10 best playoff series of the last 10 years

[Saturated Fats]

I know it's mid-December, but my poolie friends and I were having a heated discussion the other day about what best playoff series of the last ten years are.

For my money, a good playoff series (obviously) starts with the quality of hockey, but there is also some levity to be given to the theatre quality of it. Playoff series obviously allow for more in terms of the extracurricular than a simple regular season game does, and the story-lines and flashpoints that get built up over the course of the series contribute to a lot of the mythos of a truly great series.

Here were my top 10:

1. Los Angeles/Chicago 2014 WCF
2. Boston/Vancouver 2011 SCF
3. Pittsburgh/Washington 2008 ECSF
4. Vancouver/Chicago 2011 WCQF
5. Boston/Montreal 2011 ECQF
6. Boston/Toronto 2013 ECQF
7. Carolina/Edmonton 2006 SCF
8. Chicago/Boston 2013 SCF
9. Montreal/Washington 2010 ECQF
10. Chicago/Detroit 2013 WCSF

Trying not to allow recency bias cloud my judgment. Apologies for ignoring/disrespecting your team/favourite series.

What are yours?

Click to read more...

 

[JT Kreider]

I thorougly enjoyed Pittsburgh vs Montreal in 2010.

My favorite non-NYR playoff series.

 

[Ovechclutch]

Don't know about my top 10, but my favorite by far is the epic Caps Bruins series 4 years ago. The closest series in NHL history.

 

[xxreact9]

The rankings of your list itself seem okay, but you're missing a gigantic series that should not only be on the list, but should definitely be above LAvCHI and thus #1 on your list.

Comparing the Chicago Anaheim 2015 vs Chicago LA 2014,

-both game 7, both Western conference finals
-goal differential was +2 for Chi against Ana, compared to +5 for LA
-the ducks series was closer throughout (never was there a 2 game lead, like 3-1 for LA)
-the ducks series had 3 overtimes (ot, 2xot, 3xot) compared to just 2 (ot, 2xot)

This series is probably the most underrated series in history of the game solely due to fan ignorance because it was a small market team. No one even remembers it existed, despite it being the best 2 teams in the league trading chances in an overtime infested 7-game series. Tampa Bay was significantly less threatening to Chi-town who defeated them handily. Anaheim controlled this series from the beginning, got very unlucky in two of the overtimes and weren't able to close. The better team lost, but a great team still advanced.

 

[ap3lovr]

Pittsburgh Philly from a few years ago where they scored like wildfire was by far the most entertaining hockey I have seen in my life time. This even includes the Bruins winning the Stanley cup in 2011, something I had dreamt about my entire life up to that point.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Pittsburgh - Washington 2016 was pretty great even though it only went 6.

 

[StoneHands]

Flyers versus Penguins in 2012 was insane. It had it all, huge hits, dirty plays, fights, tons of goals and elite play from some of the best players in the NHL.

 

[RickyHP]

2011 SJ/VAN WCF was pretty good aside from all of the other obvious ones that will be mentioned.

I'm trying not to be biased and a little different.

It wasn't the closest series, but a lot of big bodies, grinding and hitting

 

[AfroThunder396]

NJ/FLA in 2012 was pretty wild for a first round matchup.

 

[FoxyClean]

2015 Rangers-Caps has to be up there

Rangers down 3-1 in the series, tie the game with a minute to go in Game 5, win in OT, win a close Game 6, then win game 7 in OT after Lundqvist makes some crazy saves in OT.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Even though the pens lost I'd have that 2012 pens flyers series at #3 for the pure entertainment alone. Biggest gong show of a series I've seen.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

San Jose/Nashville was very good last year. Both of the series' the Sharks lost to LA were good in their own ways.

Not sure about an entire top 10, but Pit Tb last year was really good. Vancouver Boston was great, besides game 7. Ducks Kings a few years back was a very good one. Blues and Blackhawks last year was also very good.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

2015 Rangers-Caps has to be up there

Rangers down 3-1 in the series, tie the game with a minute to go in Game 5, win in OT, win a close Game 6, then win game 7 in OT after Lundqvist makes some crazy saves in OT.

Wasn't that 15?

14 was PHI/PIT/MTL

 

[Gardner McKay]

I know it's mid-December, but my poolie friends and I were having a heated discussion the other day about what best playoff series of the last ten years are.

For my money, a good playoff series (obviously) starts with the quality of hockey, but there is also some levity to be given to the theatre quality of it. Playoff series obviously allow for more in terms of the extracurricular than a simple regular season game does, and the story-lines and flashpoints that get built up over the course of the series contribute to a lot of the mythos of a truly great series.

Here were my top 10:

1. Los Angeles/Chicago 2014 WCF
2. Boston/Vancouver 2011 SCF
3. Pittsburgh/Washington 2008 ECSF
4. Vancouver/Chicago 2011 WCQF
5. Boston/Montreal 2011 ECQF
6. Boston/Toronto 2013 ECQF
7. Carolina/Edmonton 2006 SCF
8. Chicago/Boston 2013 SCF
9. Montreal/Washington 2010 ECQF
10. Chicago/Detroit 2013 WCSF

Trying not to allow recency bias cloud my judgment. Apologies for ignoring/disrespecting your team/favourite series.

What are yours?

There are some great series here but I don't see how the 3-1 comeback by the NYR in 2014 isn't up there.

 

[Panteras]

vancouver vs dallas 07 think it was

 

[hawksrule]

2014 WCF was really fantastic.

 

[YEM]

Flyers/Bruins in 2010:
-epic comeback not only in the series but in game 7 also
-two overtime games
-games 3 & 5 were the only games not decided by 1 goal

 

[Shockmaster]

I know it's mid-December, but my poolie friends and I were having a heated discussion the other day about what best playoff series of the last ten years are.

For my money, a good playoff series (obviously) starts with the quality of hockey, but there is also some levity to be given to the theatre quality of it. Playoff series obviously allow for more in terms of the extracurricular than a simple regular season game does, and the story-lines and flashpoints that get built up over the course of the series contribute to a lot of the mythos of a truly great series.

Here were my top 10:

1. Los Angeles/Chicago 2014 WCF
2. Boston/Vancouver 2011 SCF
3. Pittsburgh/Washington 2008 ECSF
4. Vancouver/Chicago 2011 WCQF
5. Boston/Montreal 2011 ECQF
6. Boston/Toronto 2013 ECQF
7. Carolina/Edmonton 2006 SCF
8. Chicago/Boston 2013 SCF
9. Montreal/Washington 2010 ECQF
10. Chicago/Detroit 2013 WCSF

Trying not to allow recency bias cloud my judgment. Apologies for ignoring/disrespecting your team/favourite series.

What are yours?

That was in 2009.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

2011 ECF was pretty wild

 

[Gsus]

It took 7 posts to see Flyers-Pens 2012 series here. The OP even did a TOP 10 which is quite remarkable because that Battle was nowhere to be found there. Easily the most entertaining playoffs series I've seen since watching regularly NHL. Obviously the Bruins-Flyers in 2010 was also great..

 

[Wee Baby Seamus]

Canadiens-Capitals 2010 will live forever in my heart.

 

[Bouboumaster]

Habs fan but everything until we lost to the Flyers in 2010 was amazing!

 

[NJGoalie]

This needs to be amended to include the '12 Flyers/Pens series and the '10 Flyers/Bruins series. Even with my homer glasses on those 2 should be in there no doubt.

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

I don't know what was so great about the flyers-pens series unless you love watching historically bad goaltending from both teams.

 

[FoxyClean]

Wasn't that 15?

14 was PHI/PIT/MTL

Yes, I edited it quickly