1994 Nucks for sure. Someone mentioned the word "fluke" regarding the Oilers and Flames. I hate to use that word, but the word "abberation" fits it better. In other words, Calgary and Edmonton had a spike year where no one in their right mind predicted them to march to the final.
Vancouver on the other hand did have two pretty good years before this and I think a 1994 Bure was better than any player on the other three teams. McLean at that time was at least as good as Kipper then too. Linden was better than any forward the Oilers had and by far better than any non-Iginla Flames forward.
I mean lets look at the facts here:
The years surrounding the 2004 run for the Flames:
1989 Cup win
1990-1996 painful 1st round loss
1997-2003 missed playoffs
2004 Final appearance
2006-2009 Disapointing 1st round loss
The Oilers:
1991 - last time they made it out of the 2nd round
2006 - Surprising march to the final
2007 and on - no playoffs
The Canucks:
1992 - 2nd round loss
1993 - 2nd round loss
1994 - Final
1995 - 2nd round loss
I will agree with you that of the 3 teams Vancouver was probably the better of the 3 teams but it is close. I do have objections though to you reasoning
1990-96 Calgary lost in the finals every year they made the playoffs. However this was a different team then the team in 2004 so that doesn't mean anything
1997-2003 missed the playoffs. The flames had some bad years and were rebuilding. in 2001 the flames didn't have the same team as in 2004 so that is a mute point as well.
After 2004 1st round losses that has nothing to do with the 2004 team. We can all say that in 2006 and 2007 the Flames were expected to do better in the playoffs and didn't. Call it choking or just not able to win but that takes nothing away from the 2004 team
The Oilers never got by the 2nd round since 1991. That was the end of their dynasty. They got rid of most of their dynasty players by then or just after that. So what does that have to do with 2006
You seem to forget that Ryan Smyth was around when the Oilers upset the Stars and Avalanche. The Oilers did have a few upsets along the way. You make it sound as though after 1991 the Oilers didn't do a thing. Mind you once again that has nothing to do with 2006.
Let's look at other facts
Vancouver never got past the 2nd round from 1983-1993
After going to the final the Canucks have never gotten past the 2nd round since. 1995-2010
Does that make the 1994 team worse no. You are just pulling out facts to try make it seem like the Canucks were better then they were. The Canucks before 1994 adn after for a few years anyway were a team that had a lot of promise but always seemed to falter. 1994 was the only year in the playoffs that they seemed to put it all together
Of the three teams that year in the playoffs no one was better then Pronger. Sorry Pronger was the main guy for the Oilers. Bure was maybe the best offensive player of all those teams but no way the best. To a degree Iginla was probably the best forward of any of those teams. As for Linden not taking anything away from him but Iginla was better then him in his team's playoff run. Linden was only slightly better then Smyth. Has Smyth was to Edmonton what Linden was to the Canucks. The two under valued players are Martin Gelinas for the Flames and Fernando Pisani of the Oilers who had monster performances
I hate the flames being an Oilers fan but come on. No way was McLean as good as Kipper. Now Mclean had a great playoff run and some really good performances. However the Flames lived and died on every save by Kipper. As good as McLean was for the Canucks and Rolosson for the Oilers. Of the 3 goalies during the playoff run Kipper was way above the other two. I have a hard time saying that McLean is the 2nd best in this argument
With all do respect to the LIghtning and the Hurricanes the Canucks did face better opposition in the final. However on their way to the final that is a different story.
Vancouver 1994 beat Calgary whom you said had a history of losing in the first round. Dallas who wasn't really good and the Maple Leafs
Calgary 2004 beat Vancouver team who was considered better then them. They beat Detroit a Stanley Cup contender and San Jose who was considered a Stanley cup contender
Edmonton 2006 beat Detroit a Stanley Cup threat. San Jose a Stanley Cup threat and Anaheim who would win the cup the Following year.
On Paper Vancouver probably had the better team but Calgary and Edmonton one can argue at it tougher to get to the Finals