--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you're tanking to get a higher draft…" description: "\"If you're tanking to get a higher draft pick, you really shouldn't be playing hockey.\" — Connor McDavid" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/connor-mcdavid-5935_draft_if-you-re-tanking-to-get-a-higher-draft_2792432.jpg" --- # If you're tanking to get a higher draft pick, you really… ![“If you're tanking to get a higher draft pick, you really shouldn't be playing hockey.” quote by Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/connor-mcdavid-5935_draft_if-you-re-tanking-to-get-a-higher-draft_2792432.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/connor-mcdavid-5935_draft_if-you-re-tanking-to-get-a-higher-draft_2792432.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/connor-mcdavid-5935_draft_if-you-re-tanking-to-get-a-higher-draft_2792432.jpg) > “If you're tanking to get a higher draft pick, you really shouldn't be playing hockey.” [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritizing draft position over playing undermines development; focus on skill, not shortcuts. **In simple terms:** Draft focus harms skill. Key Takeaway Prioritize playing over draft hype. Themes sports development strategy Mood focused optimistic Type practical motivational When to use this quote - training regimes - scouting decisions - contract negotiations Key Concepts talent cultivation team dynamics career planning Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance draft goals with skill growth? - What long‑term benefits arise from consistent play? A Different Perspective Short‑term gains may backfire. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Draft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draft/) [Draft Pick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draft-pick-507175/) [Get](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get/) [Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher/) [Higher Draft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-draft-3389971/) [Hockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hockey/) [Playing hockey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-hockey/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Tanking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tanking-893752/) [Tanking Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tanking-higher-3389970/) ## Related quotes > [In high school, I told my trainer Keith I wanted to be the No. 1 player in the country and the No. 1 draft pick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markelle-fultz/in-high-school-i-told-my-trainer-keith-i-wanted-to-be-the-no-1-player/) [Markelle Fultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markelle-fultz/) > [You know, in football - this isn't basketball. One draft pick isn't going to make us a Super Bowl champion. It might be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kelce/you-know-in-football-this-isn-t-basketball-one-draft-pick-isn-t-going/) [Jason Kelce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kelce/) > [You don't hit on every player. On every trade. On every draft pick. Show me a team that's hit on every one. And I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-flores/you-don-t-hit-on-every-player-on-every-trade-on-every-draft-pick-show/) [Brian Flores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-flores/) > [I carried around a lot of weight and anxiety - expectations of being a top draft pick and fulfilling those. It was really burdensome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/i-carried-around-a-lot-of-weight-and-anxiety-expectations-of-being-a/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [I came up and was a first-round draft pick and there was a lot of hype and a lot of expectation, and I enjoyed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-burrell/i-came-up-and-was-a-first-round-draft-pick-and-there-was-a-lot-of/) [Pat Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-burrell/) > [When you get a draft pick right, you should be given full credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-van-gundy/when-you-get-a-draft-pick-right-you-should-be-given-full-credit/) [Jeff Van Gundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-van-gundy/) > [If I follow the media and everyone that tries to set expectations for me because I'm a high draft pick, if I follow that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/if-i-follow-the-media-and-everyone-that-tries-to-set-expectations-for/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [I don't want to be that guy that thinks he is a high draft pick and that he has it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/i-don-t-want-to-be-that-guy-that-thinks-he-is-a-high-draft-pick-and/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [Being a first-round draft pick means nothing to me without my education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cardale-jones/being-a-first-round-draft-pick-means-nothing-to-me-without-my/) [Cardale Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cardale-jones/) > [Tom Brady is Tom Brady. He was a sixth-round draft pick. A lot of people passed up on him. He's a Super Bowl Champion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-edelman/tom-brady-is-tom-brady-he-was-a-sixth-round-draft-pick-a-lot-of/) [Julian Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-edelman/) > [Coming out as a rookie, no. 4 draft pick, you expected to see some playing time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-conley-jr/coming-out-as-a-rookie-no-4-draft-pick-you-expected-to-see-some/) [Mike Conley Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-conley-jr/) > [There was a story that came out that Jimmy Garoppolo was one of the first guys to text Trey Lance. That's just the type…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-kittle/there-was-a-story-that-came-out-that-jimmy-garoppolo-was-one-of-the/) [George Kittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-kittle/) > [There is a lot of instinct that comes with playing hockey and playing a number of games and playing all the way up; you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/there-is-a-lot-of-instinct-that-comes-with-playing-hockey-and-playing/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [It's more fun to be playing hockey than doing anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/it-s-more-fun-to-be-playing-hockey-than-doing-anything-else/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [Big money encourages tanking. In my opinion, tanking is going on even with a lot of the top guys today - it's quite evident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-connors/big-money-encourages-tanking-in-my-opinion-tanking-is-going-on-even/) [Jimmy Connors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-connors/) ## More by Connor McDavid > [I was always the pouty little kid whenever I lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/i-was-always-the-pouty-little-kid-whenever-i-lost/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [I still feel pressure - I'm sure everyone who plays feels pressure - but I don't feel it as much now as when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/i-still-feel-pressure-i-m-sure-everyone-who-plays-feels-pressure-but/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [If you're putting the puck in an awkward place for someone, that's right away, advantage: you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/if-you-re-putting-the-puck-in-an-awkward-place-for-someone-that-s/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [You always have to be optimistic, you can never lose that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/you-always-have-to-be-optimistic-you-can-never-lose-that/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [I think you've just got to have everyone buy in, working towards a common goal. Doesn't matter who gets the credit. Really doesn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/i-think-you-ve-just-got-to-have-everyone-buy-in-working-towards-a/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [Everyone in the League wants to play in the playoffs; I am no different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/everyone-in-the-league-wants-to-play-in-the-playoffs-i-am-no-different/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [Definitely, I've learned a lot, each and every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/definitely-i-ve-learned-a-lot-each-and-every-day/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [Hockey is a year-round job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/hockey-is-a-year-round-job/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [It's more fun to be playing hockey than doing anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/it-s-more-fun-to-be-playing-hockey-than-doing-anything-else/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [That's what I want to do, find ways to score.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/that-s-what-i-want-to-do-find-ways-to-score/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [I am never going to be much of a physical presence. For me, it's more about taking my strength and finding a way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/i-am-never-going-to-be-much-of-a-physical-presence-for-me-it-s-more/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [There's something about playing in junior and being with your buddies all the time and going through that run, it's hard not to fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/there-s-something-about-playing-in-junior-and-being-with-your-buddies/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [It's a weird league in the sense that sometimes you get goals when they definitely shouldn't have gone in, and sometimes you're doing everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/it-s-a-weird-league-in-the-sense-that-sometimes-you-get-goals-when/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [Every little muscle is so important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/every-little-muscle-is-so-important/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) > [Edmonton has such a great history. It makes coming to the rink special to know those former players wore the jersey and had so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/edmonton-has-such-a-great-history-it-makes-coming-to-the-rink-special/) [Connor McDavid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) [Explore all 99 Connor McDavid quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/) ## More Draft quotes > [A lot of young guys coming up in this league, they're given the spotlight right away, depending on draft stature or whatever the case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desean-jackson/a-lot-of-young-guys-coming-up-in-this-league-they-re-given-the/) [DeSean Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desean-jackson/) > [A draft doesn't produce the people we need to satisfy our real manpower shortage. We need specialists to keep our jets flying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-schroeder/a-draft-doesn-t-produce-the-people-we-need-to-satisfy-our-real/) [Patricia Schroeder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-schroeder/) > [The first draft is usually junk. You have to work on it seven to eight times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-subramanian/the-first-draft-is-usually-junk-you-have-to-work-on-it-seven-to-eight/) [Ravi Subramanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-subramanian/) > [That would just mean so much to be to be thought of as the best player in the draft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-bosa/that-would-just-mean-so-much-to-be-to-be-thought-of-as-the-best/) [Nick Bosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-bosa/) > [I read and write but my ideas don't go beyond the first draft. When they will, I will make it into a film probably.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antara-mali/i-read-and-write-but-my-ideas-don-t-go-beyond-the-first-draft-when/) [Antara Mali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antara-mali/) > [I am a product of the draft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-inhofe/i-am-a-product-of-the-draft/) [James Inhofe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-inhofe/) > [I still wake up thinking about draft choices we should have made that would have impacted the franchise for a long time, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-epstein/i-still-wake-up-thinking-about-draft-choices-we-should-have-made-that/) [Theo Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-epstein/) > [The first draft of 'Ex Machina' is extremely different than the finished film. That would be like 10% of the original draft stayed into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-garland/the-first-draft-of-ex-machina-is-extremely-different-than-the/) [Alex Garland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-garland/) > [At the combine and at my workouts, I tried to be the perfect player. I tried to promote my strengths and conceal my weaknesses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/at-the-combine-and-at-my-workouts-i-tried-to-be-the-perfect-player-i/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) > [There are some writers who are done when they finish a draft because they've thought it through beforehand. Whereas I'll finish a first draft…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/there-are-some-writers-who-are-done-when-they-finish-a-draft-because/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [With my first book, I was hired to write a draft of the script. I was so young and less confident. They put me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-donoghue/with-my-first-book-i-was-hired-to-write-a-draft-of-the-script-i-was/) [Emma Donoghue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-donoghue/) > [From watching the draft and following the NFL closely, anything can happen in the draft. But to me, it's not where I get drafted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saquon-barkley/from-watching-the-draft-and-following-the-nfl-closely-anything-can/) [Saquon Barkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saquon-barkley/) > [We just have fun with our NFL Draft coverage because we understand that it's a long process, and there can be technical glitches that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-eisen/we-just-have-fun-with-our-nfl-draft-coverage-because-we-understand/) [Rich Eisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-eisen/) > [“The first draft is always shit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-first-draft-is-always-shit/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Every first draft is perfect, because all a first draft has to do is exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-smiley/every-first-draft-is-perfect-because-all-a-first-draft-has-to-do-is/) [Jane Smiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-smiley/) [Browse all 544 Draft quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/draft/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you're tanking to get a higher draft pick, you really shouldn't be playing hockey.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Connor McDavid" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/if-you-re-tanking-to-get-a-higher-draft-pick-you-really-shouldn-t-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Draft" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/if-you-re-tanking-to-get-a-higher-draft-pick-you-really-shouldn-t-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/connor-mcdavid-5935_draft_if-you-re-tanking-to-get-a-higher-draft_2792432.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/connor-mcdavid-5935_draft_if-you-re-tanking-to-get-a-higher-draft_2792432.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/713/connor-mcdavid-5935_draft_if-you-re-tanking-to-get-a-higher-draft_2792432.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you're tanking to get a higher draft pick, you really shouldn't be playing hockey.” — Connor McDavid", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Connor McDavid", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connor-mcdavid/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you're tanking to get a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/if-you-re-tanking-to-get-a-higher-draft-pick-you-really-shouldn-t-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connor-mcdavid/if-you-re-tanking-to-get-a-higher-draft-pick-you-really-shouldn-t-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```