Teams that should have won the cup but didn't because of injuries

[Big Phil]

2004 Flames.

They won game 6 in my eyes.

I always try to look at this as objectively as possible. But that wasn't a goal. Even if it was, for some reason there is a myth going around that this was in overtime to win the Cup. It wasn't. Wasn't that play in the 3rd period? Even with a goal there is certainly no guarantee the Flames win.

 

[Big Phil]

2009 Red Wings. Lidstrom had a torn...package if you will, Hossa had a separated shoulder. Datsyuk had an injured foot and Bettman rushed the finals, causing Datsyuk to miss 4 games (I think). If the finals stayed on their normal schedule I think the Red Wings win that series.

I'm not so sure I'd call it "rushed". The Wings beat the Hawks on a Wednesday right? The first two games of the final were on a Saturday and Sunday. Lots of time in between. I hate it when the NHL pulls a "Super Bowl" and waits a year to play the darn game. Besides, Detroit won the first two games so........

That Pens team was winning a Cup come hell or high water anyway

 

[sycamore]

2010 Philadelphia Flyers. Had Emery been injured Chicago's drought would've continued. Just my opinion though.

Gimme a break. If it weren't for a certain goaltender playing for Montreal, who single-handedly knocked out Pittsburgh and Washington, that Philly team wouldnt have made it past the second round.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

From another homer viewpoint, the Ottawa Senators were loaded that year but the dropoff from Hasek to Emery was enormous. With a healthy Hasek, I think they probably beat Buffalo. Emery was awful in that series.

And that's exactly the problem with using injuries as an excuse as to why a team didn't win the Cup. At that time of year, every team is dealing with injuries and the more rounds you play, the more you open yourself up to that flawed logic.

I don't think it's too far off to say that all four teams in the conference finals that year took advantage of injuries to opposing teams in their previous series. And unless there's an advocation for putting a series on hold until both teams are 100% healthy, it won't change as the years go on.

 

[MJB Devils23*]

What if Hasek didn't get injured in 05-06? The Sens would have been nasty.

 

[JABEE]

Gimme a break. If it weren't for a certain goaltender playing for Montreal, who single-handedly knocked out Pittsburgh and Washington, that Philly team wouldnt have made it past the second round.

The Flyers probably would have beat Pittsburgh and Washington last year. I can make up things too.

 

[Infinite Vision*]

What if Hasek didn't get injured in 05-06? The Sens would have been nasty.

Agreed. Hasek was arguably the best goalie in the world that season. His stats were identical to Kiprusoff's he just played 20 less games.

 

[MatthewT]

What if Hasek didn't get injured in 05-06? The Sens would have been nasty.

sigh, I was hoping noone would mention this

 

[Kyle McMahon]

I'm not so sure I'd call it "rushed". The Wings beat the Hawks on a Wednesday right? The first two games of the final were on a Saturday and Sunday. Lots of time in between. I hate it when the NHL pulls a "Super Bowl" and waits a year to play the darn game. Besides, Detroit won the first two games so........

That Pens team was winning a Cup come hell or high water anyway

Yup. I love all this talk of a "rushed final". The season already runs ridiculously late, there's no good reason to have more than one day off between any rounds.

 

[gravytrain6t]

NY Rangers should have at least had a much better chance to win the Cup in 1950. They caught fire, beat Montreal, and headed to the Stanley Cup Finals to face the Red Wings. Their own city of New York screwed the team.

5 out of 7 games were played in "Hockey Town." Games 2 and 3 were played in Toronto. The Reason being? In NY, the circus was in town. Why they never put Barnum and Bailey on hold, IDK.

Despite the Rangers not having a chance to play 1 game in front of their home crowd, the Red Wings needed the full 7 games and an OT goal in the grand finale to finally win the Cup.

Sorry, missed the "due to injuries" part.

 

[edog37]

My bet is on The 91 Bruins, they had a great season and most of the players hit their prime. They played great in the playoffs eliminating two rival teams Hartford and Montreal, the they play the pens up 2-0 in the series, game 3 Ulf Samuelsson gives Neely a dirty blow to the knees and the Bruins go lose 4 straight to them. If Neely hadn't been injured the Bruins probably would have took the series in 5 and would have easily beaten the North Stars for the cup.

revisionist thinking. The only game the Pens were outplayed was Game 1. Boston got a gift wrapped two man advantage to tie the game & an OT winner in Game 2. Even with Neely, Boston was outmatched by the Pens.

 

[LizzaBruins]

revisionist thinking. The only game the Pens were outplayed was Game 1. Boston got a gift wrapped two man advantage to tie the game & an OT winner in Game 2. Even with Neely, Boston was outmatched by the Pens.

It would have been a completely different series.who knows what might have happened? I personally believe the Bruins would have came on top.

 

[edog37]

It would have been a completely different series.who knows
what might have happened? I personally believe the Bruins would have came on top.

It wouldn't have mattered. Boston did not have the horses to play with the Pens that series. Lemieux, Coffey, Stevens, Barrasso, Murphy, Francis & Jagr. There was no way Boston would have won that series & not surprisingly, they didn't...

 

[jkrx]

It wouldn't have mattered. Boston did not have the horses to play with the Pens that series. Lemieux, Coffey, Stevens, Barrasso, Murphy, Francis & Jagr. There was no way Boston would have won that series & not surprisingly, they didn't...

Actually Coffey was injured and I think Poulin was injured and he was their best Lemieux shadow.

 

[IggyFan12]

The Flames in 04 had lost Lombardi, Dean McAmmond, Steve Reinprecht, Toni Lydman and Denis Gauthier. Thats an entire line which could have scored at least a goal in the last two games of the Tampa series... But then again maybe Gelinas wouldnt be on the ice for game 7 OT Power Play to win the series against the Canucks, or what if Bertuzzi didnt pull a Bertuzzi on Moore then the Canucks win and maybe win the Cup as well....*Shudder*

 

[nik jr]

NY Rangers should have at least had a much better chance to win the Cup in 1950. They caught fire, beat Montreal, and headed to the Stanley Cup Finals to face the Red Wings. Their own city of New York screwed the team.

5 out of 7 games were played in "Hockey Town." Games 2 and 3 were played in Toronto. The Reason being? In NY, the circus was in town. Why they never put Barnum and Bailey on hold, IDK.

Despite the Rangers not having a chance to play 1 game in front of their home crowd, the Red Wings needed the full 7 games and an OT goal in the grand finale to finally win the Cup.

Sorry, missed the "due to injuries" part.

i have read about that series while reading about chuck rayner.

edgar laprade, NYR's 1st line C, played through injury in the playoffs. he was one of the top C's of the time, so he could have been the difference between a win and a loss.

but DRW were missing gordie howe.