Bounces R Way
Registered User
I'm pretty sure it's not possible to only have 5 good teams in a 31-team league - it's all scaled relatively, plus any of the other 26 would beat almost any other team in the world. Those ones could maybe be called "elite" or something.
IMO there are always about ~16 good teams, by construction of the playoffs.
I've watched a lot of hockey this year. Honestly just haven't seen that many good teams. Usually on any given year I'd put it closer to eight.
More than half the league make the playoffs every year, I really don't think you have to be that good to do so. Because there are some outright terrible teams, if all you have to do is be better than the Detroits, Ottawas, New Jerseys, or LAs of the world I have trouble as seeing them as a Stanley Cup threat.