Would the Islanders been cup champs?

If Islanders made the cup finals in 2020 and 2021 who would the Islanders have beaten?


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    246

The Crypto Guy

Registered User
Jun 26, 2017
26,047
32,756
Islanders will be great for a long time. I see a cup win as soon as next year.

Who will challenge them in the east besides Tampa?

Lightning
Isles
Avs
Knights

Will be four favorites in preseason imo.
Their best chance to win the cup is now behind them. Everything went right for them the first 2 rounds. Doubt we see them in the conference finals again anytime soon.
 
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NJ DevLolz

The Many Saints of Newark
Sep 30, 2017
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Random ass teams actually make the SCF often. But notice the pattern here: these teams are 0-13 (about to be 0-14) mostly against high seeds and teams that were favorites the whole year.

Granted, the Islanders might not be the most impressive regular season team, but they would be the favorite and the favorite literally always wins these.
2012 Devils were a very good possession team and were missing their 1C all year
 

Machinehead

GoAwayKakko
Jan 21, 2011
141,167
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2012 Devils were a very good possession team and were missing their 1C all year
It was the only year out of seven they made the playoffs. They were poster boys for "random team that for hot for a couple of months."

And before you even start, yes, the 2012 Rangers were a lottery team with a goalie that should have won the Hart.

If Holtby doesn't beat Boston literally by himself, that's who the Devils play in the ECF instead of taking 56 shots at Lundqvist every night. Would have gone very differently.
 

ricky0034

Registered User
Jun 8, 2010
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1994 Canucks
1996 Panthers
1998 Capitals
1999 Sabres
2002 Hurricanes
2003 Ducks
2004 Flames
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2010 Flyers
2012 Devils
2018 Golden Knights
2020 Stars
2021 Canadiens

Random ass teams actually make the SCF often. But notice the pattern here: these teams are 0-13 (about to be 0-14) mostly against high seeds and teams that were favorites the whole year.

Granted, the Islanders might not be the most impressive regular season team, but they would be the favorite and the favorite literally always wins these.

would they have been the favorite against Dallas last year?

the two teams look relatively evenly matched looking at their regular seasons
 

Regal

Registered User
Mar 12, 2010
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1991 North Stars
1994 Canucks
1996 Panthers
1998 Capitals
1999 Sabres
2002 Hurricanes
2003 Ducks
2004 Flames
2006 Oilers
2010 Flyers
2012 Devils
2018 Golden Knights
2020 Stars
2021 Canadiens

Random ass teams actually make the SCF often. But notice the pattern here: these teams are 0-13 (about to be 0-14) mostly against high seeds and teams that were favorites the whole year.

Granted, the Islanders might not be the most impressive regular season team, but they would be the favorite and the favorite literally always wins these.

Completely disagree that they would have been favoured any more than almost half of the teams here. They're just as much a "random ass team" as Dallas, Vegas, Philly, Calgary and Vancouver.
 

Machinehead

GoAwayKakko
Jan 21, 2011
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would they have been the favorite against Dallas last year?

the two teams look relatively evenly matched looking at their regular seasons
Completely disagree that they would have been favoured any more than almost half of the teams here. They're just as much a "random ass team" as Dallas, Vegas, Philly, Calgary and Vancouver.
Maybe last year, but they've proven themselves this year. All of the teams on that list fell out of contention except for Vegas.
 

Regal

Registered User
Mar 12, 2010
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Maybe last year, but they've proven themselves this year. All of the teams on that list fell out of contention except for Vegas.

All of those teams but maybe Dallas has sustained success either before or after. And Dallas has had streaks of being really good the past three years, theyve just been inconsistent. The Canucks were one of the best teams in the league the two seasons prior and clearly underperformed in the regular season that year. The Flames were a completely different team with Kiprusoff and that success continued in the regular season at least after the lockout. And Philly was a really good team the two years before and after, including a Conference finals loss two years prior.
 

NJ DevLolz

The Many Saints of Newark
Sep 30, 2017
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It was the only year out of seven they made the playoffs. They were poster boys for "random team that for hot for a couple of months."

And before you even start, yes, the 2012 Rangers were a lottery team with a goalie that should have won the Hart.

If Holtby doesn't beat Boston literally by himself, that's who the Devils play in the ECF instead of taking 56 shots at Lundqvist every night. Would have gone very differently.
This is being disingenuous. The Devils made the playoffs every year from '97-'10, missed in '11 for a variety of reasons, and then hit 102 points in 2012. They definitely had a few more playoff berths if Parise and Kovalchuk didn't leave right after. Why the Devils weren't a fluke:
  • above average possession
  • 5th leading scorer (Kovalchuk), 10th leading scorer (Elias); 22nd leading scorer (Parise); Great secondary scoring from guys like Clarkson (30 goals), Henrique (48 points); Sykora (20 goals); Zubrus (44 points); Ponikarovsky (also .5ppg+); All this and they were missing Zajac who was hitting 50-60 points per year then.
  • Andy Greene was basically M.E. Vlasic, Slavin, and Pelech back then. A top 5 shutdown dman who regularly shutdown top opponents. Ask Giroux how his series went against Greene-Fayne.
Yes, they did get lucky to avoid certain opponents. They 100% lose to Boston and probably Pittsburgh as well. What a lot of people don't remember is Brodeur nearly blew round 1 against the Panthers. He was so bad that series. NJ decisively outplayed their opposition until the SCF, though. It's not like they were lucky to get there.
 

AvroArrow

The way she goes
Jun 10, 2011
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Toronto
TIL the 99 Sabres & 03 Ducks were "Stacked".

Yikes....

Having the greatest goaltender in the history of the game in his prime makes you stacked. It's no different than a team having a prime Lemieux, just because he's a goalie doesn't mean his isn't apart of the team. Giguere put on one of the greatest goaltending performances of all time in 2003, if Kariya doesn't get concussed the Ducks might've won game 7.
 

Hockeyholic

Registered User
Apr 20, 2017
16,351
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Condo My Dad Bought Me
Having the greatest goaltender in the history of the game in his prime makes you stacked. It's no different than a team having a prime Lemieux, just because he's a goalie doesn't mean his isn't apart of the team. Giguere put on one of the greatest goaltending performances of all time in 2003, if Kariya doesn't get concussed the Ducks might've won game 7.

TB is stacked. Best defense, offense, and goalie. That Ducks team had two great players. They weren't "Stacked". They were lucky to beat Detroit.
 

slapKing

Registered User
Feb 12, 2020
702
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Canada
1991 North Stars
1994 Canucks
1996 Panthers
1998 Capitals
1999 Sabres
2002 Hurricanes
2003 Ducks
2004 Flames
2006 Oilers
2010 Flyers
2012 Devils
2018 Golden Knights
2020 Stars
2021 Canadiens

Random ass teams actually make the SCF often. But notice the pattern here: these teams are 0-13 (about to be 0-14) mostly against high seeds and teams that were favorites the whole year.

Granted, the Islanders might not be the most impressive regular season team, but they would be the favorite and the favorite literally always wins these.

i would add nashville to the list.
 
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Machinehead

GoAwayKakko
Jan 21, 2011
141,167
109,563
NYC
This is being disingenuous. The Devils made the playoffs every year from '97-'10, missed in '11 for a variety of reasons, and then hit 102 points in 2012. They definitely had a few more playoff berths if Parise and Kovalchuk didn't leave right after. Why the Devils weren't a fluke:
  • above average possession
  • 5th leading scorer (Kovalchuk), 10th leading scorer (Elias); 22nd leading scorer (Parise); Great secondary scoring from guys like Clarkson (30 goals), Henrique (48 points); Sykora (20 goals); Zubrus (44 points); Ponikarovsky (also .5ppg+); All this and they were missing Zajac who was hitting 50-60 points per year then.
  • Andy Greene was basically M.E. Vlasic, Slavin, and Pelech back then. A top 5 shutdown dman who regularly shutdown top opponents. Ask Giroux how his series went against Greene-Fayne.
Yes, they did get lucky to avoid certain opponents. They 100% lose to Boston and probably Pittsburgh as well. What a lot of people don't remember is Brodeur nearly blew round 1 against the Panthers. He was so bad that series. NJ decisively outplayed their opposition until the SCF, though. It's not like they were lucky to get there.
You say they were lucky to avoid two opponents and then you say "it's not like they were lucky to get there." What do you think lucky to get there means?

Outplaying bad teams doesn't make you a great team. Montreal embarrassed Winnipeg this year. Are they good now?

Montreal also has good analytics. When you accomplish nothing over several years, you are what you are. Half the league makes the playoffs. How many rounds did the Devils win before 2012?
 

NJ DevLolz

The Many Saints of Newark
Sep 30, 2017
4,565
5,398
You say they were lucky to avoid two opponents and then you say "it's not like they were lucky to get there." What do you think lucky to get there means?

Outplaying bad teams doesn't make you a great team. Montreal embarrassed Winnipeg this year. Are they good now?

Montreal also has good analytics. When you accomplish nothing over several years, you are what you are. Half the league makes the playoffs. How many rounds did the Devils win before 2012?
Every team who makes the Final gets some luck their way. Whether it be goaltending, shooting lights out, avoiding certain opponents, or health.

But comparing the 2012 Devils to the 2021 Habs isn't a great comparison. The Devils actually had top end offensive talent and hit 100+ points that season.
 

MattMartin

Killer Instinct™
Feb 10, 2007
17,438
9,990
Long Island
Lou’s best (and brilliant) move was hiring Trotz.

But he’s a bad GM that is limiting this team. Signing a bunch of 4th liners to ridiculous contracts forced them to trade Toews over guys like Komorov. And of course previous management gets blame too for wasting Tavares’ prime years and absolute steal of a contract causing him to eventually leave.

If Trotz had even one of Tavares/Toews on the Isles roster, I think he would have coached the isles to at least 2 Stanley cups by now.

Fire Lou before he makes the same mistake that happened with Tavares. Barzal is playing with bums and instead of getting him an elite winger they are trading for guys like zajac.

LOLOLOL. No way in heck could we afford to keep Pulock, Pelech, Leddy, and Toews. Toews was the odd man out with Dobson taking his place at a much less cap hit. I will say he is no Dubas (thank goodness)
 

NJ DevLolz

The Many Saints of Newark
Sep 30, 2017
4,565
5,398
LOLOLOL. No way in heck could we afford to keep Pulock, Pelech, Leddy, and Toews. Toews was the odd man out with Dobson taking his place at a much less cap hit. I will say he is no Dubas (thank goodness)
Lou is terrible bud. Look at the mess he left in Toronto and he gives a ton of term to plugs. He has a reputation, which allowed him to hire Trotz, but he is pretty bad nowadays.
 

End of Line

Registered User
Mar 20, 2009
24,526
2,118
Lou’s best (and brilliant) move was hiring Trotz.

But he’s a bad GM that is limiting this team. Signing a bunch of 4th liners to ridiculous contracts forced them to trade Toews over guys like Komorov. And of course previous management gets blame too for wasting Tavares’ prime years and absolute steal of a contract causing him to eventually leave.

If Trotz had even one of Tavares/Toews on the Isles roster, I think he would have coached the isles to at least 2 Stanley cups by now.

Fire Lou before he makes the same mistake that happened with Tavares. Barzal is playing with bums and instead of getting him an elite winger they are trading for guys like zajac.

Toews was on the team last year
 
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Nico Hughes

Registered User
Jun 28, 2021
453
288
Islanders will be great for a long time. I see a cup win as soon as next year.

Who will challenge them in the east besides Tampa?

Lightning
Isles
Avs
Knights

Will be four favorites in preseason imo.
The Islanders were the oldest team in the league with little cap space

Their window isnt exactly open for a long time; they have a lot of moves to make the next two years and not a lot in the pipeline at all
 

MattMartin

Killer Instinct™
Feb 10, 2007
17,438
9,990
Long Island
Lou is terrible bud. Look at the mess he left in Toronto and he gives a ton of term to plugs. He has a reputation, which allowed him to hire Trotz, but he is pretty bad nowadays.

As long as you say so. Last I checked was Dubas that gave out all that money to Tavares, Matthews, and Marner. They are not "plugs", but what have they won in the 3 years with those "superstars"? NOT ONE PLAYOFF ROUND.
 

NJ DevLolz

The Many Saints of Newark
Sep 30, 2017
4,565
5,398
As long as you say so. Last I checked was Dubas that gave out all that money to Tavares, Matthews, and Marner. They are not "plugs", but what have they won in the 3 years with those "superstars"? NOT ONE PLAYOFF ROUND.
They aren't winning because of Leo Komarov, Matt Martin, and Ross Johnston lol
 

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