I guess the Lightning are kinda bad now.
How many clubs in the East are really any good? NY, Boston, Carolina, Florida. No particular order, and thats it, and a huge disparity exists between those 4 and the other 4 that managed to straggle into the playoffs. Then you get the Caps who needed a hot streak just to crawl in at 91pts. Islanders same, a real turtle derby. Often in the West you need around 5more pts just to make the playoffs.
In the west 5 pts separates the Oilers from the third place Kings. Whereas Carolina get to play Islanders that were 17pts below them. Way below them. The Rangers see a sorry Caps team that just made the playoffs by fluke, and a full 23pts ahead of them.
Then understanding that if it wasn't for Bettman 3pt nhl the pts disparity in those teams would be even greater.
Series like the Oilers are closer because the teams are closer in standings. The WC also being strong enough that the SC champ Cheating Knights barely made playoffs.