So the Flyers hadn't been swept since 1977? What other teams have that "drought"?

[Big Phil]

The Flyers were swept in 1977 by Boston and then not again until 2011 by........Boston. When I heard this tonight I found it quite impressive. That's quite a long drought for a team to have never been swept with all the playoff hockey the Flyers have played. Even the 1993 Hawks and 2003 Red Wings got swept. It can happen to very good teams.

However, if you want to count the best 3-of-5 series in the first round (changed to best of 7 in 1987) the Flyers were swept in 1984 and 1983. But if we're talking best of 7 (which Cherry was refering to on Coach's Corner) then that's 34 years without a sweep. Impressive.

Click to read more...

 

[Yoshimitsu]

1997, not 1977.

 

[Never]

1997, not 1977.

Yup. Flyers were swept by Detroit in the 1997 cup finals.

 

[Stephen]

As others have mentioned, 1997 not 1977...

 

[Big Phil]

Shoot, I knew I heard it wrong. Ah, blame my wife when I asked her what year he said she said 1977, haha. I knew something was amiss. Yes, who can forget 1997, I know Lindros can't

Well, 14 years without a sweep is hardly something worth writing about. The Leafs haven't been swept since 1981. I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

 

[Stephen]

Shoot, I knew I heard it wrong. Ah, blame my wife when I asked her what year he said she said 1977, haha. I knew something was amiss. Yes, who can forget 1997, I know Lindros can't

Well, 14 years without a sweep is hardly something worth writing about. The Leafs haven't been swept since 1981. I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

Maybe a sweeps vs series played is a more useful benchmark? Though I feel like sweeps aren't even that common...

 

[octopi]

As others have mentioned, 1997 not 1977...

Best. Hockey. Moment. Ever.


Cup around 4 minute mark

 

[charliolemieux]

Shoot, I knew I heard it wrong. Ah, blame my wife when I asked her what year he said she said 1977, haha. I knew something was amiss. Yes, who can forget 1997, I know Lindros can't

Well, 14 years without a sweep is hardly something worth writing about. The Leafs haven't been swept since 1981. I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

Ya you need to be in the playoffs to get swept.

 

[Stephen]

Best. Hockey. Moment. Ever.


Cup around 4 minute mark

Just wait till the Leafs win it, it's going to make that look like a day at the library...

 

[JWells16]

Looking at it quickly, it looks like the Pens haven't been swept since 79 by the Bruins.

 

[Big Phil]

Ya you need to be in the playoffs to get swept.

I try to look at the glass half full.............I try

 

[Big Phil]

Looking at it quickly, it looks like the Pens haven't been swept since 79 by the Bruins.

That might be the longest "drought".

Because just off the top of my head I can think of prominent teams who have been swept more recent (not necessarily THE most recent time for them but certainly since 1979)

Detroit - 2003
Montreal, St. Louis - 2009
Boston - 1993 (more recent?)
Washington, Philly- 2011
Toronto - 1981
NYR - 2006
Vancouver - 2001
Calgary - 1996
Chicago - 1993
New Jersey
St. Louis - 2009
Los Angeles - 2000
Dallas - 2001
Buffalo - 1993

Edmonton, Carolina/Hartford, Quebec/Colorado, Winnipeg/Phoenix weren't in the NHL in the spring of 1979. Tampa, Ottawa, San Jose, Nashville, Columbus, Minnesota, Atlanta, Florida, Anaheim all had franchises in the 1990s which cancels out the chance that they'd have a longer drought than 1979

So that means Pittsburgh DOES have the longest drought of not being swept dating back to 1979. The Leafs are 2nd at 1981. It is important to note that both franchises went through spells of not making the postseason. The Leafs and Pens both had rotten runs in the 1980s and the early 2000s were not kind to the Pens while the later 2000s and currently are not kind to Toronto. But still, not being swept in over 30 years is nice.

 

[Dgill]

I think a more interesting question would be consecutive series played without being swept. That way we can get a better gauge of postseason teams and the playoffs.

 

[Leafs Forever]

It'd be interesting to see longest number of consecutive playoff series (win or lose) without being swept.

 

[Infinite Vision*]

It's funny because they were almost swept by Boston last year too.

 

[reckoning]

Here's the longest current streaks based on number of series played:

Team|Series
Pittsburgh|42
New Jersey|39
Toronto|28
Buffalo|22
Detroit|18
Boston|17
Chicago|16
Anaheim|15
Vancouver|12
Tampa Bay|11
Dallas|8
Calgary|8
Nashville|7
Edmonton|7
NY Rangers|6
Los Angeles|5
Montreal|4
NY Islanders|4
San Jose|2
Minnesota|2
Colorado|1
Ottawa|1
Philadelphia|0
Washington|0
Phoenix|0
Carolina|0
St. Louis|0
Columbus|0
Atlanta|0
Florida|0

 

[reckoning]

The all-time record for most series is held by (naturally) the Montreal Canadiens. They lost the 1952 Final to Detroit in 4 straight, then played in 56 consecutive series without getting swept before losing 3-0 to Edmonton in the first round in 1981.

The current streaks by Pittsburgh and New Jersey are the 2nd and 3rd longest all-time. 4th would be 34 series by the Islanders from 1975-1985.

 

[Epsilon]

Good stuff with the stats in the past few posts guys.

Does anyone have sweeps as a percentage of total playoff series played? (i.e. which teams gets swept the least often relative to their playoff appearances).

 

[seventieslord]

Shoot, I knew I heard it wrong. Ah, blame my wife when I asked her what year he said she said 1977, haha. I knew something was amiss. Yes, who can forget 1997, I know Lindros can't

Well, 14 years without a sweep is hardly something worth writing about. The Leafs haven't been swept since 1981. I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

Yep, I was pretty sure the Leafs hadn't been swept in all the time I have been watching and least a few years prior. Not surprised that they're 3rd on the list.

Actually, I don't think they've won a series in 5 games, in a really long time either. I know they haven't since 1987, at least.

And they only have one sweep in their favour: 2001 vs. Ottawa.

Meaning that in the vast majority of their series, they have won at least a game, and lost at least two. Just about every series they've played since 1987 has been 6 or 7 games.

 

[Infinite Vision*]

That's one of the reasons why Leaf playoff hockey was so entertaining. They always seemed to have had long, entertaining playoff series regardless of who they were playing. Wow it'll be 8 years since they made the playoffs, assuming they make the playoffs next year...

 

[Canadiens1958]

Strategy

That's one of the reasons why Leaf playoff hockey was so entertaining. They always seemed to have had long, entertaining playoff series regardless of who they were playing. Wow it'll be 8 years since they made the playoffs, assuming they make the playoffs next year...

Seems like the Leafs strategy is to not make the playoffs unless they are certain that they will not be swept.

 

[seventieslord]

OK, that was funny.