The NHL upset Connor McDavid and that makes us sad
By baggedmilk
6 years agoOver at Sportsnet, Luke Fox posted a quick media scrum with Connor McDavid where he expressed his disappointment about being ineligible to play at the coming Olympics. Around these parts, we don’t take too kindly to people and things that make Connor unhappy.
With Team Canada announcing their pre-Olympic rosters, another nail got hammered into the coffin that was the dream of having NHL players still attend the Pyeongchang Olympics. For the players that could have made the team, this latest news must have felt like a kick to the nuts as there are still players playing pro in other leagues getting the chance. Guys that wouldn’t otherwise be going to the Olympics will end up representing Canada and that has to be irritating for the players that probably deserved to go more based on skill.
That’s not to say that they aren’t good hockey players on that preliminary list. They’re better than I will ever hope to be, but let’s not pretend that any of those guys would have normally been within a $20 cab ride of making the Olympic team. Let’s just say that if the NHL had permitted the players to participate in the Olympics that I would have been about as likely to make the team as Cam Barker.
Anyway. As for Connor McDavid, he just came out and said it:
“I’m really upset about it.”
I can understand why a guy would want to go to the Olympics and compete for a gold medal. It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to figure that winning gold for Canada is something that has been ingrained into these guys since right after the moment they learned about when Wayne Gretzky was kept on the bench during the shootout in ’98.
“You want to be able to represent your country on the highest stage, and the Olympics is obviously the highest stage possible. To know that you might not be able to represent your country at the Olympics for another four years hurts for sure.
At least you’ll probably have another chance!
“Even if you’re able to in four years, it’s disappointing.”
Alright, I get that you have to wait but at least you’ll have another shot, right? You’ll get to play for an Olympic team that might be as good as this one could have been.
“I don’t think Team Canada will be able to put together a team like they’d be able to put together this year.”
Team Canada could have run with McDavid and Crosby as their top two centres, and that’s the kind of hurt that you can only get on the same team for special occasions and in video games. Not to mention, Sid turns 30 in August and you’d have to assume he’ll be slowing down a little bit by the time he’s 34 when the next Olympics rolls around.
“It would’ve been a special group, and you’re just hoping to be a part of it.”
For a guy that’s only 20-years-old, Connor McDavid seems like he’s wise beyond his years. If you had played me a tape of him speaking and told me it was a 40-year-old man then I probably would have believed you. Connor knows that next year’s Olympic team would have been ridiculous, and you never know what is going to happen in the future or what that next team will look like.*
As blink-182 said, ‘I guess this is growing up’ right, Connor?
“It’s disappointing, but that’s the way it is.”
I’m disappointed too, buddy.** I was really looking forward to watching you guys play.
*probably still very good
**not actual buddy
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