Years you thought your team should have won the Cup
- Thread starter tinyzombies
- Start date
TouringReg
Registered User
Red Wings 2009. I thought on paper it was a better team than 2008, having Hossa. Unfortunately during the final a stupid schedule because lf TV (ya I know both teams play with the same schedule but Detroit was out of gas and would have benefited from extra rest) and Datsyuk and Lidstrom both seriously injured detailed the Wings. Two in a row during the cap would have been quite the achievement. It's taken a few years of early exits for me to really appreciate the 2007-2009 teams.
Vancouver Canucks :
1993 - had a great team, had to beat an LA team they'd dominated in the regular season in the 2nd round ... and lost. Would have been favoured against Toronto and Montreal after that.
2003- up 3-1 on Minnesota, would have then had to beat the Ducks to get to the Finals.
2011 - easily the best team in the NHL, completely destroyed by injuries by the Finals.
2011 is the only year in franchise history that they were prohibitive favourites, but 1993 and 2003 were bitterly disappointing after the way those playoffs started to shape up.
1993 - had a great team, had to beat an LA team they'd dominated in the regular season in the 2nd round ... and lost. Would have been favoured against Toronto and Montreal after that.
2003- up 3-1 on Minnesota, would have then had to beat the Ducks to get to the Finals.
2011 - easily the best team in the NHL, completely destroyed by injuries by the Finals.
2011 is the only year in franchise history that they were prohibitive favourites, but 1993 and 2003 were bitterly disappointing after the way those playoffs started to shape up.
Moose Head
Registered User
Habs should have won in 74-75 too, they were the most talented team, but just weren't buying in to bowman just yet. Over that summer they learned their lesson.
NylanderBros
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Killion
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- Feb 19, 2010
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....
ya, Toronto's my team as well, and after the dreadful 80's, never a serious threat in the 70's & really, a surprise win in 67, that was something else alrighty. Honestly, I was just ecstatic to see them finally be really competitive. Great club.
TheDevilMadeMe
Registered User
Main one for the Devils Devils is 2001, especially after the Forsberg injury.
In the finals, Gomez and Mogilny ended up no-showing, while Randy McKay's injury hurt the 3rd line and the 2nd PP. Basically killing what should have been NJ's big advantage (scoring depth). Plus Brodeur seemed star struck by the guy on the other side of the ice or something, though he never really found a groove those playoffs.
Lou Lamorello openly told the press that he was disappointed in the way his team performed - how often does that happen? In the offseason, Mogilny wasn't even offered a contract, and other high-skill, low-effort players were purged over the next 2 years.
To a lesser extent, 1997 and 2006.
1997 = Devils were the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Dave Andreychuk (arguably their 2nd most important forward) is injured in a meaningless game at the end of the regular season when the team was already resting OTHER players. They sweep the Canadiens in the first round anyway. Then in the second round, the Rangers decide to spring a neutral zone trap of their own on the Devils and Lemaire can't adjust. Not to mention multiple "foot in the crease" goals called back. Oh, and Messier injured the Devil's most important forward (Doug Gilmour).
2006 = the start of a trend of choking in the last minute to Carolina. Devils were the hottest team in the league, heading into the playoffs.
Devils record first 39 games (Elias out with Hepatitis): 16-18-5
Devils record with next 43 games (Elias played 38 of them): 30-9-4
Carolina won game 1 at home. Devils were leading Game 2 when Colin White let Eric Staal completely own the crease and score with 3 seconds left, sending it to OT. Maybe Devils fans were spoiled by Scott Stevens, but if Colin White just knocked Staal down (penalties be damned, there were 3 seconds left), NJ goes home tied. Devils were an outstanding home team that year.
In the finals, Gomez and Mogilny ended up no-showing, while Randy McKay's injury hurt the 3rd line and the 2nd PP. Basically killing what should have been NJ's big advantage (scoring depth). Plus Brodeur seemed star struck by the guy on the other side of the ice or something, though he never really found a groove those playoffs.
Lou Lamorello openly told the press that he was disappointed in the way his team performed - how often does that happen? In the offseason, Mogilny wasn't even offered a contract, and other high-skill, low-effort players were purged over the next 2 years.
To a lesser extent, 1997 and 2006.
1997 = Devils were the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Dave Andreychuk (arguably their 2nd most important forward) is injured in a meaningless game at the end of the regular season when the team was already resting OTHER players. They sweep the Canadiens in the first round anyway. Then in the second round, the Rangers decide to spring a neutral zone trap of their own on the Devils and Lemaire can't adjust. Not to mention multiple "foot in the crease" goals called back. Oh, and Messier injured the Devil's most important forward (Doug Gilmour).
2006 = the start of a trend of choking in the last minute to Carolina. Devils were the hottest team in the league, heading into the playoffs.
Devils record first 39 games (Elias out with Hepatitis): 16-18-5
Devils record with next 43 games (Elias played 38 of them): 30-9-4
Carolina won game 1 at home. Devils were leading Game 2 when Colin White let Eric Staal completely own the crease and score with 3 seconds left, sending it to OT. Maybe Devils fans were spoiled by Scott Stevens, but if Colin White just knocked Staal down (penalties be damned, there were 3 seconds left), NJ goes home tied. Devils were an outstanding home team that year.
Last edited:
tjcurrie
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Caps Circle
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GreatGonzo
Surrounded by Snowflakes
i don't believe the Sharks have had one year where I felt they clearly should have won, but the two years where I felt they should(or had a chance to) make to all the way was 2009 and 2013.
I don't think we would have gotten past Detroit in 08 if we beat Dallas, and I didn't expect us to get past the Hawks and Canucks those back to back years. But I expected us to put up more of a fight.
The 2010 team was the best team IMO, we just lost to an even better team.
I don't think we would have gotten past Detroit in 08 if we beat Dallas, and I didn't expect us to get past the Hawks and Canucks those back to back years. But I expected us to put up more of a fight.
The 2010 team was the best team IMO, we just lost to an even better team.
tinyzombies
Registered User
If the Sharks had solved Quick in 2014, gotta think they win the Cup there too. I don't think they were better than Chicago in 2013 tho.
VanIslander
A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
In Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals, Canucks captain Trevor Linden scored two goals and seemed poised to score a hat trick and bring home the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe! But they lost 3-2.
One friggin' goal difference.
One friggin' goal difference.
Killion
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- Feb 19, 2010
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yep. absolutely heartbreaking. picture that tells a 1000 words right there.
The Panther
Registered User
Yeah, besides Gretzky there was a small thing called Patrick Roy and the Canadiens in between the Leafs and a Cup...
The Panther
Registered User
The Canucks were a great team around that time and had a great run in '94. But, do you really think they "should have won" in 1994? They actually had quite a disappointing 1993-94 season compared to the year before, and nobody was expecting them to win the Division/Conference, let alone the Cup.
Likewise, in the Finals they were thoroughly outplayed in game 1, and then lost game 2, game 3, and game 4. They were very fortunate not to have been swept.
The Panther
Registered User
GreatGonzo
Surrounded by Snowflakes
That's a good point. But I honestly didn't see us beating beating Chicago in 2014. I felt like we had a better chance in 2013. If the Hawks sweep the Kings or best them in 6 games, who knows. They might have carried that momentum into the Hawks series.
Terry Yake
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- Aug 5, 2013
- 26,901
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2009 and 2015
yes i still think the ducks could have won it all in '09 if they had gotten past detroit
yes i still think the ducks could have won it all in '09 if they had gotten past detroit
BigDucky
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Admiral Awesome
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- Jun 8, 2015
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GMR
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