Just Wondering

Eric Desjardins retired this week. Although he finished his career as a hated Philadelphia Flyer, I always liked Desjardins. He was a good, sometimes very good, NHL blueliner who carved out a lengthy NHL career.

Yet I will remember Eric Desjardins as more than merely a good, sometimes very good, blueliner who played at a high level in the NHL for most of his 17 seasons in the league. I'm also going to remember him as a champion, and in my book, that means Eric Desjardins is remembered as way more than just a good, sometimes very good, blueliner.

Contrast my feelings on Desjardins to what I felt when Pavel Bure, due to knee troubles, announced his retirement. Bure was a very good, sometimes great, player, but he never won a Cup. In the NHL, winning the Cup matters the most.

Why is that I'll remember Bure's beautiful dashes around the ice fondly but I'll also remember Desjardins, a less phenomenally artistic player than Bure, just as fondly?

Because Desjardins won the Cup and Bure didn't.

Is that right? Is that how it should be? Why is that way?

But, at least for me, right now--speaking as someone who never watched either player perform for MY team--that's how it is.

Right? Wrong? Silly? Stupid? Please enlighten me.