Saddest Franchise Fall from Grace: Detroit, Toronto, NY Isles, or Edmonton?

[solidmotion]

all good teams are alike; all bad teams are bad in their own way
—tolstoy

...no but ok it really is hard to choose between these, they are all sad... maybe i would agree after all that even though it isn't an option montreal's fall is the saddest... toronto is just funny (i say this as a leafs fan), detroit came out the other side so who cares, edmonton and islanders i dunno, they only had one great era each, both of which have been completely overshadowed by decades of futility, so it seems almost like a trivia point to casual fans that they were ever good... (sorry)... but montreal, that's the greatest franchise of all time, not to win a cup or have a single superstar player for a quarter century, it's unthinkable...

 

[a79krgm]

More on the "Darkness with Harkness Era"

The controversial final year of Gordie Howe’s career with the Red Wings

 

[Cursed Lemon]

"Montreal came from a winning tradition." Uh, and the Wings didn't? 4/6 seasons before 1967 they lost in the Cup finals, then they won one playoff series in twenty years. That's a fast, hard fall.

 

[blood gin]

I would say 2012 would be included in the Devils grace period. They solidified themselves as a consistent, winning franchise in 1990 and that lasted all the way until 2012. 2003-2012 they had Cup contending squads that endured some awful playoff luck and heartbreak. But they only missed the playoffs once 03-12

 

[rfournier103]

Considering their track record and length of time as a dynastic team, I have to go with the Montreal Canadiens.

However, the Edmonton Oilers spent less time at the top, but have been more of a train wreck.

So, I kind of think it’s a tie, but a bit of a different kind of fall from grace for each.

 

[Hobnobs]

Considering their track record and length of time as a dynastic team, I have to go with the Montreal Canadiens.

However, the Edmonton Oilers spent less time at the top, but have been more of a train wreck.

So, I kind of think it’s a tie, but a bit of a different kind of fall from grace for each.

Id say Islanders had a worse direct fall though. Oilers went from dynasty to competitive to trainwreck. Islander went from dynasty - trainwreck within a matter of a year. Isles did have two .500+ seasons in the middle of it but then they really plunged into the valley of unhappiness.

 

[Big Phil]

I guess you have to go with Toronto here. In 1967 they had one - count 'em ONE - fewer Cup than Montreal. I honestly think the Ballard era started after 1967 and went until he croaked. Only once 1993 came were the Leafs important again. Yes they had some decent teams in the 1970s but they got killed in the playoffs by the Habs in the late 1970s, it wasn't even close. Too many times Ballard made things personal. He traded Laurie Boschman because he was a Christian, he traded McDonald just to spite Sittler. He refused to trade Keon's rights just out of sheer personal grudges, even though it would have made the team better. Parent was let go too in the 1970s and look what happened. And as bad of a fall from grace as this decade was it went even further in the 1980s. Ballard was entertaining, but that's where it ends. I wouldn't want him anywhere near my hockey team. Only once Cliff Fletcher came aboard did the old alumni feel welcome to return. Paul Henderson of all people was at Maple Leaf Gardens talking to then GM Gord Stellick in the 1980s. Ballard saw this and immediately ordered Stellick to kick Henderson out. Henderson left willingly and knew Stellick didn't want to do this.

Lots of people were hurt during this era. Old reliable King Clancy was sort of like a gopher for Ballard and would do anything because he was so loyal to the Leafs. There would be players that would specifically tell the Leafs not to draft them. I think this has to be the lowest of the lows because this was such a proud franchise at one point.

 

[Big Phil]

The rest of them outside of the Leafs are close of course. Isles have been irrelevant since the 1980s. Red Wings did have that "Dead Things" era too. The Habs, although not part of this thread, do come to mind because they won a Cup in every single decade up until the 2000s and now the 2010s. Considering that this was always a team people feared, even in the 1980s, it is a little sad even to this day to see what they've done to themselves in the last 25 years. I have often said this, that the Roy trade in 1995 was the last straw of this franchise. You just never saw the Habs be so publicly dysfunctional before that. We were used to seeing the Leafs do this, but never the storied Habs, never. Then the Forum closed in March 1996 and there was just never the same "feel" with that uniform since. The Yankees have had their moments too (1965-1975) and after 1981 for the next 15 years after, but they always seem to come back from it. Montreal hasn't.

The Oilers................hmmm. Yeah a fall from grace after the early 1990s for sure. But at least they had a dynasty to show for it. I think this current crop of Oilers is much worse because you have the best player of his generation on a team that keeps missing the playoffs and it is just literally bad for the game to see this sort of talent wasted. Worse, is that it was just poor management by the team. Trades that a casual fan knew were horrible and no interest in shoring up the team's needs. This is sad even if you aren't an Oilers fan because it is bad for hockey to see Connor McDavid in a dumpster.

 

[The Panther]

Montreal was the best team in N.A. pro-sports between 1952-53 and 1992-93, as far as I'm concerned (okay, if you isolate the 60s, it's the Boston Celtics). For this period, they won 18 championships in 41 years -- almost one every two years for 41 long seasons. Specifically, between 1955-56 and 1978-79, they won the Cup 15 times in 24 years, which is completely ridiculous. But for the entire 41-year period I mentioned, in addition to the 18 Cups they also finished in 1st (in the League / their division) 23 times. For those 41 years, they had a cumulative 64.3 win% (the next-best in that period is Edmonton, with only 13 franchise seasons, at 58.2%).

But, we couldn't realistically expect that kind of thing to continue. Maybe today, the Habs are just back to where they were between 1917-18 and 1951-52: Good, but not great.

 

[Inkling]

I agree with Toronto here. The fall from grace wasn't just on the ice, but it extended throughout the organization. They alienated the great players from the past, they actively destroyed their history, there were off-ice criminal scandals, there was nothing left untouched.

 

[Hobnobs]

If I were to rank them

1. Red Wings. The Dead Things rivals expansion teams when it comes to their ineptitude to field a competitive team during that era.
2. Maple Leafs. Close second. They were a bit more competitive during their fall from grace which isnt saying alot.
3. Islanders. As described above. Went from dynasty to tire fire seemingly over night.
4. Oilers. Stayed competitive for a long time after the dynasty years. Just couldnt keep up anymore in a canadian market and fell pretty hard under various incompetent GMs. How Chia managed to be worse than Tambellini is beyond me.

The habs doesnt belong in this conversation because they have never fielded a team worse than these four except for 4 seasons spread out before 1945.

 

[Sentinel]

My favorite go-to factoid for Leafs' fans who get defensive (or proud, the latter is harder to fathom) is that the last time the Leafs won three playoff rounds was 1932.

This is a bit misleading. The Leafs could not have won more than two playoff rounds in each of their 60s wins even if they wanted.

 

[Hobnobs]

This is a bit misleading. The Leafs could not have won more than two playoff rounds in each of their 60s wins even if they wanted.

Hush, its true and funny as hell.

 

[steve141]

Fifty year old men have never experienced a Maple Leaf Stanley Cup. Fifty years ago it was perfectly sensible to debate whether the Canadiens or the Leafs were the greatest franchise ever. Today its not even close. I consider the entire period since 1967 to be their fall from grace compared to the rest of the league.

 

[adsfan]

According to this:
NHL.com - Stats

They had 8 wins or more in the playoff only 2 times since then.

Montreal: 2
Boston: 2
Blues: 2
Canucks: 2
Caps: 2
Flames: 1
Oilers: 1
Panthers: 1 - First season 1993-94. They actually do belong in this list.
Wild: 1 - First season 2000-01, 7 years before they played a NHL game in this time period.
Preds: 1 - First season 1998-99, so 5 years before they ever hit the ice!
Coyotes:1

About 10 teams did it has many or less times than them.

And other way to look at it, since 92-93 they are 19 in playoff wins, that even worst than the Leafs 63 and #13 in regular season wins.

That around mediocre in a 30 teams league, but not much worst than mediocre if it is.

But I agree with the lack of top end offensive talents, some season were Rucinsky-Petrov-Brunet were kind of our top scorers because Koivu was always injured were really pathetic, outside Kovalev one season and some of Koivu when he was playing we kind of never had an offensive talent since the days Turgeon/Reechi/Damphousse left, the attention have been so much on the goaltender for decades, that arguably make it worst, when you do not have success but see a Kowalchuk/McDavid play it must be nicer.

Make that 8 teams if you want to be fair about using 1993!

"Lies, damn lies and statistics" - Benjamin Disraeli, died 1881.

I have been watching hockey since 1964. Toronto gets my vote.

 

[Hobnobs]

Fifty year old men have never experienced a Maple Leaf Stanley Cup. Fifty years ago it was perfectly sensible to debate whether the Canadiens or the Leafs were the greatest franchise ever. Today its not even close. I consider the entire period since 1967 to be their fall from grace compared to the rest of the league.

50 year old men havent experienced Blues win a cup either

 

[HawkNut]

What exactly would constitute the end of Edmonton's fall from grace?

 

[Hobnobs]

What exactly would constitute the end of Edmonton's fall from grace?

Being competitive again?

 

[HawkNut]

Being competitive again?

For how long? They made the playoffs two years ago, and many people, myself included, thought they'd win multiple Cups.

How many years running do they need to make the playoffs and how far do they need to go in the playoffs?

 

[Hobnobs]

For how long? They made the playoffs two years ago, and many people, myself included, thought they'd win multiple Cups.

How many years running do they need to make the playoffs and how far do they need to go in the playoffs?

They dont have to make the playoffs. Just consistently not suck. Red Wings fall from grace didnt end in 97 but in the mid 80s for example. If Oilers return to how they were in the 90s that the end of the dark period imo.

 

[HawkNut]

They dont have to make the playoffs. Just consistently not suck. Red Wings fall from grace didnt end in 97 but in the mid 80s for example. If Oilers return to how they were in the 90s that the end of the dark period imo.

I'm just wonder what you would define that as - three years/five years.

 

[Hobnobs]

I'm just wonder what you would define that as - three years/five years.

10+ years.

 

[The Panther]

This is a bit misleading. The Leafs could not have won more than two playoff rounds in each of their 60s wins even if they wanted.

Is it misleading...? Or is it just sad? You decide:

"O6" Franchises: Most recent time winning three or more playoff rounds:
2015 -- Chicago
2014 -- New York
2013 -- Boston
2009 -- Detroit
1993 -- Montreal
1932 -- Toronto

 

[Big Phil]

Is it misleading...? Or is it just sad? You decide:

"O6" Franchises: Most recent time winning three or more playoff rounds:
2015 -- Chicago
2014 -- New York
2013 -- Boston
2009 -- Detroit
1993 -- Montreal
1932 -- Toronto

Both, in a way. After 1942 and up until 1967 the Leafs had their best years and it was only two playoff rounds. They have no excuse post 1967 though. Either way, that just looks horrible.

 

[Nerowoy nora tolad]

50 year old men havent experienced Blues win a cup either

This aged well