Rank This Decade's Best Cup Winning Teams

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

If I'm not mistaken, 2010 is the start of a new decade, hence I wanted to rank all the best Cup winning teams of this decade, from 2000-2009. I don't think anyone can debate the top 2 teams on my list, but I'm curious to see what other people's lists will look like.

1. 2002 Red Wings

2. 2001 Avalanche

3. 2008 Red Wings

4. 2000 Devils

5. 2003 Devils

6. 2009 Penguins

7. 2007 Ducks

8. 2004 Lightning

9. 2006 Hurricanes

[DanZ 0]

07 ducks>09 penguins

[Rice 42]

I think you're underestimating the '07 Ducks. I think they would've beaten the '09 Penguins. Hell, I think the '09 Ducks would've beaten the '09 Penguins. That '07 Ducks team was extremely well-built.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

1.) 2002 Red Wings

2.) 2001 Avs

3.) 2000 Devils

4.) 2008 Wings

5.) 2003 Devils

6.) 2004 Lightning

7.) 2007 Ducks

8.) 2006 Canes

9.) 2009 Pittsburgh

I liked the Canes 06 team much more then the Pens this past year and that's pretty much the reason there where they are on my list.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

I think you're underestimating the '07 Ducks. I think they would've beaten the '09 Penguins. Hell, I think the '09 Ducks would've beaten the '09 Penguins. That '07 Ducks team was extremely well-built.

Yeah, but you're forgetting that the 2009 Pens would have the officiating on their side, especially against a team that takes lots of penalties.

Hell, there'd be all kinds of records broken in that series for all time PP opportunities in a series.

[Echolalia 2,961]

1) 2002 Wings

2) 2001 Avs

3) 2008 Wings

4) 2007 Ducks

5) 2000 Devils

6) 2003 Devils

7) 2009 Penguins

8) 2006 Hurricanes

9) 2004 Lightning

[hooon 1,089]

1) 2002 Wings

2) 2001 Avs

3) 2008 Wings

4) 2007 Ducks

5) 2000 Devils

6) 2003 Devils

7) 2009 Penguins

8) 2006 Hurricanes

9) 2004 Lightning

This

[wingfanatic4alltime 32]

1. 02 Wings

2. 01 AVS

3. 07 Ducks

4. 08 Wings

5. 04 Lightning

6. 09 Pens

7. 03 Devils

8. 00 Devils

9. 06 Canes

[Zion 93]

Agreed.

[Lidstrom for Norris 0]

1. 2002 Red Wings

2. 2001 Avalanche

3. 2008 Red Wings

4. 2007 Ducks

5. 2003 Devils

6. 2009 Penguins

7. 2000 Devils

8. 2006 Hurricanes

9. 2004 Lightning

[Chunkylover 26]

8/9 '04 Tampa Bay/'06 Carolina

7 '03 Devils

6 '00 Devils

5 '09 Penguins

4 '07 Ducks

3 '08 Red Wings

2 '01 Avalanche

1 '02 Red Wings

This isn't really very scientific, but it's how I see 'em. The difference between 1 and 2 is so narrow that at times the '01 Avs might appear to be better. Same could be said about 3 and 4; two very competitive teams. I think some people are purposely under-rating the Penguins out of spite, but they're a good team. It's hard for me to rank the Devils because at the time I was unable to watch hockey. Nevertheless I don't think Stevens and Brodeur would put them over the more dynamic offenses of the teams ahead of them. No explanation required for 8 and 9.

[Echolalia 2,961]

This isn't really very scientific, but it's how I see 'em. The difference between 1 and 2 is so narrow that at times the '01 Avs might appear to be better. Same could be said about 3 and 4; two very competitive teams. I think some people are purposely under-rating the Penguins out of spite, but they're a good team. It's hard for me to rank the Devils because at the time I was unable to watch hockey. Nevertheless I don't think Stevens and Brodeur would put them over the more dynamic offenses of the teams ahead of them. No explanation required for 8 and 9.

I tried to be as unbiased as possible with my decision, however I don't see the 2009 Pens beating any of the teams I rated higher than them with possible exception to the Devils' teams, and that's a big IF. Both of those teams had unbelievable defense, probably better than ours last year.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

1.) 2002 Red Wings

2.) 2001 Avs

3.) 2000 Devils

4.) 2008 Wings

5.) 2003 Devils

6.) 2004 Lightning

7.) 2007 Ducks

8.) 2006 Canes

9.) 2009 Pittsburgh

I liked the Canes 06 team much more then the Pens this past year and that's pretty much the reason there where they are on my list.

That Carolina team only won the Cup because Roloson, who was Edmonton's best player that year, was injured in the Finals. They barely won a few game 7's and were down 2-0 in the first round. That team was fortunate to have won the Cup at all.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

The Devils are by far the hardest team to judge, because they benefitted from a trapping style of hockey that wouldn't be allowed nowadays.

So the question would be "what rules would they be playing by?"

Even so, I think many of you underrated how hard that team was to play against. If they scored first, the game was basically over.

[Chunkylover 26]

I tried to be as unbiased as possible with my decision, however I don't see the 2009 Pens beating any of the teams I rated higher than them with possible exception to the Devils' teams, and that's a big IF. Both of those teams had unbelievable defense, probably better than ours last year.

Even so, I think many of you underrated how hard that team was to play against. If they scored first, the game was basically over.

I certainly wouldn't begrudge anyone for holding a differing opinion. Maybe I under-rated the Devils teams based on their opponent and over-rated the Penguins because of who they beat. Certainly the Devils would have been a more physical opponent than the '09 Wings, and Malkin would probably be dead from acute open-ice-hit-shoulder-poisoning.

Edited August 26, 2009 by Chunkylover

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Will anyone dare put Colorado ahead of Detroit?

I mean they gave us a tough series in 2002, and their 2001 team had Ray Bourque and was a hungrier team. Not to mention the won the Cup WITHOUT their best player Forsberg.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Not to mention the won the Cup WITHOUT their best player Forsberg.

Maybe splitting hairs, but there's no way Joe Sakic wasn't the best player on that team, or best player in the league, that year.

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Maybe splitting hairs, but there's no way Joe Sakic wasn't the best player on that team, or best player in the league, that year.

Sakic won the Hart, but most people back then believed Forsberg to be the best player in the world all-around. In either case, they won the Cup without a very important player, which is hard to do and isn't something you see often.

[Echolalia 2,961]

Will anyone dare put Colorado ahead of Detroit?

I mean they gave us a tough series in 2002, and their 2001 team had Ray Bourque and was a hungrier team. Not to mention the won the Cup WITHOUT their best player Forsberg.

It was definitely a tough series, but 2002 Red Wings is synonymous with "team that is so good they should have been banned from playing" in my head.

Fedorov

Hull

Shanahan

Yzerman

Lidstrom

Larionov

Holmstrom

Draper

Maltby

Datsyuk

Zetterberg

Robatille

McCarty

Chelios

Schneider

Fisher

Hasek

Oh my god. And a lot of those players still in their prime. I would honestly pick this team to verse any team in history and be willing to bet money on their victory.

Edited August 26, 2009 by Echolalia

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

It was definitely a tough series, but 2002 Red Wings is synonymous with "team that is so good they should have been banned from playing" in my head.

Fedorov

Hull

Shanahan

Yzerman

Lidstrom

Larionov

Holmstrom

Draper

Maltby

Datsyuk

Zetterberg

Robatille

McCarty

Chelios

Schneider

Fisher

Hasek

Oh my god. And a lot of those players still in their prime. I would honestly pick this team to verse any team in history and be willing to bet money on their victory.

You overreacted. The only Hall of Famer on that team who was in his prime was Lidstrom. All the other greats were slightly or way past their prime.

As far as who was the best in history, I'd take the 77 Montreal team, but that's a different debate for a different topic.

My point was that the 2001 Avs team was also immensely talented and there are a few arguments one could make for picking them ahead of the 2002 Wings, although I ultimately think the Wings team was better.

Oh, also Zetterberg wasn't on that team and neither was Schneider

Edited August 26, 2009 by GMRwings1983

[toby91_ca 620]

It was definitely a tough series, but 2002 Red Wings is synonymous with "team that is so good they should have been banned from playing" in my head.

Fedorov

Hull

Shanahan

Yzerman

Lidstrom

Larionov

Holmstrom

Draper

Maltby

Datsyuk

Zetterberg

Robatille

McCarty

Chelios

Schneider

Fisher

Hasek

Oh my god. And a lot of those players still in their prime. I would honestly pick this team to verse any team in history and be willing to bet money on their victory.

I think a lot of the players were not in their prime and just for accuracy, the bolded players weren't even on the team. That said, they probably were the best winnning team of the past 10 years.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I think a lot of the players were not in their prime and just for accuracy, the bolded players weren't even on the team. That said, they probably were the best winnning team of the past 10 years.

My mistake. I copied and pasted a partial roster from another website without looking. I probably shouldn't have used the word "prime" either, at it gets taken quite literally, apparently, but I was trying to convey that players like Draper and Maltby were still effective, while players like Fedorov and Hull were still putting up solid numbers, and I didn't want to use more than one word to illustrate that point. Oh well.

Edited August 26, 2009 by Echolalia

[Guest micah]

It was definitely a tough series, but 2002 Red Wings is synonymous with "team that is so good they should have been banned from playing" in my head.

Fedorov Greedy Russian, unmotivated

Hull elderly, frail

Shanahan bad teammate

Yzerman elderly, frail

Lidstrom Wuss, coward

Larionov elderly midget

Holmstrom can't skate

Draper glass jaw, no shot

Maltby Maltby is Mayan for "weaktard"

Datsyuk Sucked back then, playoff no-show

Zetterberg C+

Robatille 4th line hack

McCarty Drug addict, cheapshot artist, goon

Chelios rat face

Schneider rat face

Fisher no heart

Hasekinsane

They won on luck and cheating.

Edited August 26, 2009 by micah

[egroen 384]

That 2002 team played well in spite of itself, and I think Yzerman deserves a lot of credit for holding that team together the full season -- with egos and personalities the size of Hasek, Hull, Chelios, Fedorov, Robitaille and Shanahan, I think that team was never as cohesive of a unit as the later or earlier Cup Teams. In my opinion that team could have just as easily imploded and lose in the first round as they could have won the Cup.... or not even make the playoffs at all (see the Avs in 2004, and countless Rangers teams).

Talent-wise, there is no question the 2002 team is at the top this decade, with the 2001 Avs right behind. But as far as excelling as a team, above and beyond the individual parts, and playing well together - the 2008 Wings, Avs, Ducks and Devils teams might actually be better. Though that 2002 team did beat Vancouver and Colorado, both of which had high-end talent and depth not really seen post-lockout.

[wings-fan for life 0]

1. 2002 Red Wings

2. 2001 Avalanche

3. 2003 Devils

4. 2008 Red Wings

5. 2000 Devils

6. 2007 Ducks

7. 2006 Hurricanes

8. 2009 Penguins

9. 2004 Lightning

Here's my bit of reasoning...in my mind, the 07 Ducks are better than the Hurricane and Lightning Cup teams, ditto for this year Pens team. The 06 Hurricane team was solid, if only in Cam Ward, and the only reason I put the Pens team this year above the Lightning is because Calgary should have won in 04, but the officials were on the Lightning's side...so even though I'm NOT a Flames fan, it isn't nice to see a team get screwed out of a Cup, as they were in 04.

Edited August 26, 2009 by wings-fan for life