Which of the second tier teams of the 70s had the best chance of becoming a serious contender?

[Nerowoy nora tolad]

So the core of serious contenders in the 1970s goes something like Montreal, Philadelphia, Boston, and technically the Islanders. All four

What other teams had the best shot at winning a cup in an alternate version of the 1970s & early 80s given a few key trades, draft picks, etc bouncing their way?

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[frisco]

The Sabres averaged 100 points a year from 1974-75 through 1983-84.

For the first 5-6 years of that period they had the French Connection and a killer #2 line with Danny Gare, Don Luce and Craig Ramsay and lots of forward depth. Some good d-men in Jim Schoenfeld, Jerry Korab, Bill Hajt, Jocelyn Guevremont but the dynasty teams had Ken Dryden, Billy Smith and Bernie Parent tending the nets and the Sabres didn't. Also, Scotty Bowman, Fred Shero, and Al Albour were just better than the guys Buffalo had behind the bench for the 70's, at least.

In 1975, after downing Dryden and Montreal they arguably outplayed the Flyers in the Finals but fragile journeyman Gerry Desjardins and sickly Roger Crozier were no match for Parent on one of the great goaltending runs ever. The Islanders had their number in 1976 and 1977 again with goaltending a deciding factor (Billy Smith) . Don Edwards was promoted as a young guy but Parent and the Flyers took them out in 1978. After a first round upset in a best of three to the Pens the next year, Bowman was brought in.

He remade the team basically gutting the entire core (not a bad idea--too many playoff failures), save Perreault and Edwards, after a great year in 79-80 but another loss to the nemesis Islanders in the playoffs. Edwards was a decent #1 but not a Stanley Cup netminder. The young new talent took awhile to mesh but Buffalo was right there as a 100-point team for the next while as guys like Mike Foligno, Phil Housley, Tom Barrasso, Dave Andreychuk were added in exchange for vets (maybe at too rapid a pace) but things never really broke to where they could legitimately challenge the now dynastic Islanders. The young talent was really too young to win in the early 80's.

My Best-Carey

 

[Fenway]

Buffalo without question

 

[crobro]

Islanders

 

[Fenway]

Islanders

The Islanders were already on the radar

 

[snuffelapagus]

The Sabres averaged 100 points a year from 1974-75 through 1983-84.

For the first 5-6 years of that period they had the French Connection and a killer #2 line with Danny Gare, Don Luce and Craig Ramsay and lots of forward depth. Some good d-men in Jim Schoenfeld, Jerry Korab, Bill Hajt, Jocelyn Guevremont but the dynasty teams had Ken Dryden, Billy Smith and Bernie Parent tending the nets and the Sabres didn't. Also, Scotty Bowman, Fred Shero, and Al Albour were just better than the guys Buffalo had behind the bench for the 70's, at least.

In 1975, after downing Dryden and Montreal they arguably outplayed the Flyers in the Finals but fragile journeyman Gerry Desjardins and sickly Roger Crozier were no match for Parent on one of the great goaltending runs ever. The Islanders had their number in 1976 and 1977 again with goaltending a deciding factor (Billy Smith) . Don Edwards was promoted as a young guy but Parent and the Flyers took them out in 1978. After a first round upset in a best of three to the Pens the next year, Bowman was brought in.

He remade the team basically gutting the entire core (not a bad idea--too many playoff failures), save Perreault and Edwards, after a great year in 79-80 but another loss to the nemesis Islanders in the playoffs. Edwards was a decent #1 but not a Stanley Cup netminder. The young new talent took awhile to mesh but Buffalo was right there as a 100-point team for the next while as guys like Mike Foligno, Phil Housley, Tom Barrasso, Dave Andreychuk were added in exchange for vets (maybe at too rapid a pace) but things never really broke to where they could legitimately challenge the now dynastic Islanders. The young talent was really too young to win in the early 80's.

My Best-Carey

Besides those teams mentioned in the OP, Sabres, Rangers and Hawks were the only serious cup contenders in the 70s. frisco nicely summarizes the plight of the 70s Sabres. The Black Hawks and Rangers each appeared to have had all the ingredients of a cup winner. Disappointingly, neither could ever get over the hump in the early decade; suffering bitter playoff let-downs, sometimes at the hands of each other. Both teams waned in the second half of the decade, the surprise run in 79 by the Rags not withstanding.

 

[Big Phil]

This is the Sabres for sure, and to be honest they were close. They lost in 6 games in the 1975 Cup final and were tied at 2-2 in the series at one point. It was a series that Gilbert Perreault didn't play very well. If I recall the Sabres were actually favoured going into that Cup final.

They also lost to some good teams over those years, if that series goes the other way who knows. 1980 comes to mind with the Islanders.

The Rangers beat the defending Cup champ in the 1st round in three straight years starting in 1972.

 

[CharlestownChiefsESC]

The Rangers should have been. From 1970-1975 they were a playoff team every year, and averaged 99 pts a season,but they always seemed to run into teams at the wrong time. In 1970 they clinched a playoff spot on the last day of the season but lost to the Bruins who were the eventual cup champs and well noone was beating them that year.
In 70-71 they finished 2nd in the east and the entire league to their nemesis in Boston, however Boston went down early . They beat the Leafs in 6 in round 1, and then faced Chicago in Round 2. They went up 2-1 in that series but lost game 4 in a blow out and Game 5 in ot. They were able to win Game 6 at home in triple ot on a Pete Stemkowski goal to set up a decisive Game 7 where they even led halfway through, alas the wheels fell off and they lost 4-2, but if they were able to take Game 5 in ot, or not blow the lead in Game 7 im convinced the beat the Habs in the 71 finals. Those Emile Francis Ranger teams had their number. What's even worse is they finished with more pts than Chicago too but due to the format at the time Chicago got home ice because the won the West division.

In 71-72 they were leading the East and the league for most of the season until a Jean Ratelle injury derailed them . Alas they bet the Habs in 6 in Round 1, the swept the Hawks in Round 2, but met thier match with the Bruins in the finals. In 72-73 it was more of the same they were able to beat the Bruins in round 1, where they drew Chicago again where they dropped 4 straight after winning the first one. Which brings us to 74, they again beat the Habs in Round 1, but then came the Flyers whom they traded home wins with until they eventually went down in Game 7. Im curious had they beat the Flyers in 74 how they would have fared vs the Bruins in the finals. All the players would have had 72 fresh on thier minds and maybe just maybe they get the best of them this time. Alas in 75 they lost to the Isles in round 1 and the next year Francis tore it apart. The Giacomin deal I understood, but to this day had they never made the Espo or Middleton deals I'm curious if its indeed them who are challenging the Habs in the late 70s and maybe they even beat them in 79 Park and Ratelle were huge parts of those late 70s Bruins teams and wthout the the Bruins arent the same. Ughh who knows.