The Athletic - Boston 2020 ‘Salary Cap Era’ NHL Franchise Rankings
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DominicT
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I gotta stop doing the leg work for these media people,or at least stop giving them ideas
The Laukomotive
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- Nov 26, 2017
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Interesting how the writer doesn't differentiate losing in the first or second round.
Here's a series win table taken from reddit.
Here's a series win table taken from reddit.
From Craig Custance at The Athletic:
Tier 1: The Heavyweights
1. Pittsburgh Penguins
Total: 50
Sidney Crosby’s rookie season was the first season of the salary cap era and the Penguins have been the best franchise in hockey during this stretch. It bothered Crosby when the Blackhawks closed the gap with multiple Cup wins in the middle of the last decade but Pittsburgh’s answer during the Mike Sullivan era has pushed the Penguins back to the top. The Penguins even have a little breathing room. The question now becomes whether or not they can add to it as GM Jim Rutherford does everything in his power to extend the window. What a run it’s been for this franchise.
Total playoff years: 20, 19, 18, 17SC, 16SC, 15, 14, 13CF, 12, 11, 10, 09SC, 08SCF, 07
Average: 3.33 points per season
2. Chicago Blackhawks
Total: 44
The fact that the Blackhawks have one playoff appearance in the last three years and are still this far ahead of the next team is a testament to the prompt dominance of the Kane/Toews years. They arrived a little earlier than anyone expected in advancing to a conference final in 2009 and just kept on winning. Now, it’s a race to see if the young players in Chicago can develop fast enough to give those veterans another legitimate shot.
Total playoff years: 20, 17, 16, 15SC, 14CF, 13SC, 12, 11, 10SC, 09CF
Average: 2.93 points per season
3 (tied). Boston Bruins
Total: 29
The Bruins and Kings are tied here and it’s fitting. They’ve both won in the last decade with a similar DNA; physical, hard teams that featured highly skilled players who excelled on both sides of the ice. The difference is that the Bruins have a shot to add significantly to their total next season and the Kings are very much in a rebuilding mode. This coming season might be the final shot for Bruins veterans before they sink back for a moment to do what the Kings are doing now.
Total playoff years: 20, 19SCF, 18, 17, 14, 13SCF, 12, 11SC, 10, 09, 08
Average: 1.93 points per season
3 (tied). Los Angeles Kings
Total: 29
The Kings haven’t made the playoffs since 2018 and didn’t make it for the first four years of the cap era and they still are near the top of this list. That shows you just how dominant those Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar-led teams were. And after this draft, the system will officially be reloaded. The Kings won’t be down for long.
Total playoff years: 18, 16, 14SC, 13CF, 12SC, 11, 10
Average: 1.93 points per season
3 (tied). Tampa Bay Lightning
Total: 29
Tampa’s previous Cup was followed by the lockout that led to the salary cap. Now, after knocking on the door for years, the Lightning have jumped up these standings. And they’re built to keep winning, even with the coming salary cap crunch. Of all the heavyweights, the Lightning may be the one with the best shot at closing the gap on the Penguins.
Total playoff years: 20SC, 19, 18CF, 16CF, 15SCF, 14, 11CF, 07, 06
Average: 1.93 points per season
Tier 1: The Heavyweights
1. Pittsburgh Penguins
Total: 50
Sidney Crosby’s rookie season was the first season of the salary cap era and the Penguins have been the best franchise in hockey during this stretch. It bothered Crosby when the Blackhawks closed the gap with multiple Cup wins in the middle of the last decade but Pittsburgh’s answer during the Mike Sullivan era has pushed the Penguins back to the top. The Penguins even have a little breathing room. The question now becomes whether or not they can add to it as GM Jim Rutherford does everything in his power to extend the window. What a run it’s been for this franchise.
Total playoff years: 20, 19, 18, 17SC, 16SC, 15, 14, 13CF, 12, 11, 10, 09SC, 08SCF, 07
Average: 3.33 points per season
2. Chicago Blackhawks
Total: 44
The fact that the Blackhawks have one playoff appearance in the last three years and are still this far ahead of the next team is a testament to the prompt dominance of the Kane/Toews years. They arrived a little earlier than anyone expected in advancing to a conference final in 2009 and just kept on winning. Now, it’s a race to see if the young players in Chicago can develop fast enough to give those veterans another legitimate shot.
Total playoff years: 20, 17, 16, 15SC, 14CF, 13SC, 12, 11, 10SC, 09CF
Average: 2.93 points per season
3 (tied). Boston Bruins
Total: 29
The Bruins and Kings are tied here and it’s fitting. They’ve both won in the last decade with a similar DNA; physical, hard teams that featured highly skilled players who excelled on both sides of the ice. The difference is that the Bruins have a shot to add significantly to their total next season and the Kings are very much in a rebuilding mode. This coming season might be the final shot for Bruins veterans before they sink back for a moment to do what the Kings are doing now.
Total playoff years: 20, 19SCF, 18, 17, 14, 13SCF, 12, 11SC, 10, 09, 08
Average: 1.93 points per season
3 (tied). Los Angeles Kings
Total: 29
The Kings haven’t made the playoffs since 2018 and didn’t make it for the first four years of the cap era and they still are near the top of this list. That shows you just how dominant those Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar-led teams were. And after this draft, the system will officially be reloaded. The Kings won’t be down for long.
Total playoff years: 18, 16, 14SC, 13CF, 12SC, 11, 10
Average: 1.93 points per season
3 (tied). Tampa Bay Lightning
Total: 29
Tampa’s previous Cup was followed by the lockout that led to the salary cap. Now, after knocking on the door for years, the Lightning have jumped up these standings. And they’re built to keep winning, even with the coming salary cap crunch. Of all the heavyweights, the Lightning may be the one with the best shot at closing the gap on the Penguins.
Total playoff years: 20SC, 19, 18CF, 16CF, 15SCF, 14, 11CF, 07, 06
Average: 1.93 points per season
