Connor McDavid, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Conspiracy Theories
Connor McDavid, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Conspiracy Theories
On Thursday, I wrote a silly little piece that argued the Toronto Maple Leafs were robbed of Connor McDavid by the NHL. It was meant as a joke.
Jul 2, 2015; Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; NHL draft number one pick Connor McDavid takes part in the Edmonton Oilers rookie camp at the Rexall Center. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports
Some people got the joke. Whether they found it funny or a complete waste of time is another matter.
Some people read the article and thought I was serious, taking great offence as fans of the Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres or Arizona Coyotes. Beyond praying for their lost souls, there’s not much we can do to help these people.
Unfortunately, it seems common sense isn’t that common after all.
A third group of people read the headline, then felt informed enough and entitled to comment on it (i.e., trash me); they didn’t feel the accompanying need to actually read the article.
The joke was obviously lost on these people, but here the underlying cause was arrogance, not ignorance. Why people feel entitled to comment on something for the sake of commenting on something is beyond my comprehension. However, it’s one of the unpleasant features of the digital era: people have embraced the shield of online anonymity to toss virtual vitriol at one another.
(Despite holding two Master’s degrees and working towards the completion of my Ph.D., Thursday’s experience taught me that I’m an “idiot” and a poor writer – perhaps I should return all those scholarships?)
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This is what we’ve become as a society – this is how we now treat our fellow human beings. Forget the time and the energy that I put into writing the article – forget my attempt to write something creative and different. It’s fair game for a broadside attack since I don’t know you and I’ll never know you. Constructive criticism is a thing of the past – it’s been replaced by empty attempts at drive-by character assassination.
Obviously, this response upset me, but it was anticipated and I’ll get over it. What left me completely dumbfounded, however, was the final group of people – the people who took my argument as serious and added to it. These are the people who believe there actually is a league-wide movement against the Leafs.
(Remember the phantom high stick conspiracy theory?)
This makes absolutely no sense.
For one thing, I’m sure that the NHL would prefer its biggest market to flourish, not flounder around in the realm of perpetual mediocrity. There’s a financial interest here and that alone would suggest an incentive to bolster the Leafs at nearly any cost. It’s this simple: the CBC set a ratings record when the Leafs and the Boston Bruins meet in the playoffs three seasons ago while Sportsnet’s ratings dropped this past season in part because the Leafs didn’t reach the playoffs.
Feb 21, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Maple Leafs right wing Phil Kessel (81) steps onto the ice before the start of their game against the Winnipeg Jets at Air Canada Centre. The Maple Leafs beat the Jets 4-3 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
I don’t intend any offence to the Oilers or their fans, but I’m sure the NHL would’ve preferred for McDavid to land in Toronto. That’s where the money rests.
There’s a further fallacy to this conspiracy theory – one that sees McDavid as an instant fix to all of the Leafs’ woes. If recent experiences in Edmonton have taught us anything, it’s that one star player (or a handful of star players) isn’t enough. You need the right management team in place, the right coaching staff in place and the right cast of supporting players in place as well for everything to succeed. Like the Oilers, the Leafs are just starting to focus on these other, equally important factors.
Would McDavid accelerate the rebuild process in Toronto?
Yes, but there’s also the risk that his presence would (once again) blind us to the hollow nature of the team’s core. This is exactly what happened during the Phil Kessel era – the idea that the Leafs were a Mike Komisarek or a David Clarkson away from being a contender rang high – so it may actually be a good thing that McDavid landed elsewhere. At the very least, it’s forced us to take a hard, honest look at our team.
What we found is a mess that McDavid alone can’t fix. That’s the truth.