Biggest Cup Favorite to actually win the cup post Oilers Dynasty?

[bobholly39]

Going into a new season (or even at the start of the playoffs) each year - who would you say are some of the strongest cup favorites to actually win?

I'm interested only since the Oilers dynasty - because if you include dynasty years i think those teams would obviously be at the top, but you can discuss that too if you like.

Just this past season Pittsburgh had won back to back cups yet weren't even seen by most as the cup favorites for the 3rd year (going into the season, or into the playoffs). I know the Pens in 93 seemed very heavy favorites in contrast - but this thread is more about cup winners than losers. And I don't think the Pens in 92 were seen as as big favorites as they were in 93, right?

How does that compare to the dynamics of past cup winners? Colorado in 96 or 01? Detroit? NJ?

Conversely - which cup winners had the least expectations going into both a new season, and at the start of the playoffs? I would think LA in 2012 might be a strong one, especially at start of playoffs.

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[Pominville Knows]

LA in 2012 were pretty steaming going into the playoffs, and by the second round that had only gotten hotter and they were not going to lose the cup by then.

 

[ShelbyZ]

The 2002 Red Wings probably top the list of strong favorites to go on to actually win the Cup.

The 2001 Avalanche are probably up there as well.

 

[bobholly39]

LA in 2012 were pretty steaming going into the playoffs, and by the second round that had only gotten hotter and they were not going to lose the cup by then.

I think LA's run to the cup in 2012 is one of the most dominant cup winning performances i've ever seen. So no question they were super dominant. But i don't remember that narrative at the start of playoffs.

Had they simply finished the season very strong to qualify for playoffs that people expected them to contend seriously? (they were 8th in west). If so i don't remember that

 

[Pominville Knows]

I think LA's run to the cup in 2012 is one of the most dominant cup winning performances i've ever seen. So no question they were super dominant. But i don't remember that narrative at the start of playoffs.

Had they simply finished the season very strong to qualify for playoffs that people expected them to contend seriously? (they were 8th in west). If so i don't remember that

You'd be correct. For some reason i looked on the wrong table(Probably becouse i did not sleep last night), they were 13-9 in their last 22 and 4-4 in their last 8.

 

[quoipourquoi]

The post-Oilers ones I remember being the favorites going into the season:

1994 New York Rangers
1999 Dallas Stars
2001 Colorado Avalanche
2002 Detroit Red Wings
2007 Anaheim Ducks

Dallas (Hull), Detroit (Hasek, Hull, Robitaille), and Anaheim (Pronger) were teams that were already having success while making huge HOF acquisitions, while New York and Colorado were more of the there’s no way they can mess that up again variety. Colorado was a bigger favorite in 1997 and 1998 than either Cup year though.

Biggest surprise was going to be either winner of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals.

 

[The Panther]

Edmonton wasn't favored to win by most in 1988 or 1990. Pittsburgh wasn't favored in 1991 (for sure), nor 1992 particularly.

Since then, I would go with the 2002 Red Wings. After the summer 2001 signings, everyone seemed to basically cede them the Cup, nine months beforehand.

 

[streitz]

Edmonton wasn't favored to win by most in 1988 or 1990. Pittsburgh wasn't favored in 1991 (for sure), nor 1992 particularly.

Since then, I would go with the 2002 Red Wings. After the summer 2001 signings, everyone seemed to basically cede them the Cup, nine months beforehand.

1988 They were for sure. 90 not so much.



Probably the Wings or the Avs one of the years each of them won with the exception of 96.

 

[CharlestownChiefsESC]

Edmonton wasn't favored to win by most in 1988 or 1990. Pittsburgh wasn't favored in 1991 (for sure), nor 1992 particularly.

Since then, I would go with the 2002 Red Wings. After the summer 2001 signings, everyone seemed to basically cede them the Cup, nine months beforehand.

Who was favored in 91 was it Boston,Chicago, Calgary?

 

[mrhockey193195]

The post-Oilers ones I remember being the favorites going into the season:

1994 New York Rangers
1999 Dallas Stars
2001 Colorado Avalanche
2002 Detroit Red Wings
2007 Anaheim Ducks

Dallas (Hull), Detroit (Hasek, Hull, Robitaille), and Anaheim (Pronger) were teams that were already having success while making huge HOF acquisitions, while New York and Colorado were more of the there’s no way they can mess that up again variety. Colorado was a bigger favorite in 1997 and 1998 than either Cup year though.

Biggest surprise was going to be either winner of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals.

Just to confirm, you mean the Rangers were considered favorites going into the lockout-shortened 95 season or the 94 playoffs, and not the 93-94 regular season, right? Because going into the 93-94 RS, the Rangers were coming off a disastrous campaign on the level of what we saw from Ottawa last year.

 

[quoipourquoi]

Just to confirm, you mean the Rangers were considered favorites going into the lockout-shortened 95 season or the 94 playoffs, and not the 93-94 regular season, right? Because going into the 93-94 RS, the Rangers were coming off a disastrous campaign on the level of what we saw from Ottawa last year.

They were still THN’s pick going into the 1993-94 regular season despite the surprise 1992-93 disaster. I’ll get some quotes from the Summer 1993 yearbook tonight.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

They were still THN’s pick going into the 1993-94 regular season despite the surprise 1992-93 disaster. I’ll get some quotes from the Summer 1993 yearbook tonight.

Really...? Looking forward to your summer 1993 quotes!

 

[Dissonance Jr]

The Blackhawks were considered heavy favorites in 2015, and for good reason — they were just adding Brad Richards to an already-deep roster that had taken the Kings to 7 in the WCF the year before.

See here, where 7 out of 12 experts on this NHL.com panel picked Chicago before the season started. Or here, where the Hockey News predicted the Cup finals exactly — Chicago over TB.

Biggest surprise that year was LA missing the playoffs entirely.

 

[quoipourquoi]

Really...? Looking forward to your summer 1993 quotes!

Want to say it was Mike Brophy. I’ll get you the THN predictions for the post-Oilers dynasty magazines I have.

 

[NYR94]

They were still THN’s pick going into the 1993-94 regular season despite the surprise 1992-93 disaster. I’ll get some quotes from the Summer 1993 yearbook tonight.

Wow that's crazy. Looking forward to reading some quotes. I don't know who I would have picked as the favorite going into 93-94, but it definitely would not have been the Rangers. Maybe Toronto, Detroit or Pit?

 

[Michael Farkas]

Maybe the same writers who left Bourque off their Hart ballots in 1990...

 

[mrhockey193195]

They were still THN’s pick going into the 1993-94 regular season despite the surprise 1992-93 disaster. I’ll get some quotes from the Summer 1993 yearbook tonight.

Wow, that's surprising. Thanks for looking into it, I'm really curious to see!

 

[blood gin]

Just to confirm, you mean the Rangers were considered favorites going into the lockout-shortened 95 season or the 94 playoffs, and not the 93-94 regular season, right? Because going into the 93-94 RS, the Rangers were coming off a disastrous campaign on the level of what we saw from Ottawa last year.

They had a great 1991-1992 regular season though (50 wins iirc). I remember they were viewed as a contender that would bounce back. I don't remember if all prognosticators had them as Cup contenders, but plenty certainly did. If there were any question marks going into 1993 for NYR it was actually about Richter and if he can take a team all the way

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Wow that's crazy. Looking forward to reading some quotes. I don't know who I would have picked as the favorite going into 93-94, but it definitely would not have been the Rangers. Maybe Toronto, Detroit or Pit?

I was young at the time, but this is likely similar to how Tampa Bay was considered a pre-season contender this past season, in spite of missing the playoffs the year before. NY had finished first overall in 1991-92, afterall. Sometimes a great team just has a bad year, and people can anticipate the rebound.

 

[quoipourquoi]

THN Yearbook Predictions:

1993-94: New York Rangers
“The fact the Rangers slipped to last in the Patrick Division and out of the playoffs doesn’t mean they’re a bad team. They simply had a bad season. Doing what the Rangers will do is not without precedent. The Penguins, who are generally regarded as championship favorites this season, finished out of the playoffs before they won their first Stanley Cup in 1991.”

1994-95: Detroit Red Wings

1995-96: New Jersey Devils
“Our surprise team this season is the Montreal Canadiens. If Patrick Roy bounces back from a sub-par season...”

1996-97: Colorado Avalanche
“Last season we identified one ‘A’ team, the Devils. They went ‘A’WOL.”

1997-98: Colorado Avalanche
“The Detroit blueline without Vladimir Konstantinov isn’t even close to the same quality as the group that won the Cup. His loss takes away the team’s best defender.”

2001-02: Philadelphia Flyers
“Roman Cechmanek’s play last year suggests the Flyers finally have the goalie they have been looking for.”

2002-03: Detroit Red Wings

2003-04: Ottawa Senators

2007-08: Anaheim Ducks

 

[The Panther]

1988 They were for sure.

The only person I remember picking the Oilers to win in 1988 was Don Cherry. And he was definitely in the minority.

Calgary surpassed Edmonton in the standings that year, and the Oilers had beaten the Flames 4 times in the previous 16 matches. Of course, as defending Champs (minus Coffey and Moog), they were one of a handful of teams in the conversation, but they certainly were not clear-cut favorites to win as they had been in 1985 and 1986.

Almost nobody thought they would win anything in 1990.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

THN Yearbook Predictions:

1993-94: New York Rangers
“The fact the Rangers slipped to last in the Patrick Division and out of the playoffs doesn’t mean they’re a bad team. They simply had a bad season. Doing what the Rangers will do is not without precedent. The Penguins, who are generally regarded as championship favorites this season, finished out of the playoffs before they won their first Stanley Cup in 1991.”

1994-95: Detroit Red Wings

1995-96: New Jersey Devils
“Our surprise team this season is the Montreal Canadiens. If Patrick Roy bounces back from a sub-par season...”

1996-97: Colorado Avalanche
“Last season we identified one ‘A’ team, the Devils. They went ‘A’WOL.”

1997-98: Colorado Avalanche
“The Detroit blueline without Vladimir Konstantinov isn’t even close to the same quality as the group that won the Cup. His loss takes away the team’s best defender.”

2001-02: Philadelphia Flyers
“Roman Cechmanek’s play last year suggests the Flyers finally have the goalie they have been looking for.”

2002-03: Detroit Red Wings

2003-04: Ottawa Senators

2007-08: Anaheim Ducks

Interesting. I like the 01-02 prediction. Predicted Philly to win the year that Lindros leaves.

 

[streitz]

The only person I remember picking the Oilers to win in 1988 was Don Cherry. And he was definitely in the minority.

Calgary surpassed Edmonton in the standings that year, and the Oilers had beaten the Flames 4 times in the previous 16 matches. Of course, as defending Champs (minus Coffey and Moog), they were one of a handful of teams in the conversation, but they certainly were not clear-cut favorites to win as they had been in 1985 and 1986.

Almost nobody thought they would win anything in 1990.

Without looking it up I'm pretty sure Gretzky missed like 20 games in 1988? Either way I don't remember them not being favorites that year. I remember people picking the Oilers to beat the Islanders in 83 in the middle of their dynasty lol.



Agreed in 1990, I don't recall anyone talking about them winning in 89 or 90. Although I remember some people thinking they'd win in 91.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

biggest favourite to win? detroit 2002. core of the '97 and '98 championship teams, minus konstantinov, minus murphy, minus lapointe, minus osgood. +chelios, +hasek, +hull, +robitaille.

biggest wtf? i want to say tampa in '04 out of sheer no one was paying attention or noticed that richards, st louis, prospal, and boyle all had phenomenal seasons in '03, but it's probably carolina in '06.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

biggest wtf? i want to say tampa in '04 out of sheer no one was paying attention or noticed that richards, st louis, prospal, and boyle all had phenomenal seasons in '03, but it's probably carolina in '06.

Definitely Carolina. I think people were picking them to finish last in an expectedly weak division. At least Atlanta had Kovalchuk and Hossa. Washington had Ovie. Florida had Luongo. Tampa was the defending champs. Carolina? People though Brind'Amour was past his prime and no one could have predicted a 100 point season from Eric Staal. Defence was all no names. Career backup Martin Gerber was their starting goalie. Their other option was Cam Ward who had no experience.