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The Nine Top Teams In The Last Decade
by Paul on 11/03/09 at 10:39 AM ET
Comments (4)
from Greg Wyshynski of PuckDaddy,
Here are the Top 9 NHL Teams of the Last Decade ...
9. 2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes
A Southeast Division champion with 112 points in the first regular season following the lockout, Peter Laviolette’s group had four 30-goal scorers including Eric Staal’s 45-goal, 100-point career year.
Outside of their star center, it was a solid but unspectacular team, and was carried through the postseason by rookie goalie Cam Ward’s Conn Smythe performance (.2.14 GAA, .920 save percentage).
Filed in: NHL Teams | KK Hockey | Permalink
Comments
1. 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings
2. 2000-01 Colorado Avalanche
3. 1999-00 New Jersey Devils
4. 2007-08 Detroit Red Wings
5. 2006-07 Anaheim Ducks
6. 2002-03 New Jersey Devils
7. 2008-09 Pittsburgh Penguins
8. 2003-04 Tampa Bay Lightning
9. 2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes
That feels better, if we’re only choosing from the Cup winners. But if we’re really judging the 9 best single-season teams, including both regular season and playoff performance, I think the ‘08-’09 Wings, ‘07-’08 Pens, ‘00-’01 Devils, and ‘99-’00 Stars teams are all better than the ‘03-’04 Bolts and ‘05-’06 Canes.
The Devils and Stars teams I mention, in particular. Both of those clubs were deep, had lots of playoff-proven veterans. Dallas ran into two dynasty-calibre clubs in Detroit and Colorado that held them to just that ‘99 Cup, and the Devils that lost the Cup in ‘01 ran into an Avs team that was already in the same upper echelon of the league as the Devils, but added Bourque and Blake to their blueline.
This is also the reason I drop last year’s Pens team down to #7. They weren’t even a playoff team at the halfway mark of the season. Wire-to-wire, they weren’t all that good. Please, spare me the trolling… they were clearly the best team in the playoffs, and as such, are the well-deserved Stanley Cup Champions. Furthermore, if it makes you feel better, I think that if the Pens win the Cup this season, this year’s team is easily #3 on this list.
Posted by Nathan from Jonny Ericsson's ice cream truck on 11/03/09 at 11:56 AM ET
But if we’re really judging the 9 best single-season teams, including both regular season and playoff performance, I think the ‘08-’09 Wings, ‘07-’08 Pens, ‘00-’01 Devils, and ‘99-’00 Stars teams are all better than the ‘03-’04 Bolts and ‘05-’06 Canes.
Ding ding ding… Winner winner, chicken dinner…
Posted by Primis on 11/03/09 at 01:27 PM ET
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