Chicago vs Pittsburgh: Which is the greater franchise in this generation?

[Maestro84]

The Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins have unquestionably been the two greatest franchises of this generation (post-lockout). They've combined to win 6 cups since '09, and appear in 7 cup finals since '08. But which franchise has been greater? Is it the pens who won back-to-back cups, or the Blackhawks who won their three total cups in a considerably shorter time frame?

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[Hockeyholic]

Pittsburgh because of back to back

 

[StarvinArvyn33]

PIT

They've yet to fizzle even if CHI is a temp setback

 

[Gurglesons]

Since the lockout I think it is impossible to argue any other team outside of the Pens. Back to back Cups another Cup and another SCF appearance to go along with another ECF appearance.

Not to mention they’ve made the playoffs every year since 06-07.

 

[Megahab]

Has to be Pittsburgh I think.

One more finals appearance and only one missed playoff, compared to Chicago's four missed playoffs.

 

[PenguinSpeed]

Has to be Pittsburgh I think.

One more finals appearance and only one missed playoff, compared to Chicago's four missed playoffs.

-The Penguins have not missed the playoffs since 2006-2007

Cups

Pens-3, possibly 4
Hawks-3

SCF Finals Appearances

Pens-4, possibly 5
Hawks-3

Conference Finals Appearances

Pens-5, possibly 6
Hawks-5

Playoff Appearances

Pens-12
Hawks-9

Playoff Series Wins

Pens-20
Hawks-16

Overall Playoff wins

Pens-98
Hawks-76

Game 7 losses

Pens-3
Hawks-3


-Not all that close.

 

[Snippit]

Pens due to extra finals appearance

But Chicago's cup wins were more dominant.

 

[Loseipeg]

Winning a cup in 2009 and then disappearing from relevance for 7 years is horrible no matter how you cut it. Look at this pens fan saying “possibly 4” cups lmfao. Theyre about to get tossed.

Factor in that the east wa a joke until a year ago this whole time and the fact the hawks have flat out OWNED the pens and its the hawks by a mile.

 

[DJN21]

Salary cap under the new cba...

 

[PenguinSpeed]

Winning a cup in 2009 and then disappearing from relevance for 7 years is horrible no matter how you cut it. Look at this pens fan saying “possibly 4” cups lmfao. Theyre about to get tossed.

Factor in that the east wa a joke until a year ago this whole time and the fact the hawks have flat out OWNED the pens and its the hawks by a mile.

Disappearing

The act of:

A) Missing the playoffs- Blackhawks
B) Finishing last in division- Blackhawks
C) Not winning a playoff series in 3 years-Blackhawks
D) Looking like a future doormat in division- Blackhawks
E) All the above- Blackhawks

 

[Loseipeg]

Disappearing

The act of:

A) Missing the playoffs- Blackhawks
B) Finishing last in division- Blackhawks
C) Not winning a playoff series in 3 years-Blackhawks
D) Looking like a future doormat in division- Blackhawks
E) All the above- Blackhawks

“Possibly 4 cups” hahahahhahahahahah

 

[Turin]

Winning a cup in 2009 and then disappearing from relevance for 7 years is horrible no matter how you cut it. Look at this pens fan saying “possibly 4” cups lmfao. Theyre about to get tossed.

Factor in that the east wa a joke until a year ago this whole time and the fact the hawks have flat out OWNED the pens and its the hawks by a mile.

The Hawks owned the Pens? In what, annual December games? Congrats.

 

[Loseipeg]

The Hawks owned the Pens? In what, annual December games? Congrats.

Pretty much every single game the past 6-7 years yeah.

 

[Turin]

Pretty much every single game the past 6-7 years yeah.

Sure means a lot. As for the East being weak, you realize the Pens had to go through the Presidents Trophy winner in the 2nd round twice right?

 

[RebuildinVan]

Too bad they never faced each other in the finals

 

[Loseipeg]

Sure means a lot. As for the East being weak, you realize the Pens had to go through the Presidents Trophy winner in the 2nd round twice right?

The east being garbage is a well known fact that was discussed in these forums nonstop. Pens even got swept by a boston team that got smoked in the final. Kings and hawks were a different tier and the se ond tier west teams were far better too.

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

Pens due to extra finals appearance

But Chicago's cup wins were more dominant.

how so?

all of the hawks wins took 6 games with many OT games

the pens won 2 cups in 6 games in more dominating fashion, the cup in 2009 took 7 games against a wings team far better than the teams the hawks beat

it's not close the numbers support the pens, winning 3 cups in 6 years doesn't make up for missing the playoffs multiple times and one less cup appearance, which again was against a wings team many consider to be the best post lockout, 2008 pens would've beaten the flyers and lightning too

also factor in all the hart, rocket, and art ross trophies the pens are clearly the best post lockout

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

The east being garbage is a well known fact that was discussed in these forums nonstop. Pens even got swept by a boston team that got smoked in the final. Kings and hawks were a different tier and the se ond tier west teams were far better too.

yes "well known fact" from the same people that thought the sharks would steamroll the pens LOL

 

[ColbyChaos]

Each side has a flaw in crowning them the beter team

Pit needing generational talents and all of those underachieving seasons prior to 2016 (in which Chicago won 3 before Pit even got to #2)

Chicago not having a back to back and only having a 2 in 3 with what was essentially a cup final loss against LA sandwiched in the middle (La stopped what would have been a 3 peat as they had 3 deep runs in a row)

You could argue for pit over the back to back and you could argue Chicago over doing it without generational help and having a ridiculous amount of cap casualty players that became stars/top line guys on other teams (Leddy, Buff, Ladd, Teuvo,Campbell, Raanta, etc)

Overall everyone will just continue to argue over who they hated less/liked more

 

[PenguinSpeed]

Too bad they never faced each other in the finals

-They did. The Pens beat the Hawks 4-0 in the Finals.

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

Each side has a flaw in crowning them the beter team

Pit needing generational talents and all of those underachieving seasons prior to 2016 (in which Chicago won 3 before Pit even got to #2)

Chicago not having a back to back and only having a 2 in 3 with what was essentially a cup final loss against LA sandwiched in the middle (La stopped what would have been a 3 peat as they had 3 deep runs in a row)

You could argue for pit over the back to back and you could argue Chicago over doing it without generational help and having a ridiculous amount of cap casualty players that became stars/top line guys on other teams (Leddy, Buff, Ladd, Teuvo,Campbell, Raanta, etc)

Overall everyone will just continue to argue over who they hated less/liked more

how does a hypothetical 3peat for chicago and penalizing the pens for having generational talents help Chicago's case?

you would be a lousy lawyer

 

[Loseipeg]

-They did. The Pens beat the Hawks 4-0 in the Finals.

Embarrassing lol. Possibly 4 cups. Lol.

 

[ColbyChaos]

how so?

all of the hawks wins took 6 games with many OT games

the pens won 2 cups in 6 games in more dominating fashion, the cup in 2009 took 7 games against a wings team far better than the teams the hawks beat

it's not close the numbers support the pens, winning 3 cups in 6 years doesn't make up for missing the playoffs multiple times and one less cup appearance, which again was against a wings team many consider to be the best post lockout, 2008 pens would've beaten the flyers and lightning too

also factor in all the hart, rocket, and art ross trophies the pens are clearly the best post lockout

All of Pit's wins needed a minimum of 6 as well not sure why that is brought up

09 Wings had Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Hossa, and Z all playing injured and they didnt dominate play as well as the 08 Wings did.

08 Pens would not be the favorite against the 15 lightning and the 13 Bruins nor would the 16 Sharks at the very least. Even when it comes to cup teams 13 Chicago would be the heavy favorite in a matchup against any of Pit's teams

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

All of Pit's wins needed a minimum of 6 as well not sure why that is brought up

09 Wings had Lidstrom, Datsyuk, Hossa, and Z all playing injured and they didnt dominate play as well as the 08 Wings did.

08 Pens would not be the favorite against the 15 lightning and the 13 Bruins nor would the 16 Sharks at the very least. Even when it comes to cup teams 13 Chicago would be the heavy favorite in a matchup against any of Pit's teams

that wings team in 09 beat your hawks in 5 while they were even more injured, the wings in 2013 without lidstrom and the rest being past their prime took your 2013 hawks to game 7 OT

08 pens lost only 2 playoff games before the final, they were a juggernaut that ran into a bigger more experienced juggernaut

easy to say not the 16 sharks weren't that good, most of the experts and people here picked them to win the cup, maybe the pens just made them look bad

 

[ColbyChaos]

that wings team in 09 beat your hawks in 5 while they were even more injured, the wings in 2013 without lidstrom and the rest being past their prime took your 2013 hawks to game 7 OT

08 pens lost only 2 playoff games before the final, they were a juggernaut that ran into a bigger more experienced juggernaut

easy to say not the 16 sharks weren't that good, most of the experts and people here picked them to win the cup, maybe the pens just made them look bad

We can go back and forth on this all night if you want, Pit needed 7 against a Tampa team that didnt have their starting goalie, no Stamkos through games 1-6, and they needed 6 against a Nashville team that had Colton Sissons as their 1C with no Johansen, Fiala, and Ellis having a torn MCL. Pit also needed game 7OT against a sens team that didnt make the playoffs the previous year (2016) and the following year (2018) on top of an injured Karlsson. Acting as if only Chicago struggled against some teams is just being comical. (insert terrible lawyer comment here)