Best Teams since the 2005 lockout to not win the Cup?

[VictoriaJetsFan]

Could be the 2009 red wings. Carbon copy of the team that won in 2008 with Hossa as well.

Another would be the 2011 canucks.

2010 capitals though for me is the answer. Mike Green almost scored at a PPG pace that year with Ovechkin right in the middle of his peak with Backstrom and Semin. They lost because Halak stopped 131 of 134 shots from games 5-7 in that series.

My God what a performance by Halak that year..

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

2014 Hawks have to be up there I'm sure. Ran the table in 2013, won again in 2015--took till game 7 OT of probably the best Kings team ever to bounce in the coin flip. League owes us dinner for preventing a dynasty

 

[Khomutov]

2010, 2016 and 2017 Caps

 

[blood gin]

2010, 2016 and 2017 Caps

Also 2010, 2011 Caps

 

[Josepho]

The 2006 Red Wings are my pick.

The 2013 Bruins were great and on a roll in the playoffs, but they were actually the #4 seed after struggling through the end of the regular season.

2011 Canucks were pretty loaded and were the favorites going into the playoffs, but even then a lot of voices were questioning their mental toughness.

I'd say the 09 Red Wings are the best team to not win the cup. They had basically the team that just won the cup plus Marian Hossa.

A mentally weak team wouldn't have survived that game 7 against Chicago.

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

Also 2010, 2011 Caps

09/10 caps had terrible D and goaltending. No 2C behind Backstrom. Yeah OV was unreal, but the team overall wasn't built to go anywhere in the playoffs. 10/11 was basically the same team but the "young guns", apart from OV, were all garbage compared to 09/10 (all dropped by 30+pts).

15/16 and 16/17 were great teams but they unfortunately ran into a team that was just a bit better. It didn't help in 15/16 that all secondary scoring decided to disappear.. It's obviously fantasy at this point, but I think under the old 1-8 format they would've at least made the ECF.

 

[puckIuck]

'15 bolts, '07 wings, '06 sens, '14 hawks, '13 bruins

 

[GreatGonzo]

I feel like the real Finals match in 2014 was the WCF with the Hawks and Kings. Both those teams could have easily won the cup.