The best hockey team in the NHL history.

GSK*

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A lot of teams can be considerate. I got to go with the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens edition. Why? I think no other team in NHL history have such a deep depth chart that the habs was having this year.

60-8-12 for 132pts - Stanley Cup Champion over the Boston Bruins, sweeping in 4 games. 387 goals and 171 against.


Rosters:

Forwards:

Guy Lafleur: 56-80-136 (25 years old) 1.7PPG (1st) (3 Art Ross, 3 Lester B. Pearson, 2 Hart Trophy + 1 Conn Smythe)
Steve Shutt: 60-45-105 (24 years old) 1.32PPG (2nd)
Jacques Lemaire: 34-41-75 (31 years old) 1.00PPG (3rd)
Pete Mahovlich: 15-47-62 (30 years old) 0.82PPG (4th)
Doug Risebrough: 22-38-60 (23 years old) 0.77PPG (5th)
Yvan Cournoyer: 25-28-53 (33 years old) 0.68PPG (7th) (1 Conn Smythe)
Yvon Lambert: 24-28-52 (26 years old) 0.66PPG (8th)
Rejean Houle: 22-30-52 (27 years old) 0.75PPG (6th)
Mario Tremblay: 18-28-46 (20 years old) 0.62PPG (9th)
Doug Jarvis: 16-22-38 (21 years old) 0.48PPG (10th) (1 Fank J. Selke, 1 Bill Masterton)
Bob Gainey: 14-19-32 (23 years old) 0.42PPG (12th) (4 Frank J. Selke + 1 Conn Smythe)
Mike Wilson: 13-14-27 (25 years old) 0.45PPG (11th)

D-Mens:

Larry Robinson: 19-66-85 (25 years old) 1.10PPG (3rd OV) (2 Norris, 1 Conn Smythe)
Guy Lapointe: 25-51-76 (28 years old) 0.99PPG (5th OV)
Serge Savard: 9-33-42 (31 years old) 0.54PPG (12th OV) (1 Conn Smythe, 1 Bill Masterton)
Nill Nyrop: 3-19-22 (24 years old) 0.26PPG
Jim Roberts: 5-14-19 (36 years old) 0.44PPG (14th OV)
Pierre Bouchard: 4-11-15 (29 years old) 0.20PPG


Goalies:

Ken Dryden: 41-6-8 10SO 2.14GAA (29 years old) (5 Vezina + 1 Conn Smythe + 1 Calder)
Michel "Bunny" Larocque: 19-2-4 4SO 2.09GAA (24 years old) (4 Vezina)


Average Ages: 24.7




Whats your best team ?
 

pappyline

Registered User
Jul 3, 2005
4,587
182
Mass/formerly Ont
A lot of teams can be considerate. I got to go with the 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens edition. Why? I think no other team in NHL history have such a deep depth chart that the habs was having this year.

60-8-12 for 132pts - Stanley Cup Champion over the Boston Bruins, sweeping in 4 games. 387 goals and 171 against.


Rosters:

Forwards:

Guy Lafleur: 56-80-136 (25 years old) 1.7PPG (1st) (3 Art Ross, 3 Lester B. Pearson, 2 Hart Trophy + 1 Conn Smythe)
Steve Shutt: 60-45-105 (24 years old) 1.32PPG (2nd)
Jacques Lemaire: 34-41-75 (31 years old) 1.00PPG (3rd)
Pete Mahovlich: 15-47-62 (30 years old) 0.82PPG (4th)
Doug Risebrough: 22-38-60 (23 years old) 0.77PPG (5th)
Yvan Cournoyer: 25-28-53 (33 years old) 0.68PPG (7th) (1 Conn Smythe)
Yvon Lambert: 24-28-52 (26 years old) 0.66PPG (8th)
Rejean Houle: 22-30-52 (27 years old) 0.75PPG (6th)
Mario Tremblay: 18-28-46 (20 years old) 0.62PPG (9th)
Doug Jarvis: 16-22-38 (21 years old) 0.48PPG (10th) (1 Fank J. Selke, 1 Bill Masterton)
Bob Gainey: 14-19-32 (23 years old) 0.42PPG (12th) (4 Frank J. Selke + 1 Conn Smythe)
Mike Wilson: 13-14-27 (25 years old) 0.45PPG (11th)

D-Mens:

Larry Robinson: 19-66-85 (25 years old) 1.10PPG (3rd OV) (2 Norris, 1 Conn Smythe)
Guy Lapointe: 25-51-76 (28 years old) 0.99PPG (5th OV)
Serge Savard: 9-33-42 (31 years old) 0.54PPG (12th OV) (1 Conn Smythe, 1 Bill Masterton)
Nill Nyrop: 3-19-22 (24 years old) 0.26PPG
Jim Roberts: 5-14-19 (36 years old) 0.44PPG (14th OV)
Pierre Bouchard: 4-11-15 (29 years old) 0.20PPG


Goalies:

Ken Dryden: 41-6-8 10SO 2.14GAA (29 years old) (5 Vezina + 1 Conn Smythe + 1 Calder)
Michel "Bunny" Larocque: 19-2-4 4SO 2.09GAA (24 years old) (4 Vezina)


Average Ages: 24.7




Whats your best team ?
This belongs on the history of hockey forum.
 

CoupeStanley

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Dec 1, 2003
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There's not much else to say..
They were talented of course, but they were such a group.. They were built as a team from the get go.

They were so affraid not to win and it was in those times Lafleur shined.
 

pappyline

Registered User
Jul 3, 2005
4,587
182
Mass/formerly Ont
My pick would be thev57-58 Habs (and I hated them)

Olmsread- beliveau-geoffrion
Moore-Henri Richard-Rocket Richard
pronovost-goyette-Provost
Marshall

harvey
Johnson
Talbot
St. laurent

Plante
 

Sens Rule

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Sep 22, 2005
21,251
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I would take the 86-87 or 87-88 Oilers. They had learned how to win. They had Gretzky in his Prime, Messier in his Prime and great supporting players. They won Cups in 4 of 5 and 5 of 7 seasons (the last without Gretzky and the last 2 without Coffey as well). The 70's Habs could not win without Dryden but the Oilers won it without Gretzky and Coffey!

The fact they did it in a 21 team league with greater parity IMO then the late 70's Habs makes it more impressive.

They went to the final in 83,84,85,87,88,90.

Forwards in 86-87 (the top 6 all were truly elite players)

Gretzky
Messier
Kurri
Anderson
Tikkanen
Nilsson
Krushelnyski
MacTavish
Mclelland
McSorley (D/forward)
Hunter

Defence

Coffey
Lowe
Smith
Huddy
Muni
Gregg
Ruotsalainen

Goalie

Fuhr
Moog

Or 87/88 swapping Coffey for the goal scoring demon Simpson

The Oilers are thought of as a purely offensive team. That they were for sure but the Oilers in the 87 and 88 playoffs were a tremondous team in every facet. Their energy line was relentless and attacked all the time. They were so deep at forward they could play their top 6 a great deal. Their top 3 lines would relentlessly attack.

They had some incredible gritty/pesky/dirty star players in Messier, Anderson, Tikkanen and Coffey . These guys were not at all soft. They were all dirty, tough and hell to play against. And Kurri was a tremendous 2-way forward.

The entire team brought so much playoff experience and all brought it in the most important games. And Gretzky was excellance personified. Gretzky was the leader of those teams not Messier. Messier was rah, rah but Gretzky had a will to win and for excellence beyond peer ever.

Their defence which is much maligned was very deep and could play very tough. The 90's Pens had the forwards but they never had near the defensive depth the Oilers did. Coffey was a tremedous force on the ice and even after he left they had a very deep defence. Lowe was always incredibly solid. By 87 and 88 Steve Smith had come into his own and was a physical force and awesome offensively and defensively. Muni, Gregg, Huddy were very useful defenceman. Clearly the Oilers defence could not match the big three on the 70's Habs but they were not a weakness at all on those mid-late Oilers teams but a significant strength.

And Fuhr in Net was money.

The late 70's Habs were nearly perfect. They simply did not lose much and were deep everywhere. They were clearly the class of their league. However the mid-late 80's Oilers while they were not nearly as perfect in the regular season were more talented and just as clutch or more than those Habs teams. And in my Opinion the parity in the NHL was greater in the late 80's than it was in the late 1970's.

In a playoff series I'd take the Oilers. And they were only a decade apart.

I'll take the late 70's Habs 2nd
The late 50's Habs 3rd
The early 80's Islanders 4th
The early 50's Wings 5th
And the 70-72 Bruins 6th
 

Jungosi

Registered User
Jan 14, 2007
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4
Rendsburg / Germany
My pick are the late 70's Canadiens , they've been so incredibly deep.

2nd place is shared between the early 80's Islanders(4 Cups , Trottier , Bossy...) , the mid-late 80's Oilers(already mentioned) and the 50's Canadiens(Beliveau ,Richard,Harvey,Plante..)

HM: Early 90's Pens (probably one of the most scariest top-six ever) , the mid 70's Flyers (i love the broad street bullies) and the 70's Bruins (always a great team but they counldn't put they're things together.)
 

Sens Rule

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Sep 22, 2005
21,251
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In a playoff series I'd take the Oilers. And they were only a decade apart.

I'll take the late 70's Habs 2nd
The late 50's Habs 3rd
The early 80's Islanders 4th
The early 50's Wings 5th
And the 70-72 Bruins 6th

Quoting myself - Love doing that!!!

I think the Oilers would be the most likely to win a best of seven series against any team. But any of these teams I mentioned could win a 7 game series with the others. These are some sick teams. Gretzky, Trottier, Lafleur, Beliveau, Esposito or Howe? Messier, Richard, Shutt, Lindsay, Bossy or Bucyk? Coffey, Robinson, Harvey, Potivn or Orr? Smith, Fuhr, Dryden, Plante, Cheevers or Sawchuk?

So many greats and so many great secondary players.

I'll still take the Oilers but when I said I though they were the best ever team I am not saying any of the other great teams were much behind!
 

Big Phil

Registered User
Nov 2, 2003
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Best NHL team? The 1976-77 Habs are my pick as well. In order here's my next best (only picked one team per dynasty)

1955-56 Habs - Beliveau, both Richards, Moore, Geoffrion and Olmstead up front. On defense Harvey and Johnson, in net Plante. They would stretch the '77 Habs to a 7th game

1983-84 Oilers - Gretzky, Messier, Anderson and Kurri headlining the forwards. Coffey on defense, Fuhr in net. You'd have to think that despite the offence (best ever) this teams lack of all around play compared to the other two would be its downfall. In his prime Fuhr wasnt at Plante's level either.

1951-52 Red Wings - This is the best Wings team ever. Howe, Lindsay, Abel, Delvecchio up front. Kelly on defense and the best goalie of alltime Sawchuk in net. This team blew away the competition

1981-82 Islanders - Only both Habs team were deeper. This team could beat you so many ways. Bossy, Trottier were superstars. Then Potvin was a stud on defense and Smith in net. Rounding out the team were the likes of Gillies, Nystrom, Goring, Tonelli, Bourne. Wow.

1971-72 Bruins - Orr and Esposito in their primes. Cheevers and Johnston were great goalies. Hodge, Bucyk, Cashman, Stanfield and McKenzie rounded out the rest. They'd push the Isles to a 7th game OT.

1974-75 Flyers - Didnt dominate but had the team. Clarke, MacLeish, Leach and Barber. Parent was by far the best goalie in the game. Had a great team concept, unpopular but you know how that worked out, they'd be a hard team to beat.

1991-92 Penguins - Although they didnt have a great regular season they had to beat some great teams just to get there. Mario and the boys never got the luxury of playing an 8th seeded team. They also came from behind a lot in their two Cup years in the playoffs, quite often facing elimination. This team had Mario, Francis, a young Jagr, Tocchet, Murphy, Stevens, Mullen and Barrasso.

2000-01 Avalanche - They only one twice in 5 years but I like this team better than the '96 team. Take a look at this lineup. Sakic (MVP), Forsberg, Roy, Tanguay, Hejduk, Drury, Bourque, Blake, Foote. The best team since the Pens.
 

Wisent

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Nov 15, 2003
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Best NHL team? The 1976-77 Habs are my pick as well. In order here's my next best (only picked one team per dynasty)

1955-56 Habs - Beliveau, both Richards, Moore, Geoffrion and Olmstead up front. On defense Harvey and Johnson, in net Plante. They would stretch the '77 Habs to a 7th game

1983-84 Oilers - Gretzky, Messier, Anderson and Kurri headlining the forwards. Coffey on defense, Fuhr in net. You'd have to think that despite the offence (best ever) this teams lack of all around play compared to the other two would be its downfall. In his prime Fuhr wasnt at Plante's level either.

1951-52 Red Wings - This is the best Wings team ever. Howe, Lindsay, Abel, Delvecchio up front. Kelly on defense and the best goalie of alltime Sawchuk in net. This team blew away the competition

1981-82 Islanders - Only both Habs team were deeper. This team could beat you so many ways. Bossy, Trottier were superstars. Then Potvin was a stud on defense and Smith in net. Rounding out the team were the likes of Gillies, Nystrom, Goring, Tonelli, Bourne. Wow.

1971-72 Bruins - Orr and Esposito in their primes. Cheevers and Johnston were great goalies. Hodge, Bucyk, Cashman, Stanfield and McKenzie rounded out the rest. They'd push the Isles to a 7th game OT.

1974-75 Flyers - Didnt dominate but had the team. Clarke, MacLeish, Leach and Barber. Parent was by far the best goalie in the game. Had a great team concept, unpopular but you know how that worked out, they'd be a hard team to beat.

1991-92 Penguins - Although they didnt have a great regular season they had to beat some great teams just to get there. Mario and the boys never got the luxury of playing an 8th seeded team. They also came from behind a lot in their two Cup years in the playoffs, quite often facing elimination. This team had Mario, Francis, a young Jagr, Tocchet, Murphy, Stevens, Mullen and Barrasso.

2000-01 Avalanche - They only one twice in 5 years but I like this team better than the '96 team. Take a look at this lineup. Sakic (MVP), Forsberg, Roy, Tanguay, Hejduk, Drury, Bourque, Blake, Foote. The best team since the Pens.

Yet when Kelly was gone, they never won anything.
 

VanIslander

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Sep 4, 2004
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in history.... in NHL history... in the history of the NHL...

a lot of teams can be considered
 

Wisent

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True, probably a combination of both, Kelly and Lindsay, leaving. I don`t think that Sawchuk leaving was a reason since they had Glenn Hall. From Sawchuk to Hall is not that huge a downgrade (although he was still young and his best years were yet to come).
 
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Nalyd Psycho

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True, probably a combination of both, Kelly and Lindsay, leaving. I don`t think that Sawchuk leaving was a reason since they had Glenn Hall. From Sawchuk to Hall is not that huge a downgrade (although he was still young and his best years were yet to come).

In theory it shouldn't have been. But Hall's rep as a choker was earned in Detroit. His playoffs were not strong. For that matter, the problem continued in Chicago for a while too, but he also had some stellar playoffs there. But in Detroit, he was a roadblock to the cup.
 

Chili

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Jun 10, 2004
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From my time (mid 1960's to present) the best was the 1976-77 Habs. They were not only the best offensive team but the best defensive team as well. They dominated in the regular season and the playoffs. We rarely see teams dominate in the playoffs anymore (already every team has lost at least one game).

That Habs team could really play it any way you wanted. Those Islanders and Oilers teams deserve honourable mention though.
 

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