Who was the last team to be as good as the Blackhawks in puck possession?

[AD1066]

This graphic is a few years old now, but the Wings between 2007-2009 were very dominant in terms of possession.

 

[SimpleJack]

They are. The Hawks are a one line team.

Hawks were a one line team for the first month or so of the season. They've been spreading it out though lately. Not the same team. Far more balance since Danault has taken over at 3C.

 

[wings5]

The Russian 5 was a joy to watch, not sure how they stacked up stats wise but always seemed to have the puck.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

The Russian 5 was a joy to watch, not sure how they stacked up stats wise but always seemed to have the puck.

I think they actually trail the post-lockout Wings in terms of this stat. As others are eluding to they really were insane, they had several games where the other team had less than five minutes of offensive zone time and held a considerable advantage over anybody in the league over that three year period.

Pre-lockout there wasn't nearly as much league-wide parity and you also had the ability to really hold and rub guys out of the play making it really hard to control the play the same way for entire stretches of the game.

Really the biggest reason too was prime Datsyuk and Zetterberg were so good at dispossessing other teams they spent virtually no time in their own end even strength. Part of what made Holmstrom such an ideal linemate.

 

[skolgoar]

The Russian 5 was a joy to watch, not sure how they stacked up stats wise but always seemed to have the puck.

The Russian 5 were probably the best puck possession group to have ever played in the NHL. The Wings teams of that era probably don't place as well because the other lines didn't have much puck possession.

 

[EbonyRaptor]

I would say the Wings were the best during the 2006-2009 period. They were the model that the Hawks tried to emulate. The Hawks puck possession really starts with their d-men and their ability to transition from defense to offense quickly. I'd say the 2013 team was very good at it and the 2015 team not bad. The Hawks this season are nowhere near as good at the puck possession game as they were past years. They're getting better as the season goes on and they were very good against the Pens tonight but they have a long way to go to be considered the best puck possession team this season.

 

[Martinez]

Wings were all about possession when they were good. I'd go with them

 

[KCC]

Watch both LA and Chicago alot, the Hawks have their moments, but LA is definitely better at it.

 

[Mathew Barzal]

Not sure about the Canucks, but the Sedin's had that 2 year span where every shift was a minute long globetrotter show in the opponents end. So sad that it was so short lived.

 

[Kale Hulls]

Watch the panthers right now.

 

[The Red Line]

lol the Hawks aren't even the best possession team this season.

 

[Addison Rae]

Not sure about the Canucks, but the Sedin's had that 2 year span where every shift was a minute long globetrotter show in the opponents end. So sad that it was so short lived.

Huh? Sedins possession game short lived, since the stat has been tracked the Sedins are 1st and 2nd league wide in CorsiRel, mean they've literally been the best possession players in the league for nearly 10 years......

 

[clunk]

2011 Canucks

 

[ChiHawk21]

Panarin and Kane play catch in the offensive zone better than any pair I can recall.

Sedins for sure

 

[DanZ]

Huh? Sedins possession game short lived, since the stat has been tracked the Sedins are 1st and 2nd league wide in CorsiRel, mean they've literally been the best possession players in the league for nearly 10 years......

Ummm no it doesn't. It means they've been the best possession players relative to the rest of their team for the last 10 years. Reflects well on them but also reflects poorly on the rest of the Canucks as well.

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

The thread title and the question in the OP are two different things. The Kings are a better puck possession team right now. As for the passing and keep away aspect, the Hawks are the best I've seen this year.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Sedins for sure

As I mentioned earlier, the Sedins are the only ones that come close, but the Kane - Panarin (Kanarin) pairing are more dynamic. The Sedins are dominant below the hashmarks and are more methodical in their approach. Kanarin plays a faster, more skilled possession game. They dominate the entire offensive zone with the puck - half of their exchanges occur above the hashmarks, and they are both able to beat defenders and goaltenders coming off of a high zone cycle. The Sedins rarely venture beyond the hashmarks and almost never attempt to wind it up across the top of the blue line, they are much more focused on the cycle game / passing below the hashmarks, and are not very dangerous at the top of the zone.

The way Kanarin are able to dominate in the entire offensive half-zone is really unbelievable, like nothing I've ever seen.

 

[JaegerDice]

The LA Kings have traded the 'top possession team' tag with the Blackhawks since 2012.

In fact, I think they've been the top possession team more often. Like, at least 3 of the last 5 years.

 

[DanZ]

The LA Kings have traded the 'top possession team' tag with the Blackhawks since 2012.

In fact, I think they've been the top possession team more often. Like, at least 3 of the last 5 years.

LA has the better possession numbers on average since 2010 by about .2%. They are definitely the top two teams since then though and some people actually believe that possession doesn't matter

5 out of the last 6 Cups says otherwise.

 

[Mathew Barzal]

Huh? Sedins possession game short lived, since the stat has been tracked the Sedins are 1st and 2nd league wide in CorsiRel, mean they've literally been the best possession players in the league for nearly 10 years......

I'm not arguing that. I'm arguing what they used to be capable of relative to what they can do now, or even a couple years ago. They do not dominate with the same composure and magic that they once had, not even close.

 

[pocketrockets]

This current Caps team is right up there.

 

[Stimpythecat]

Kings were the top possession team in 4 of the last 5 years. The year they weren't they were second to the hawks.

Currently first this year last I checked.


Edit: 3 of the last 4
still number 1 this year by a wide margin

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Current Chicago has a shot differential of 1.3 shots/game and a Corsi For % of 51.7.

07-08 Detroit had a shot differential of 10.9 shots/game and a Corsi For % of 58.7. They increased their shot differential in the playoffs to 12.9 shots/game. Just think about that for a second. They went through an entire season outshooting their opponents by a double digits average every game.

But even more, from 06-07 to 08-09 when Detroit went to two Cup Finals and three consecutive Western Conference Finals, they outshot opponents throughout those regular seasons by 9.2, 10.9, and 8.5 shots per game. That's a 3 year stretch of outshooting opponents of 9.5 shots per game. That's insane. Prime Lidstrom, Datsyuk, and Zetterberg with Babcock behind the reigns dominated possession in to a different level.

 

[I am not exposed]

Watch the panthers right now.

Our first line is very good, but overall nowhere close.

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

Hawks and kings are both dominant in puck possession but the 07-08 wings are the best I've ever seen no doubt. Epitome of puck on a string.