Best version of each team since the lockout

[SnowblindNYR]

What was the best version of your team since the lockout. Feel free to weigh the regular season as you wish. Not necessarily the post season results. For example, for post-season results the Bruins 2010-11 were the best and they made two additional finals, but hard to argue against last year's team's regular season.

For the Rangers I'd say 2013-14. That team was a disaster to start the season but despite their mediocre (relatively) regular season point totals (I believe 96 points), I think that was the best team we've had in terms of possession and controlling play. The Rangers haven't had many of those. They were also the only Rangers team to make it to the Final. And I still say gave the Kings much more of a fight than the 5 games suggest. Honorable mention to the 14-15 Rangers who I thought weren't as cohesive or strong defensively but won the Presidents' Trophy (113 points) and made the ECF.

Edit: 2005-2006 lockout. I always figure that's what people mean since the lockout since that was for a whole season and saw many rule changes and a shift from the DPE.

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[Ducks in a row]

 

[HanSolo]

Which lockout?

For the Ducks it's obviously the 06-07 team that won a cup and set a previous record for most games without a regulation loss to start a season.

If we're talking post 2013 lockout, then the 2015 Ducks. I genuinely feel that if they had beaten Chicago they would have beaten Tampa for the cup that year. They obviously didn't play well enough in games 6 and 7 but they also had a lot of rotten puck luck on their losses that series. One OTL they had at least 6 shots off the post the whole game and at least two in OT.

For Vegas it's pretty easily last year's team. Even in the regular season it was clear to me that Cassidy had the Knights playing high quality hockey especially on the defensive side. This year on paper they should have a stronger team with the additions of Hertl, Mantha, and Hanifin, but for whatever reason they're not playing nearly as well defensively and their goaltending is spotty.

Honorable mention to the inaugural team. As much as people like to cry that Vegas was handed a contender right out of the gate, their cup run was fueled by a roster of guys having career years. That first year roster definitely overachieved.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I think you could make a case that the current Hurricanes would beat the 2006 team that won the Cup.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

View attachment 854460

Probably one of the easiest ones.

 

[tfwnogf]

Buffalo Sabres not applicable

 

[WiHockeyGuy]

05-06, 06-07 for the Sabres, easily.

09-10 had some highlights as well with Myers winning the Calder and Miller winning the Vezina.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Man that 06-07 Sabres team broke my heart. The Rangers were 7 seconds away from taking a 3-2 series lead against the Presidents' Trophy winners going back to MSG. Then our bum ass General Manager scored.

 

[Voight]

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Are you referring to Bettman's 1995 lockout? His 2005 lost season lockout? or his 2013 lockout?

 

[kingsholygrail]

The 16-4 2012 Kings.

 

[orby]

The 2015-16 Pens were a juggernaut.

 

[Viqsi]

2018-19, absolutely no question. If only it lasted.

 

[SwordsgoneWild]

Even though the 06-07 team won the presidents trophy , most Sabres fans would agree that the 05-06 team was better and was our best chance at the cup. Goddamn heartbreaking how it ended. As far as I'm concerned the writing was on the wall for the 07 team. They got by on just skill and it ended up sinking them when they ran into Ottawa in the ECF. If they somehow got past the Sens then the Ducks would've stomped them anyways.

 

[Suntouchable13]

For the Leafs, I can not choose between 18-19, 20-21, 21-22, or 22-23. Probably 22-23 if we take the playoffs into account.

 

[PositiveCashFlow]

Can I split this up? Like the present day Oilers' forwards but the 2005-2006 D and G?

 

[Spawn]

For the Oilers, probably the post deadline team from last season once Ekholm had been added or the 05-06 team once they added Roloson.

 

[BonMorrison]

16-17 Predators went to the Finals but the team the year after that won the President's Trophy was probably objectively better.

 

[Soundgarden]

16-17 Predators went to the Finals but the team the year after that won the President's Trophy was probably objectively better.

Shame we had to play Winnipeg that year.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

I still think the best iteration of Colorado's current core wasn't the Cup team but the President's Trophy team. They had everyone who won it all the year later, but also Brandon Saad, Jonas Donskoi, Ryan Graves, Pierre-Edward Bellemare, and Philip Grubauer. Vegas beat them, but at one point the Avs were up 2-1 in the series and looked unstoppable.

 

[JaegerDice]

There are a lot of teams I'm not sure about, but I'm sure about these:

2008 Red Wings

2011 Canucks

2013 Blackhawks

2014 Kings

2014 Bruins

2016 Penguins

2016 Sharks

2020 Lightning

2022 Avalanche

 

[Brodeur]

Just got some PTSD from some playoff disappointments. From 2005, my knee jerk thought for the Devils:

2008-09: 52-27-4 (106 points) - +35 goal differential

Parise-Zajac-Langenbrunner
Elias-Zubrus-B.Gionta
Rolston-Madden-Clarkson
Pandolfo-Holik-Shanahan
Rupp

Oduya-Martin
White-Mottau
Salvador-Greene
Havelid

Brodeur-Clemmensen-Weekes

Unfortunately the team lost in Game 7 of the first round.

2011-12: 48-28-6 (102 points), +19 goal differential

Parise-Zajac-Kovalchuk
Sykora-Elias-Zubrus
Ponikarovsky-Henrique-Clarkson
Carter-S.Gionta-Bernier
Josefson

Greene-Fayne
Salvador-Zidlicky
Tallinder-Volchenkov
Harrold-Larsson

Brodeur-Hedberg

The last hoorah of the Brodeur era. Squeaked by in Game 7 OT of the opening round then made the SCF. Deadline acquisition of Marek Zidlicky gave them a much needed PPQB that had been missing since they let Brian Rafalski leave in 2007.

2022-23: 52-22-8 (112 points), +65 goal differential

Meier-Hughes-Bratt
Tatar-Hischier-Mercer
Palat-Haula-Sharangovich
Wood-McLeod-Bastian
Boqvist-Lazar

Siegenthaler-Hamilton
Graves-Marino
Smith-Severson
Bahl

Vanecek-Blackwood-Schmid

Things came together as team got some leave average goaltending for the first time in years.

 

[Zalos]

For Montreal, I know we got further into the playoffs in 2010, 2014, and 2021, but... that team from 2008 was really dangerous. If not for Umberger (wtf?), Biron, and a lot of bad luck, that Habs team would have went very far.