Playoff All-Star Teams

[Hawkey Town 18]

I thought it would be a fun exercise to try to come up with a post-season all-star team for each year. For now, let's just do the last decade. Hopefully, it will be a fun activity and we can continue to do the remaining decades.

EDIT: Made some changes to go to an Any 3 Forward system instead of LW-C-RW, and also added the 1990's. Here is that list...

2022
McDavid - MacKinnon/Palat/Kucherov
Makar - Fox/Sergachev
Vasilevskiy

2021
Kucherov - Point - Suzuki
Pietrangelo - Hedman/McDonagh
Vasilevskiy*

*Carey Price arguably the second best player in the playoffs

2020
Kucherov - Point - Pavelski/MacKinnon?
Hedman - Heiskanen
Vasilevskiy

2019
Marchand - O'Reilly - Schwartz/Bergeron/Couture?
Pietrangelo - Parayko?
Rask?

2018
Ovechkin - Kuznetsov - Karlsson/Smith?
Carlson - ?
Fleury

2017
Malkin - Crosby - Getzlaf
Karlsson - Josi
Rinne

HM: Guentzal, Forsberg, Subban, Ellis, Ekholm, Anderson

2016
Kessel - Crosby - Couture/Pavelski
Letang - Burns
Jones/Murray

2015
Johnson - Toews - Kane
Keith - Hedman
Lundqvist

2014
Kopitar - Williams/Carter/Kane
Doughty - McDonagh/Keith
Lundqvist

2013
Krejci - Kane - Bickell/Lucic/Toews
Keith - Chara
Rask


2012
Kovalchuk - Kopitar - Brown
Doughty - Salvador
Quick

2011
Krejci - Kesler - Marchand/St. Louis
Chara - Seidenberg
Thomas


2010
Toews - Briere - Cammallari/Kane
Keith - Pronger
Halak


2009
Zetterberg - Malkin - Crosby
Lidstrom - Gonchar
Osgood


2008
Zetterberg - Hossa/Crosby/Datsyuk
Lidstrom - Kronwall
Fleury

(Pick 2 of those 3)

2007
Getzlaf - Alfredsson - Pahlsson
Niedermayer - Pronger
Giguere


2006
Staal - Brind'amour - Pisani
Pronger - Spacek/Niedermayer
Ward


2004
St. Louis - B. Richards - Iginla
Boyle - Regehr
Kiprusoff

2003
Gaborik - Madden - Langenbrunner
Niedermayer - Stevens
Giguere

2002
Forsberg - Yzerman - Sakic/Roberts
Lidstrom - Chelios
Hasek

2001
Elias/Tanguay - Sakic - Hejduk
Blake - Bourque
Roy

(No change here)

2000
Arnott - Modano - Hull
Stevens - D. Hatcher
Brodeur

1999
Modano - Joe Nieuwendyk - Forsberg
Alexei Zhitnik - Sergei Zubov
Dominik Hasek

1998
Tomas Holmstrom - Yzerman - Fedorov
Nicklas Lidstrom - Larry Murphy
Olaf Kolzig

1997
Lindros - Fedorov - C. Lemieux/Sakic
Nicklas Lidstrom - Konstantinov
Mike Vernon

1996
Valeri Kamensky - Joe Sakic - Forsberg
Sandis Ozolinsh - Ed Jovanovski
John Vanbiesbrouck

1995
Stephane Richer - Sergei Fedorov - C. Lemieux
Scott Stevens - Paul Coffey
Martin Brodeur

1994
Pavel Bure - Mark Messier - Trevor Linden
Brian Leetch - Sergei Zubov
Kirk McLean

1993
Gretzky - Gilmour - Carbonneau
Desjardins/Blake/McSorley
Roy

1992
Francis - Lemieux - Jagr/K. Stevens
Chelios - Murphy
Barasso

1991
K. Stevens - Lemieux - Recchi
Bourque - Tinordi
Casey

(No change here...Still tough not to have Neely on there)

1990
Tikkanen - Messier - Neely
Bourque - S. Smith
Ranford

(HM: Craig Simpson)

Here is the original list in the LW-C-RW format...


2010
Cammalleri - Toews - Kane
Keith - Pronger
Halak

(Note: can't remember if Cammalleri played LW or RW during the playoffs, if he played right then Leino goes at LW)

2009
Franzen - Malkin - Havlat???
Lidstrom - Gonchar
Osgood

2008
Datsyuk - Zetterberg - Hossa
Lidstrom - Kronwall
Fleury

2007
Heatley - Getzlaf - Alfredsson
Niedermayer - Pronger
Giguere

2006
Stillman - Brind'amour - Pisani
Pronger - Spacek/Niedermayer
Ward

2004
Modin - B. Richards - Iginla
Boyle - Regehr
Kiprusoff

2003
Friesen/Kariya - Madden - Langenbrunner
Niedermayer - Stevens
Giguere

2002
Roberts - Forsberg - Yzerman
Lidstrom - Chelios
Hasek

2001
Elias/Tanguay - Sakic - Hejduk
Blake - Bourque
Roy

2000
Elias - Modano - Hull
Stevens - D. Hatcher
Brodeur

Click to read more...

 

[kmad]

I think the 2008 goaltender should be Chris Osgood rather than nobody. It's close though.

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

I think the 2008 goaltender should be Chris Osgood rather than nobody. It's close though.

Just caught that myself...fixed

 

[kmad]

List looks good. For 2010 I would put Briere at wing over Cammalleri. Exact position be damned.

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

List looks good. For 2010 I would put Briere at wing over Cammalleri. Exact position be damned.

It's a shame he can't be on there because he had a great playoffs, but I'm going to try to stick to the rules otherwise we're going to have 2-3 centers almost every year. Same thing happens in the regular season. Center is just a much deeper position.

 

[kmad]

Me personally:

2006: Rod Brind'Amour over Eric Staal
2004: Ruslan Fedotenko over Fredrik Modin

And I'm out.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Halak seems like an easy choice for last year, but I'm not so sure I wouldn't choose Niemi. Against the Sharks, he was every bit as good as Halak had been against the Caps or Penguins. The overall play between the Hawks and Sharks was pretty even, yet Chicago swept thanks to some great play from Niemi.

I found his play in the other rounds to be somewhat Grant Fuhr-like. He had the odd hiccup (Series openers against Nashville, Vancouver), but he was able to shut the door when he needed to. He never let in that goal that could have turned the momentum in a series. I found a lot of people were quick to blame him after any loss and lament the fact that goaltending would be the Hawks downfall, and slow to praise him after he played a key role in a win, and eventually a championship.

 

[Derick*]

Halak seems like an easy choice for last year, but I'm not so sure I wouldn't choose Niemi. Against the Sharks, he was every bit as good as Halak had been against the Caps or Penguins. The overall play between the Hawks and Sharks was pretty even, yet Chicago swept thanks to some great play from Niemi.

I found his play in the other rounds to be somewhat Grant Fuhr-like. He had the odd hiccup (Series openers against Nashville, Vancouver), but he was able to shut the door when he needed to. He never let in that goal that could have turned the momentum in a series. I found a lot of people were quick to blame him after any loss and lament the fact that goaltending would be the Hawks downfall, and slow to praise him after he played a key role in a win, and eventually a championship.

What are you saying? All our shots were peripheral because they were too fast for us to play our puck possession game so we never got a good breakout. Their defense, depth and speed destroyed us. Goaltending was definitely not the difference in that series.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

2000 - Derian Hatcher over either Niedermayer or Bourque. The guy was a beast and led Dallas in ice time with 27:40 (over a minute more than Zubov).

Goalie is really a tossup between Brodeur and Belfour. I guess in the case of a tossup, give it to the winning goaltender.

I like your 2001. I'd probably pick Elias over Tanguay for the wing, because I think he was more of a catalyst of his line.

It's really a shame that you can't pick both Forsberg and Yzerman in 2002. By far the best two forwards. That season. Either would be better than Hull. But if you want to stick to a strict LW-C-RW lineup, this is probably the best one.

2003 is perfect. I'd probably go with Friesen over Kariya - more points and more goals, plus he scored the winning goal in the waning minutes of Game 7 of the ECFs.

Agree with 2004. Tough to see Modin there over St. Louis, but sticking with a strict LW-C-RW, it works out that way.

2005... worst hockey season ever.

2006 - Definitely Brind'amour over Staal. He led the Canes in ice time (over any dman) and was Mr. Clutch in every situation. Led the team in goals, but well behind Staal in points. Just watching the playoffs though, Brind'amour had more of an impact. I'd pick Niedermayer over Spacek - Spacek was good but it was obvious who was carrying that pair. Agree with the rest (with the usual disclaimer that Staal should go over Stillman if it is just 3 forwards).

2007 - Tough to leave Lidstrom off, but you have to pick the guys you did.

2008 - Didn't Datsyuk and Zetterberg spend most of the playoffs on the same line? That lets you pick both of them (Datsyuk at LW over Franzen). I take Kronwall over Rafalski - same points and a better rounded game. I would probably pick Fleury over Osgood - I just think he carried the team more.

2009 - Sucks not to be able to use Crosby. Did Franzen actually play LW or did he play on the right sometimes? If he played on the right, you can give the LW spot to Ovechkin (who was slightly better than Havlat, the best RW). I would definitely pick Osgood this time, though. He was actually talked about as a Smythe candidate heading into the finals, and his numbers are a lot better than Fleury's all round.

2010 - strange to have a non-finalist goalie as the guy, but you have to have Halak. I agree with your choices.

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

What are you saying? All our shots were peripheral because they were too fast for us to play our puck possession game so we never got a good breakout. Their defense, depth and speed destroyed us. Goaltending was definitely not the difference in that series.

Hawks still would have won, but the difference in goaltending probably made it go from a 6 game series to a sweep.

 

[Sens Rule]

Halak seems like an easy choice for last year, but I'm not so sure I wouldn't choose Niemi. Against the Sharks, he was every bit as good as Halak had been against the Caps or Penguins. The overall play between the Hawks and Sharks was pretty even, yet Chicago swept thanks to some great play from Niemi.

I found his play in the other rounds to be somewhat Grant Fuhr-like. He had the odd hiccup (Series openers against Nashville, Vancouver), but he was able to shut the door when he needed to. He never let in that goal that could have turned the momentum in a series. I found a lot of people were quick to blame him after any loss and lament the fact that goaltending would be the Hawks downfall, and slow to praise him after he played a key role in a win, and eventually a championship.

I can see what you are saying but Halak was a one man show, especially vs Washington. Washington badly outplayed the Habs and Halak shut them down and it was against the best team in the regular season. I do not think Niemi was close to as good as Halak.

Osgood always got the same disrespect as Niemi did last season but he actually played well in the playoffs the two times the Wings made the final recently. Niemi actually was very average. I would say that 20 other goalies could have won the Cup with that Chicago team behind them. Doubtful many goalies are going to beat Pittsburgh and Washington with that Habs team behind them. Maybe a couple of goalies but not the average goalie in the league.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Actually now that I think about it, I would strongly consider Jason Arnott over Mike Modano in 2000. He was the only Devils forward who wasn't physically dominated by Hatcher in the finals, and he really led the Devils offense in the finals, as well as opening up room for Sykora and Elias. There were actually some outside calls in NJ to give Arnott the Conn Smythe award (though most agreed with the Stevens choice; Arnott was seen as the most impactful offensive player).

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

2000 - Derian Hatcher over either Niedermayer or Bourque. The guy was a beast and led Dallas in ice time with 27:40 (over a minute more than Zubov).

This makes sense

Goalie is really a tossup between Brodeur and Belfour. I guess in the case of a tossup, give it to the winning goaltender.

I was thinking the same way, just gave it to the guy that won.

I like your 2001. I'd probably pick Elias over Tanguay for the wing, because I think he was more of a catalyst of his line.

I was leaning towards Elias, but I remembered Tanguay's 2 goals in Game 7, so I put them both on there. I would like to hear other people's opinions on this. It's also tough not to have one single Devil on the team.

It's really a shame that you can't pick both Forsberg and Yzerman in 2002. By far the best two forwards. That season. Either would be better than Hull. But if you want to stick to a strict LW-C-RW lineup, this is probably the best one.

So who wins this between Forsberg and Yzerman? Once again, I'd probably have to default to the guy that won.

2006 - Definitely Brind'amour over Staal. He led the Canes in ice time (over any dman) and was Mr. Clutch in every situation. Led the team in goals, but well behind Staal in points. Just watching the playoffs though, Brind'amour had more of an impact. I'd pick Niedermayer over Spacek - Spacek was good but it was obvious who was carrying that pair. Agree with the rest (with the usual disclaimer that Staal should go over Stillman if it is just 3 forwards).

Brind'amour for sure. I forgot how good he was that year, had a great plus/minus and you know he was getting the other team's best.

2008 - Didn't Datsyuk and Zetterberg spend most of the playoffs on the same line? That lets you pick both of them (Datsyuk at LW over Franzen). I take Kronwall over Rafalski - same points and a better rounded game. I would probably pick Fleury over Osgood - I just think he carried the team more.

After a quick google search it does appear that they played on the same line. Can't find out who played Center though. If it's Zetterberg then he's the easy pick with Datsyuk on the left. If it's Datsyuk then there may be some debate between him and Crosby. Can anyone help on this?

2009 - Sucks not to be able to use Crosby. Did Franzen actually play LW or did he play on the right sometimes? If he played on the right, you can give the LW spot to Ovechkin (who was slightly better than Havlat, the best RW). I would definitely pick Osgood this time, though. He was actually talked about as a Smythe candidate heading into the finals, and his numbers are a lot better than Fleury's all round.

Not sure about Franzen. Can anyone help with this?

 

[Derick*]

2008/2009 goaltenders should be switched. Each was better the year they lost.

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

Actually now that I think about it, I would strongly consider Jason Arnott over Mike Modano in 2000. He was the only Devils forward who wasn't physically dominated by Hatcher in the finals, and he really led the Devils offense in the finals, as well as opening up room for Sykora and Elias. There were actually some outside calls in NJ to give Arnott the Conn Smythe award (though most agreed with the Stevens choice; Arnott was seen as the most impactful offensive player).

I did consider Arnott, especially since he scored the Cup winner in OT. The main thing that made me choose Modano was that he averaged 9 more minutes a game! (He also scored 3 more points and 2 more goals including the OT winner in Game 5 of the Finals)

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

i haven't read through the discussion, but here is my take, changes in bold:

2010
Cammalleri - Toews - briere
seabrook - Pronger
Halak

2009
zetterberg - Malkin - franzen
Lidstrom - Gonchar
Osgood

am i mistaken or doesn't franzen play RW? and wasn't this the year they put zetterberg on datsyuk's wing?

2008
malone? - Zetterberg - Hossa
Lidstrom - Kronwall
Fleury

2007
Heatley - Getzlaf - Alfredsson
Niedermayer - Pronger
Giguere

heatley begrudgingly. not nearly as good as his numbers-- am tempted to take moen

2006
Stillman - Brind'amour - Pisani
Pronger - tallinder
Ward

if tallinder doesn't get hurt at the end of the 3rd round, that's danny briere raising that cup

2004
fedotenko - B. Richards - Iginla
Boyle - Regehr
Kiprusoff

2003
Friesen - Madden - Langenbrunner
Niedermayer - Stevens
Giguere

2002
Roberts - Forsberg/Yzerman - Hull
Lidstrom - Chelios
irbe

nice call on roberts. poor sens

2001
Tanguay - Sakic - Hejduk
Blake - Bourque
Roy

tanguay: two goals and an assist in game seven. plus, that line deserves to be recognized as a whole

2000
Elias - arnott - Hull
Stevens - D. Hatcher
Brodeur

am tempted to go with matvichuk over hatcher, but can't remember if it was 2000 or 1999 that matvichuk was unreal

 

[Briere Up There*]

Briere deserves a spot, for sure. I thought he was better than any other forward last year.

 

[kmad]

Briere deserves a spot, for sure. I thought he was better than any other forward last year.

Apparently he was a center... it would be sacrilege not to have Toews at center.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Good call on Irbe for 2002. I agree with it.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

To go back a little farther

1995
Stephane Richer - Sergei Fedorov - Claude Lemieux
Scott Stevens - Paul Coffey
Martin Brodeur

1996
Valeri Kamensky - Joe Sakic - Ray Sheppard/Jaromir Jagr?
Sandis Ozolinsh - Ed Jovanovski
John Vanbiesbrouck

1997
Brendan Shanahan - Sergei Fedorov - Claude Lemieux
Nicklas Lidstrom - Janne Niinimaa/Sandis Ozolinsh/Vladimir Konstantinov?
Mike Vernon

1998
Tomas Holmstrom - Steve Yzerman - Peter Bondra/Martin Lapointe?
Nicklas Lidstrom - Larry Murphy
Olaf Kolzig

1999
Jere Lehtinen - Joe Nieuwendyk - Jamie Langenbrunner
Alexei Zhitnik - Sergei Zubov
Dominik Hasek

I hate putting Nieuwencyk over Modano, but I feel a Conn Smythe means you have to be on the team.

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

To go back a little farther

1995
Stephane Richer - Sergei Fedorov - Claude Lemieux
Scott Stevens - Paul Coffey
Martin Brodeur

1996
Valeri Kamensky - Joe Sakic - Ray Sheppard/Jaromir Jagr?
Sandis Ozolinsh - Ed Jovanovski
John Vanbiesbrouck

1997
Brendan Shanahan - Sergei Fedorov - Claude Lemieux
Nicklas Lidstrom - Janne Niinimaa/Sandis Ozolinsh/Vladimir Konstantinov?
Mike Vernon

1998
Tomas Holmstrom - Steve Yzerman - Peter Bondra/Martin Lapointe?
Nicklas Lidstrom - Larry Murphy
Olaf Kolzig

1999
Jere Lehtinen - Joe Nieuwendyk - Jamie Langenbrunner
Alexei Zhitnik - Sergei Zubov
Dominik Hasek

I hate putting Nieuwencyk over Modano, but I feel a Conn Smythe means you have to be on the team.

Good list

1999 - It may not be justified, but I would like to see Brett Hull in over Langenbrunner. He played through injury and scored the (in)famous Cup winner. Very tough year with Modano and Belfour both not making it with Smythe level performances.

1998 - Have to give it to Lapointe. Another year where two centers would be more appropriate (Fedorov)

1997 - Definitely Konstantinov for the 2nd defenseman. I have read articles about how much of a problem he was for Lindros in the Finals and also Forsberg in the Conference Finals.Here is one

1996 - Love the Jovanovski pick

1995 - Homerism for Chelios over Coffey

 

[kmad]

1994:

Pavel Bure - Mark Messier - Trevor Linden
Brian Leetch - Sergei Zubov
Kirk McLean

 

[Hawkey Town 18]

1994:

Pavel Bure - Mark Messier - Trevor Linden
Brian Leetch - Sergei Zubov
Kirk McLean

Linden played Center with Bure on the RW. Linden had a great playoff, but I don't see him winning out over Messier. LW is between Geoff Courtnall and Adam Graves. I'd go with Courtnall

 

[nik jr]

yzerman played RW in '02 and was better than hull.

datsyuk played LW in '08 and was better than franzen, who also played LW in '09.


i might put briere ahead of toews. briere was a much bigger factor in the finals and scored many big goals, including vs boston. leino plays RW. hartnell plays LW.

 

[HangFromRafts]

yzerman played RW in '02 and was better than hull.

datsyuk played LW in '08 and was better than franzen, who also played LW in '09.


i might put briere ahead of toews. briere was a much bigger factor in the finals and scored many big goals, including vs boston. leino plays RW. hartnell plays LW.

Agree here. For 2010 Briere ahead of Toews for sure. It's a bit strange, although Briere was the leading scorer last year, he got awfully little press/recognition