country to even try and win, and if it was earned by beating team Canada that would be a pretty big deal too IMO.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

Cup

 

[SotasicA]

you have to be one of the best players for your country to even try and win

Not really. Considering all the Olympic tournaments without NHL players. The Americans have two gold medals, and both were won with college players. More like right time, right place, type of thing. Like the 2018 games.

 

[Albatros]

Among the general public Olympic gold > Stanley Cup and it's not even remotely close.

 

[lawrence]

Lord Stanley all the way !

 

[LaMasquerade]

There're dozens of American SC winners but very few Olympic champions.. Easy vote for me..

 

[AvroArrow]

Among the general public Olympic gold > Stanley Cup and it's not even remotely close.

I think it's the exact opposite actually. Stanley Cup > Olympic Gold. Unless you're playing for a non-favorite team. USA, Canada, Russia, Sweden all have amazing chances at winning Olympic gold, Finland is just behind them. I think for a Finnish player Olympic Gold would be more glorious, because of the level of competition they would have to go through. But for a US born, or any of those 4 nations, Stanley cup all day.

 

[Albatros]

I think it's the exact opposite actually. Stanley Cup > Olympic Gold. Unless you're playing for a non-favorite team. USA, Canada, Russia, Sweden all have amazing chances at winning Olympic gold, Finland is just behind them. I think for a Finnish player Olympic Gold would be more glorious, because of the level of competition they would have to go through. But for a US born, or any of those 4 nations, Stanley cup all day.

How many Americans even know what a Stanley Cup is? Olympic gold everyone knows and respects.

 

[AvroArrow]

How many Americans even know what a Stanley Cup is? Olympic gold everyone knows and respects.

Every single US born player knows the Stanley Cup is and a decent portion of the population as well. Olympic gold is an amazing feat no doubt, but the Stanley Cup is a far greater accomplishment.

 

[snipes]

I think it's the exact opposite actually. Stanley Cup > Olympic Gold. Unless you're playing for a non-favorite team. USA, Canada, Russia, Sweden all have amazing chances at winning Olympic gold, Finland is just behind them. I think for a Finnish player Olympic Gold would be more glorious, because of the level of competition they would have to go through. But for a US born, or any of those 4 nations, Stanley cup all day.

Russian people and Russian hockey players absolutely love international hockey, I’m not 100 percent certain that Lord Stanley > Olympic Gold for them.

 

[Albatros]

Every single US born player knows the Stanley Cup is and a decent portion of the population as well. Olympic gold is an amazing feat no doubt, but the Stanley Cup is a far greater accomplishment.

You might want to read my post that you responded to again.

 

[AvroArrow]

You might want to read my post that you responded to again.

I read your post, you might want to read the OPs question

 

[Albatros]

I read your post, you might want to read the OPs question

You might want to respond to the OP then instead of spouting factually incorrect nonsense to me.

 

[AvroArrow]

You might want to respond to the OP then instead of spouting factually incorrect nonsense to me.

The Stanley Cup is way more respected than Olympic Hockey Gold in North America. That's not nonsense.

 

[IWantSakicAsMyGM]

How many Americans even know what a Stanley Cup is? Olympic gold everyone knows and respects.

If just 10% of Americans know what the Cup is, that's 33 million people. At 12%, it's more people than live in Canada.

And, with how many gold medals get stripped from athletes for cheating, the respect is starting to fade.

 

[Albatros]

The Stanley Cup is way more respected than Olympic Hockey Gold in North America. That's not nonsense.

On this forum maybe, but certainly not among the general public in the United States. An Olympic gold medal is universally highly regarded whether it's from ice hockey or canoe slalom. A hockey ring is just a hockey ring unless you happen to be a hardcore fan.

 

[SouthWest]

On this forum maybe, but certainly not among the general public in the United States. An Olympic gold medal is universally highly regarded whether it's from ice hockey or canoe slalom. A hockey ring is just a hockey ring unless you happen to be a hardcore fan.

I agree, a gold medal actually holds more clout than a stanley cup ring when looking across the world.

Hell, I'm Canadian and I think if given the choice, I would rather have the gold medal.

The more I think about it, the stanley cup is extremely overrated in a vacuum. Given the choice, would I rather have Joe Thorton's career or Dave Bolland's.... I think it's Thorton's.