Top 5 franchises in the Cap- Era (To Date)

[Maestro84]

1. Penguins
2. Blackhawks
3. Kings
4. Capitals
5. Red Wings

HM: Bruins, Ducks and Sharks

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

For sure, basically all the successful teams have benefitted from some questionable signings/deals.

Pens: Crosby/Malkin
Caps: Ovi
Hawks: Keith/Hossa
Wings: Zetterberg (not when they were at their best though)
LA: Richards disappearing

What's questionable about Malkin's deal? He signed his current contract (the one he's been playing under for the 2016 and 2017 Cup wins) after the latest CBA with the 8-year max limit in place.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Also, how the hell aren't the Pens and Hawks garnering 100% of the votes? Even if you don't agree with which should be #1 and #2, how can any hockey fan that isn't a complete moron not have both of them comfortably among their Top 5?

 

[Regal]

What's questionable about Malkin's deal? He signed his current contract (the one he's been playing under for the 2016 and 2017 Cup wins) after the latest CBA with the 8-year max limit in place.

I found this place likes to call any good deal questionable when it benefits a team. I don't even see how Sid's is questionable when he's going to play it out.

 

[bobholly39]

1. Pit
2. Chicago
3. LA
4. Washington
5. Tampa

Pit and Chicago are obvious as top 2. 3 cups. Some might argue Chicago #1 and maybe - i like that Pitt has never missed the playoffs (well after 2006) and been serious contenders every year (Crosby/Malkin help of course).
LA 2 cups an easy #3.
Washington - 1 cup and been a top team/serious contender many years. They haven't had a whole lot of playoff success outside of cup but i like that they've had good teams (and great player).
Tampa......unorthodox choice. Very much recency biased on my part, but i feel as though they've build a fantastic cap team, done a fantastic job at managing their cap, drafting, trading, resigning top talent at great value, etc. And they have assembled 'on paper' one of the best rosters in....a very long time. No cups yet but i do think they have 1 coming soon.

 

[COHawk]

I just meant the 13 years, that of course is not allowed anymore.

Yeah but anyone could have signed for 13 years. Not just Ovi.

 

[CamMac]

Why are we putting an emphasis on now? They actually have very similar success rates since the lockout?

Detroit:
Five 1st rd loses
Three 2nd rd loses
One 3rd rd loss
One finals loss
One cup win
Two missed playoffs
* Cup/Finals were back to back
** about to be 3 playoff loses

Boston:
Three 1st rd loses
Four 2nd rd loses
Zero 3rd rd loses
One finals loss
One cup win
Four missed playoffs
*will very likely make the playoffs this season

How exactly is Boston at a clear advantage?

I would argue the Bruins have been more competitive throughout the cap-era. Detroit has 5 first round exits because they’ve had a lot of mediocre teams since Lidstrom retired.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

I found this place likes to call any good deal questionable when it benefits a team. I don't even see how Sid's is questionable when he's going to play it out.

I don't agree with the sentiment, but I can at least see the logic path someone has taken to consider Sid and Ovie's deals as "questionable" since teams can no longer sign players for that length. But the Malkin one, by any definition, isn't questionable since it was signed within the same parameters any player can sign for today.

 

[nbwingsfan]

I would argue the Bruins have been more competitive throughout the cap-era. Detroit has 5 first round exits because they’ve had a lot of mediocre teams since Lidstrom retired.

Sure, but two less 1st rd loses for the Bruins also comes with one less 3rd round and 2 extra missed playoffs (until this season is over).

 

[1967th Heaven]

Pittsburgh, LA, Chicago for sure obviously. 4th has to be Washington and then one of Anaheim or Detroit I would say

 

[CamMac]

Sure, but two less 1st rd loses for the Bruins also comes with one less 3rd round and 2 extra missed playoffs (until this season is over).

In 14-15 the Bruins missed the playoffs with 96 points, and in 15-16 the Bruins and Wings both got 93 points - The Wings made the playoffs and the Bruins didn’t.

Either way it’s very close.

 

[nbwingsfan]

In 14-15 the Bruins missed the playoffs with 96 points, and in 15-16 the Bruins and Wings both got 93 points - The Wings made the playoffs and the Bruins didn’t.

Either way it’s very close.

Which doesn't change the fact that they still missed the playoffs when the Wings didn't.

 

[CamMac]

Which doesn't change the fact that they still missed the playoffs when the Wings didn't.

That’s true.

Looking at you’re original list you have LA behind both Boston and Detroit. What’s your reasoning for this?

 

[shelf]

The Ducks are 3rd in regular season points. 3rd in playoff wins. They've won a cup and made it to the conference finals 4 times. How are the ducks not top 5?

 

[treple13]

The Ducks are 3rd in regular season points. 3rd in playoff wins. They've won a cup and made it to the conference finals 4 times. How are the ducks not top 5?

I didn't vote for them, but I realize I made a mistake. I would say they are pretty safely ahead of Detroit, Boston and honestly LA as well. I think their Cup is too long ago and nobody likes them, so they'd rather vote somewhere else.

 

[shelf]

I didn't vote for them, but I realize I made a mistake. I would say they are pretty safely ahead of Detroit, Boston and honestly LA as well. I think their Cup is too long ago and nobody likes them, so they'd rather vote somewhere else.

Their cup was a while ago but they have still been very good over the past while. They have finished 1st in their division 5 years in a row and have made the conference finals in 2 of the last 4 years.
From the 2012-2013 season to 2017-2018 season the Ducks are actually first in points. It's just this year that they are starting to struggle.

 

[francaisvolantsparis]

Why are Ducks so low ? Easy top4 for me.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Why are people having the Pens? Recency bias? I take the Hawks all day long.

From 2008 - 2014 they

3 x cups
2x conference finals
2x 2nd round

This level of domination and peak in the cap era is unheard of. The Pens for example took even longer to make that level of success (2 more years to match the 3 cups). Pens in 2 extra years

3 x cups
3 x first round exits
2 x 2nd round exit
1 x ECF appearance

I take the Hawks all day long. Then the Pens.

Why not include that extra year where the Penguins had another cup final appearance? Both teams have 3 cups, and the Penguins had an extra finals appearance.

I feel like the only "recency bias" in this thread is taking Washington in the top-5, IMO. I don't think they have the playoff success that Boston or Anaheim has.

 

[FartMilk]

Chicago
Pittsburgh
Los Angeles
Detroit
Washington

 

[Devil Dancer]

Pittsburgh
Chicago

LA

Washington
Boston

HM to Detroit and Anaheim

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Still dumbfounded that the Pens and Hawks don't have 100% of the votes. 6% of people truly don't think the Pens are even Top 5? 10% don't think the Hawks are Top 5?

Never mind whether you think they're 1st or 2nd. But the two teams who have won 6 of the past dozen or so Cups aren't Top 5 in some peoples opinions? That's idiotic.

 

[ColbyChaos]

Still dumbfounded that the Pens and Hawks don't have 100% of the votes. 6% of people truly don't think the Pens are even Top 5? 10% don't think the Hawks are Top 5?

Never mind whether you think they're 1st or 2nd. But the two teams who have won 6 of the past dozen or so Cups aren't Top 5 in some peoples opinions? That's idiotic.

Its the internet my man, fans voted that Jay Beagle was a top 20 center this offseason. Never take anything at face value

 

[ColbyChaos]

I think LA's getting overrated due to essentially 3 seasons out of 14. I have them 6th

Three deep runs in a row is a bigger accomplishment than what a majority of the teams listed have ever done in their history let alone the cap era. Only three teams out there made the conference finals or beyond three years in a row Detroit 07-09, LA 2012-14, and Chicago 2013-15. Of the other teams listed only 2 of those teams managed to return to the conference finals after a cup appearence Pit 16-17 and New York 14-15. LA did a feat that is a lot harder to do than people would give credit for regular season trophies be damned.

 

[Regal]

Three deep runs in a row is a bigger accomplishment than what a majority of the teams listed have ever done in their history let alone the cap era. Only three teams out there made the conference finals or beyond three years in a row Detroit 07-09, LA 2012-14, and Chicago 2013-15. Of the other teams listed only 2 of those teams managed to return to the conference finals after a cup appearence Pit 16-17 and New York 14-15. LA did a feat that is a lot harder to do than people would give credit for regular season trophies be damned.

I think it's a big accomplishment for sure, but I think there's a difference between best extended runs with a core and the best team since the lockout overall. If we're just comparing '07-'09 Wings vs. '10-'15 Hawks vs. '16-'18 Pens vs. '12-'14 Kings, etc, then they would be up there, but overall I think their lack of success in the rest of the years really holds them back when discussing a span of 14 seasons

 

[edguy]

Honest opinion here is:

Pittsburgh
Chicago
Detroit
LA
Boston/Washington are interchangeable here.

VAN/ANA/SJS all very good. But to me you gotta have a cup or it doesn't mean much.