Which Team Do You Want mcDavid To Go To?

[JagerMeister]

I sincerely hope Mcdavid goes to florida and saves that franchise, if not, then edmonton just because it would be funny to see peoples reactions

[ihabs1993]

Not Florida or Buffalo. Habs are in their division and I don't like the idea of seeing McDavid 5 times a year. Would love to see Carolina get a fresh start with a guy like McDavid. They miss competitive hockey down in Raleigh.

[JagerMeister]

Not Florida or Buffalo. Habs are in their division and I don't like the idea of seeing McDavid 5 times a year. Would love to see Carolina get a fresh start with a guy like McDavid. They miss competitive hockey down in Raleigh.

i see. me, i might actually wanna see mcdavid in new jersey...they have never had a superstar forward before. Florida had Bure, Atlanta had kovalchuk, Buffalo had perrault and even carolina had eric staal when he had 100 points. Also, it would save fans from other teams watching  the most boring hockey team in NHL history. Then NJD would atleast have mcdavid

[MadDevil]

The Devils definitely need a player like McDavid or Eichel, but I don't see it happening. As bad as the Devils have been, they somehow manage to keep picking up enough loser points to stay out of the bottom three.

 

I think McDavid in Buffalo or Carolina would be the best options. Although the Sabres have done the best job they can of tanking without it being too obvious, so I'm not sure I'd like to see them get rewarded for it. I hope he doesn't go to the Oilers. They don't deserve any more #1 picks. 

[JagerMeister]

The Devils definitely need a player like McDavid or Eichel, but I don't see it happening. As bad as the Devils have been, they somehow manage to keep picking up enough loser points to stay out of the bottom three.

 

I think McDavid in Buffalo or Carolina would be the best options. Although the Sabres have done the best job they can of tanking without it being too obvious, so I'm not sure I'd like to see them get rewarded for it. I hope he doesn't go to the Oilers. They don't deserve any more #1 picks. 

i think it would be funny to see mcdavid go to edmonton oilers. just to see peoples reactions. But yes, honestly the devils somehow end up winning or almost winning against good teams so they end up getting points, while losing to **** teams such as Ottawa, we have literally the shittiest group of forwards in the NHL right now. Our consistency is our problem and it doesnt help that Deboer keeps giving pete harrold and zidlicky more icetime then any other defenceman in our team. I swear if we lose to carolina tommorow....

[MadDevil]

I'm where I was during the MacLean debacle. Apathetic towards the team. At this point I'm just hoping the kids learn, they dump some guys at the deadline, and they get a nice draft pick. I would love for it to be McDavid or Eichel, but any forward in the top 5-10 will be helpful.

[JagerMeister]

I'm where I was during the MacLean debacle. Apathetic towards the team. At this point I'm just hoping the kids learn, they dump some guys at the deadline, and they get a nice draft pick. I would love for it to be McDavid or Eichel, but any forward in the top 5-10 will be helpful.

Here is a good article about dumping some of the vets

http://www.inlouwetrust.com/2014/12/22/7431901/the-problem-of-dumping-vets-just-playing-the-kids-for-the-new-jersey-devils

[MadDevil]

That article is sadly accurate. I think a guy like Zidlicky could be expendable given the kids on defense, but at forward it's pretty damn bleak. With Ryder's recent comments he may be on his way out of town like Brunner. We all know public comments like that don't sit well with Lou.

The really depressing thing is thinking about who's going to play next year. Even if they bring back Jagr, he's going to be a year older. As will guys like Elias and Zubrus, who are already declining. They really need to hope Boucher and Matteau take steps forward between now and next year. Although even if they do, the forwards are still going to be pretty pitiful.

[JagerMeister]

That article is sadly accurate. I think a guy like Zidlicky could be expendable given the kids on defense, but at forward it's pretty damn bleak. With Ryder's recent comments he may be on his way out of town like Brunner. We all know public comments like that don't sit well with Lou.

The really depressing thing is thinking about who's going to play next year. Even if they bring back Jagr, he's going to be a year older. As will guys like Elias and Zubrus, who are already declining. They really need to hope Boucher and Matteau take steps forward between now and next year. Although even if they do, the forwards are still going to be pretty pitiful.

Knowing Jagr, he might not come back. But no other team would want him let alone let him play 1st line minutes. So maybe he will stay. As for Ryder, he needs to go anyways, he hasnt done jack **** and even Zidlicky has more points then him. On a positive note, we have good young dman and they will only improve. 

[WordsOfWisdom]

Although it won't happen, no team in the NHL deserves a franchise player more than (drum roll please)... the Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

I think it would be an absolute crime to see another great young player propping up a terrible, money losing franchise.

 

• No team deserves to have the NHL's best player more than the Leafs. (They've never had one.)
• No fanbase has paid more, been more patient, and had less to cheer about than Leafs fans.
• No team has been less successful than the Leafs in the past 40 years. (One playoff appearance in TEN years and no Stanley Cup appearances in 40 years.)

It's long overdue for one of hockey's poster franchises to have a poster worthy player. Even people that despise the Leafs acknowledge that they deserve McDavid more than anyone else, if only to make them a worthwhile adversary.

 

Thoughts? 

[JagerMeister]

Although it won't happen, no team in the NHL deserves a franchise player more than (drum roll please)... the Toronto Maple Leafs.

 

I think it would be an absolute crime to see another great young player propping up a terrible, money losing franchise.

 

• No team deserves to have the NHL's best player more than the Leafs. (They've never had one.)
• No fanbase has paid more, been more patient, and had less to cheer about than Leafs fans.
• No team has been less successful than the Leafs in the past 40 years. (One playoff appearance in TEN years and no Stanley Cup appearances in 40 years.)

It's long overdue for one of hockey's poster franchises to have a poster worthy player. Even people that despise the Leafs acknowledge that they deserve McDavid more than anyone else, if only to make them a worthwhile adversary.

 

Thoughts? 

You are absolutely right, didnt put much thought into the toronto maple leafs...your wrong abot one thing though, they have the best defenseman. Dion Phaneuf.

[WordsOfWisdom]

You are absolutely right, didnt put much thought into the toronto maple leafs...your wrong abot one thing though, they have the best defenseman. Dion Phaneuf.

 

ROFL. 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

I'm going to turn the question around because where I WOULD WANT McDavid to go is really irrelevant and arbitrary.

Hell, I could answer that question right now: I'd like him to go to the Lightning or Wild.

Case closed.

 

Now, back to reality...

I will instead post my opinions on where I think McDavid will enjoy the most success right away, not only for himself, but for the team that could potentially draft him.....realistically.

 

Let's look at who may end up in the bottom 5:

 

---Edmonton...no question will be a bottom 5 team.

---Arizona..... quite possibly a bottom 5 team.

---Carolina.... the way they are going, also a good candidate.

---New Jersey...didn't want to believe the Devils could be lottery draft jackpot winners, but woe are the Devils...yep, they could be.

---Ottawa...Sure, they have more points than some other teams, but something tells me, this teams standing is very, very fragile...they have been slipping steadily, and could drop like rocks at any given moment.

---Buffalo....the former undisputed lottery draft winners have actually shown some pride and have played like they believe they SHOULD win more games. Good for them..though they still could end up bottom 5.

---Columbus. ONLY reason I have them here is because injuries really have decimated this team and while they show flashes of what they can do, I think the man-games lost may simply be too much and they could find themselves in a bottom 5 position.

---Dallas. A fringe team. They have the offense to NOT be a bottom 5, but oh that defense.....Swiss cheese, plus they get themselves in all sorts of penalty trouble with their loose cannon players, and not a good enough PK to cover it....THAT could lead them to bottom 5 status.

 

Ok, now that I have put what I believe to be the best 8 possible destinations for Connor McDavid, let's see where he would fit in best and where he not only can make an impact right away, but also have the team around him soar right along with him in short order.

 

Right away, I will scratch OFF Edmonton, Arizona, New Jersey, and Carolina. That is four teams right away, that although COULD end up with McDavid, I feel, would still see LOTS of losing even with Connor, simply because they have so many holes, so many issues in philosophy, management, and/or depth, that even a player as dynamic as McDavid probably won't be enough to elevate the team as they are constructed.....not in the short term anyways.

 

Hey, I get the idea is to help improve the really bad teams by being able to draft a guy like McDavid, but again, realistically, those four franchises would still struggle will expose the bright new young player to a TON of losing, losing, and more losing yet.

 

That leaves the other four franchises.

Columbus, Buffalo, Ottawa, Dallas.

 

Those four may end up bottom 5, but they still have nice young cores (or at least the beginnings of one) to where McDavid stepping in there, could significantly accelerate the development process.

Particularly if Connor ends up in Columbus or Dallas.

Those two teams have fixable issues (Jackets with  health and Dallas with a bit of tightening of defense and players playing a bit more responsible hockey), and a guy like McDavid with his skills could absolutely boost those two.

Connor would see success at the NHL level come much faster with those two, and he will be surrounded by guys not too much older than he with NHL experience, as well as some solid vets who can show him how to live day to day as a full time NHL'er.

 

Over in Buffalo and Ottawa, success may not come as quickly as it would with the Jackets or Stars, but both the Sabres and Sens have some quality players, some decent goaltending, and have several young pieces that could grow right along with McDavid to where success could come sooner than later.

I could see several players on both Buffalo and Ottawa whose games could go through the roof playing with the new number one overall pick....and take the team up the standings with them while they are at it.

 

So there we go...not that I would necessarily WANT Connor McDavid to go to Columbus, Dallas, Buffalo, or Ottawa, but I think those are the franchises that could make the most of him right away, and the most realistic places  he could end up where he would see some winning at the NHL level sooner than later.

 

I WILL throw in an honorable mention to the Florida Panthers.

They have played well enough as of late to where they don't seem like they'd be a bottom 5 team, but still, they do have trouble scoring, and at any point, their good runs could go cold, and they could find themselves a bottom 5 team.

And if they end up there, McDavid, just like in the four teams I thought he would fit in and succeed best with right away, would succeed pretty nicely with the Panthers and their young, up n coming team who already are showing signs of maturity and being able to hang with the 'big boys'.

All the Panthers really  lack now is experience and consistent offense....McDavid can certainly help the offense, and he and that Florida team can grow well together.....the ONLY issue I can see there is, not many people will show up to games to see him play!

 

Unless, of course, having McDavid in Sunrise, FL helps attendance in and of itself.....

 

EDIT: Wanted to throw in the Philadelphia Flyers as a possible destination for McDavid as well, though I think Philly is TRULY a borderline team in every sense of the word. They have a slow and plodding defense, but offset by solid goaltending from Mason and a pretty decent forwards group.

McDavid can certainly solidify the forward units even further, and possibly help the team win more games despite the awful defense...but then again, he may see lots of losing in Philly as well due TO THE awful defense that will act as an anchor or albatross to any future success the team could have.

[Zz_]

Toronto failed when they could have had Tyler Seguin (or whoever else they would have picked) when they traded both Tuukka Rask and #2 pick to Boston (though they did not "know" they would be so terrible to get the #2, they still traded out Tuukka Rask.. Don't get me wrong Phil Kessel isn't some sub-par player, though he does not have a really SOLID set of line mates, JVR is alright but I think he never reached his hype, personally. If anyone deserves NOT to have McDavid, I would say Toronto would not deserve him. (Toronto is my second team to follow so no hate from say a Montreal fan here or anything.) I do not see the need to reward a team that has moron GM's, I mean even if Tuukka wasn't old enough at the time to be the go to guy, he is a 21st overall pick. When you take a goalie in the first round you know he has potential, develop him, yeah you might be suck for not trading for Kessel, but now you might also land your #2 pick. Who that would have been, Seguin or not, you have a #2 top notch guy. Add some defense by trading out some seconds and prospects and man, maybe Toronto is 100x's better with a solid Vezina, Cup Winning potential goalie and a top notch goal scorer that you add some depth around. - But then that means Toronto fans become impatient and wham-mo everyone is angry they are in rebuild mode.... Oh well

 

Who does deserve McDavid? Certainly NOT Edmonton, they have failed 3 #1 overalls, a #3 and a #7 so far (Funny the #7 is the only one not on the team to develop when others need it.) So my vote goes to the Hurricanes, however, I do think they should trade their 1st rounder and a good prospect to a team with a legit #1 goalie. Cam Ward cannot stay healthy and Khudobin is a backup hands down. Carolina is a team that could be relocated in the future if they do not start winning again, I think a Sidney Crosby TYPE player (who knows what could become of McDavid at the NHL level) could bring that franchise back to where it was when Irbe was stealing games and leading them to the cup. 

[jammer2]

  I'd like to see McDavid go to any team in the West.

[radoran]

Lehigh Valley Phantoms. They have a new building and need some excitement to draw fans

[AJgoal]

I'd like to see him go to Jokerit Helsinki. Get some legitamacy going there finally.

 

Assuming he goes the NHL route though, I won't lose sleep if he ends up on any team that's currently out of the playoffs. He's not singlehandedly going to rescue any franchise, and I'd prefer that some of the franchises on the bottom of the standings (Arizona, Florida, Carolina) disappeared rather than got rescued anyway. I have no preference of where he ends up, except that I have a rooting interest in Philly and am naturally selfish. So, Philly. Unless he's going to be a bust. Then he can go to the Rangers.

[flyercanuck]

Toronto failed when they could have had Tyler Seguin (or whoever else they would have picked) when they traded both Tuukka Rask and #2 pick to Boston (though they did not "know" they would be so terrible to get the #2, they still traded out Tuukka Rask.. Don't get me wrong Phil Kessel isn't some sub-par player, though he does not have a really SOLID set of line mates, JVR is alright but I think he never reached his hype, personally. If anyone deserves NOT to have McDavid, I would say Toronto would not deserve him. (Toronto is my second team to follow so no hate from say a Montreal fan here or anything.) I do not see the need to reward a team that has moron GM's, I mean even if Tuukka wasn't old enough at the time to be the go to guy, he is a 21st overall pick. When you take a goalie in the first round you know he has potential, develop him, yeah you might be suck for not trading for Kessel, but now you might also land your #2 pick. Who that would have been, Seguin or not, you have a #2 top notch guy. Add some defense by trading out some seconds and prospects and man, maybe Toronto is 100x's better with a solid Vezina, Cup Winning potential goalie and a top notch goal scorer that you add some depth around. - But then that means Toronto fans become impatient and wham-mo everyone is angry they are in rebuild mode.... Oh well

 

Who does deserve McDavid? Certainly NOT Edmonton, they have failed 3 #1 overalls, a #3 and a #7 so far (Funny the #7 is the only one not on the team to develop when others need it.) So my vote goes to the Hurricanes, however, I do think they should trade their 1st rounder and a good prospect to a team with a legit #1 goalie. Cam Ward cannot stay healthy and Khudobin is a backup hands down. Carolina is a team that could be relocated in the future if they do not start winning again, I think a Sidney Crosby TYPE player (who knows what could become of McDavid at the NHL level) could bring that franchise back to where it was when Irbe was stealing games and leading them to the cup. 

 

 

Actually, Rask wasn't involved in the Kessel trade. The Leafs threw him away in exchange for Raycroft. Kessel came for 2-1sts and a 2nd I believe...Seguin, Hamilton and Knight.

[JagerMeister]

I'm going to turn the question around because where I WOULD WANT McDavid to go is really irrelevant and arbitrary.

Hell, I could answer that question right now: I'd like him to go to the Lightning or Wild.

Case closed.

 

Now, back to reality...

I will instead post my opinions on where I think McDavid will enjoy the most success right away, not only for himself, but for the team that could potentially draft him.....realistically.

 

Let's look at who may end up in the bottom 5:

 

---Edmonton...no question will be a bottom 5 team.

---Arizona..... quite possibly a bottom 5 team.

---Carolina.... the way they are going, also a good candidate.

---New Jersey...didn't want to believe the Devils could be lottery draft jackpot winners, but woe are the Devils...yep, they could be.

---Ottawa...Sure, they have more points than some other teams, but something tells me, this teams standing is very, very fragile...they have been slipping steadily, and could drop like rocks at any given moment.

---Buffalo....the former undisputed lottery draft winners have actually shown some pride and have played like they believe they SHOULD win more games. Good for them..though they still could end up bottom 5.

---Columbus. ONLY reason I have them here is because injuries really have decimated this team and while they show flashes of what they can do, I think the man-games lost may simply be too much and they could find themselves in a bottom 5 position.

---Dallas. A fringe team. They have the offense to NOT be a bottom 5, but oh that defense.....Swiss cheese, plus they get themselves in all sorts of penalty trouble with their loose cannon players, and not a good enough PK to cover it....THAT could lead them to bottom 5 status.

 

Ok, now that I have put what I believe to be the best 8 possible destinations for Connor McDavid, let's see where he would fit in best and where he not only can make an impact right away, but also have the team around him soar right along with him in short order.

 

Right away, I will scratch OFF Edmonton, Arizona, New Jersey, and Carolina. That is four teams right away, that although COULD end up with McDavid, I feel, would still see LOTS of losing even with Connor, simply because they have so many holes, so many issues in philosophy, management, and/or depth, that even a player as dynamic as McDavid probably won't be enough to elevate the team as they are constructed.....not in the short term anyways.

 

Hey, I get the idea is to help improve the really bad teams by being able to draft a guy like McDavid, but again, realistically, those four franchises would still struggle will expose the bright new young player to a TON of losing, losing, and more losing yet.

 

That leaves the other four franchises.

Columbus, Buffalo, Ottawa, Dallas.

 

Those four may end up bottom 5, but they still have nice young cores (or at least the beginnings of one) to where McDavid stepping in there, could significantly accelerate the development process.

Particularly if Connor ends up in Columbus or Dallas.

Those two teams have fixable issues (Jackets with  health and Dallas with a bit of tightening of defense and players playing a bit more responsible hockey), and a guy like McDavid with his skills could absolutely boost those two.

Connor would see success at the NHL level come much faster with those two, and he will be surrounded by guys not too much older than he with NHL experience, as well as some solid vets who can show him how to live day to day as a full time NHL'er.

 

Over in Buffalo and Ottawa, success may not come as quickly as it would with the Jackets or Stars, but both the Sabres and Sens have some quality players, some decent goaltending, and have several young pieces that could grow right along with McDavid to where success could come sooner than later.

I could see several players on both Buffalo and Ottawa whose games could go through the roof playing with the new number one overall pick....and take the team up the standings with them while they are at it.

 

So there we go...not that I would necessarily WANT Connor McDavid to go to Columbus, Dallas, Buffalo, or Ottawa, but I think those are the franchises that could make the most of him right away, and the most realistic places  he could end up where he would see some winning at the NHL level sooner than later.

 

I WILL throw in an honorable mention to the Florida Panthers.

They have played well enough as of late to where they don't seem like they'd be a bottom 5 team, but still, they do have trouble scoring, and at any point, their good runs could go cold, and they could find themselves a bottom 5 team.

And if they end up there, McDavid, just like in the four teams I thought he would fit in and succeed best with right away, would succeed pretty nicely with the Panthers and their young, up n coming team who already are showing signs of maturity and being able to hang with the 'big boys'.

All the Panthers really  lack now is experience and consistent offense....McDavid can certainly help the offense, and he and that Florida team can grow well together.....the ONLY issue I can see there is, not many people will show up to games to see him play! 

 

Unless, of course, having McDavid in Sunrise, FL helps attendance in and of itself.....

 

EDIT: Wanted to throw in the Philadelphia Flyers as a possible destination for McDavid as well, though I think Philly is TRULY a borderline team in every sense of the word. They have a slow and plodding defense, but offset by solid goaltending from Mason and a pretty decent forwards group.

McDavid can certainly solidify the forward units even further, and possibly help the team win more games despite the awful defense...but then again, he may see lots of losing in Philly as well due TO THE awful defense that will act as an anchor or albatross to any future success the team could have. 

More people would start watching Florida Panthers if Mcdavid was drafted there

[jammer2]

@JagerMeister  I believe McDavid would outright save the Panthers. Unfortunately, the previous drafts are starting to fulfill their long awaited potential, so they will be out of the running.

[JagerMeister]

@JagerMeister  I believe McDavid would outright save the Panthers. Unfortunately, the previous drafts are starting to fulfill their long awaited potential, so they will be out of the running.

Yup, And luongo has been playing pretty well.

[Zz_]

  I'd like to see McDavid go to any team in the West.

No thanks, unless it is magically Colorado

[Zz_]

More people would start watching Florida Panthers if Mcdavid was drafted there

 

Yeah they would, however, Florida has Barkov (who when healthy is a monster), Ekblad (Who will become a Ryan Suter/Shea Weber type D) and of course Jonathan Huberdeau who has not lived up to his pick yet but will be well on his way.

 

Young talent wise, Jeff Skinner seems to be the only big name guy on Carolina any more. Eric Staal has all but vanished, J, Staal has been a nobody since moving from Pittsburgh. I think a guy like McDavid could turn some pages for this team and allow them to become contenders down the road again. However, they could move that high pick for a goalie. Hands down their best move, but to lose a shot at McDavid may play big in their mind.

 

I would not mind him going to Phoenix, even though I do not want him in the West, I'd prefer him in a Western division that isn't Central (which wont happen regardless.) Phoenix (sorry Arizona) has not had a star player that even lives up to a Milan Hejduk. Shane Doan is a good player don't get me wrong, but he is not and has never been a huge all-star guy, a good leader by all means, yes. He could revive that franchise, by himself.

[yave1964]

From a purely selfish standpoint I want him out West, Phoenix or Edmonton, so the Wings don't have to worry about him turning a Carolina or Buffalo into a contender. Only 8 playoff spots per conference available, no reason to see him tilt the balance of power in the East.

[WordsOfWisdom]

Toronto failed when they could have had Tyler Seguin (or whoever else they would have picked) when they traded both Tuukka Rask and #2 pick to Boston (though they did not "know" they would be so terrible to get the #2, they still traded out Tuukka Rask.. Don't get me wrong Phil Kessel isn't some sub-par player, though he does not have a really SOLID set of line mates, JVR is alright but I think he never reached his hype, personally. If anyone deserves NOT to have McDavid, I would say Toronto would not deserve him.

 

But that's exactly why I think Toronto does deserve him. Management messed up, and the fans suffer as a result. Leafs management doesn't deserve McDavid, but Leafs fans do. No fanbase deserves a break more than Toronto.

 

Have the Leafs ever had the #1 overall draft pick?  I'm going to go out on a limb and say no.

 

Given the performance of the Leafs over the past 40 years, this is a franchise that should have about six or seven #1 overall draft picks by now. The Leafs have never drafted a player like a Lemieux, Crosby, Ovechkin, Stamkos, McDavid, etc. and they've consistently been one of the NHL's worst teams.