7 different Champs in 10 years. To the NHLs 6 in 10 years. I thought the NHL is way less predictable?
I would argue that champions isn't a big indicator of predictability.
At the start of the playoffs, I would think that a Preds-Pens final would be very unlikely. Preds low seed combined with the Pens infirmary of a defense corps made it seem very unlikely.
Just taking a quick look, it looks like the last time a division champion (also the last conference champion) made it to the finals was 2013 (Chicago).
Taking a quick look back at the NBA playoffs, it's very rare that the conference champion isn't a division champion. And it's been a long time since the conference champion didn't have home court in the first round.
The past 2 seasons in the NBA has been a slow burn towards the inevitable Warriors-Cavs finals.
There are strong indications that it will happen AGAIN next year. For Cleveland to get knocked off, they are probably going to need an injury, and some combination of Toronto not getting blown up (looking unlikely), Boston integrating their lottery pick and Thomas balling out of his mind again, the Greek Freak making the leap or Washington finally being able to figure it out.
On the West side, the only thing that will keep the Warriors out of the finals would be a SERIES of injuries, or CP3 ending up on the Spurs, and in that case those Spurs would rank as an all-time great team.