Some what ifs about the 1970s...

[snuffelapagus]

That is a bit much. With Dryden, they probably make the early 80's more interesting, and maybe get 1 cup from the Isles, but the Isles were way too good of a team from top to bottom not to get at least 3 of the 4 IMO.

Agreed. Athough he's probably my favorite goalie ever, Dryden was done after the '79 playoffs. He wisely made his career decision, likely after repeatedly listening to to Neil Young's supplications on Rust Never Sleeps. As a result his legend remains intact.

Even if Bowman and Lemaire carried on after '79 along with Dryden (Cournoyer was no longer a significant contributer) and Lapointe and Savard could have stayed even remotely healthy, I still feel the Habs probably did not have another cup in them. I would love to believe otherwise, but I have never been able to convince myself.

 

[Hasbro]

Colorado Rockies: Has to be on the shortlist of most inept management teams in history. Constantly turned over assets for worthless slugs and only had one good trade with Lanny McDonald (and besting Ballard in a trade was nothing to brag about.) Traded the #1 overall pick twice (thankfully for our sanity Wickenheiser and Kluzak never lit the world on fire), they spent a good 3 years threatening to move to Jersey before following through, had the #1 in the greatest draft ever and took Rob Ramage (good player, but Ray Borque was the next Dman picked). Masters of good timing moved into town during the Orange Crush's run to the Super Bowl and ended their run when the oil market busted.

So no Devils, we don't spend 13 years in the wilderness, our baseball team goes by Bears, DU and CC avoid becoming celar dwellers for much of the 80's and we have to put up with whining that our team is killing hockey with the trap instead of stealing the Nordiques.

76 Olympics in Denver: Denver originally awarded the 1976 Winter Olympics, but anti-growth politicians here scuttled funding for the games. As a result the 1976 games were in Innsbruk and Lake Placid got the 80 games in part to make up for 76. So does the US get a Bicentenial miracle? Herb Brooks stay at Minnesota? The US ever start producing great players.

Atlanta Flames: Moved because of an ownershiup change rather than a lack of support. When and how does Calgary get a team? When the NHL expands in the southeast is it seen as an abomination?

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

Since no one else has said it, what if communist players could play in North America? Kharlamov, Mikhailov, Maltsev, Tretiak, Vasiliev, Petrov, Holocek, Pospisil, Martinec etc could have changed the landscape significantly.

 

[Hockeynomad]

Bobby Orr played his "best" up till 1972 and after that knee surgery in summer of 72, today they call it a butcher job, I noticed he was never the same.

http://intlhockey.1.forumer.com/index.php?showforum=1

 

[Howatt8*]

dude what ...

If the Red Army team hadn't marched into North America during the 75-76 season, the Broad Street Bullies would have been lucky, not good.
The Flyers defeated the talented Red Army, validating Philly as a hockey power instead of a sideshow. They would have just been a bunch of thugs who were lucky to win two Cups. Instead, they were legitimized by that win over the Soviets moreso than their "fluke" Cup win over Boston or that expansion series triumph over Buffalo.
Media everywhere announced warnings when Philly was coming to town. Other cities hated the Philly style of play. After the two Soviet teams did some damage in NHL arenas, even the NY media was singing Philly's praises.
I don't think Philly would have won more or less, but that team in that era is remembered in a better light than it might have been.

Flyers FLUKE win over the Bruins in 74'....what are you NUTZ!! Flyers wanted it more!!!! they were hungrier, won most of the fights and Bernie Parent outplayed Gilles Gilbert....and frankly Bep Guidolin can't hold Fred Shero's jock in regards to Coaches game preparation.

 

[Howatt8*]

What If...

Bernie Parent started in the nets instead of Wayne Stephenson in the 76' Stanley cup Finals against the Montreal Canadiens....Habs won in a sweep but won 3 of the 4 games by 1 goal.....Bernie Parent's record in the nets as a Flyer in 1 goal games was very impressive....Im thinking the Flyers might have won that series ans would have won the Cup 3 years in a row in the 70's

 

[rmchahn]

Bobby Orr played his "best" up till 1972 and after that knee surgery in summer of 72, today they call it a butcher job, I noticed he was never the same.

http://intlhockey.1.forumer.com/index.php?showforum=1

He still won the Norris in 72-73 (101 pts in 63 games), 73-74, and 74-75 seasons. Also won the Art Ross in 74-75.

What would he have accomplished with good knees?

 

[Hasbro]

Cooperalls!

 

[Fish on The Sand]

That is a bit much. With Dryden, they probably make the early 80's more interesting, and maybe get 1 cup from the Isles, but the Isles were way too good of a team from top to bottom not to get at least 3 of the 4 IMO.

I think with Dryden the Habs could have taken 2 of them. Maybe not the first two, but two no less, and that would be enough to remove those Isles teams from legendary ststus.