Quote:
Originally Posted by Vinny01
The Canucks hugest accomplishment was winning the Presidents Trophy 2 years in a row and coming within 1 game of winning it all. That is the only time I would say they were truly an elite team. Looking at their body of work over the past decade they have constantly been in the discussion as a contending team which is a rare thing in the NHL today. Only the Wings, And Sharks are teams off the top of my head that are comparable. The 2 years Vancouver missed they also finished just outside the playoffs.
The current LA kings squad is elite. I would call them a top 5 contender in the league and likely a top 2 seed in the west. The Caps looked to be on the verge in 2010 but losing in the first round and never getting past the 2nd does not make them elite in my mind
I really only think the Canucks were elite from 09-12 where they lost to a better Blackhawks team twice, made the finals, and then lost to the champion kings in round 1.
Is Pittsburgh still an elite team even though they haven't made the finals in 4 years? I would say yea even though they lost in round 1 in 2012.
The only time the Flames looked elite was from playoffs 04 through end of season 06. They nearly won the cup and won the Jennings and NW the year after the lockout. They looked borderline in 2009 but injuries killed That team. I remember all year hearing the Wings, Sharks, Flames were the elite teams in the west
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I think this is where we're going to have to agree to disagree as we did in the Kessel conversation. Your version of elite is so easily attainable that when you call a team elite, you're not saying anything more than "they're a good team". The Presidents Trophy is great, but it doesn't mean anything. It doesn't mean you're an elite team. What you're describing is the makings of a great team. Elite teams dominate, when did Vancouver dominate? One season? They have BEEN dominated countless times. The fact that you refer to the Flames being elite for 2 seasons and Vancouver being elite for two seasons spells out to me one of the biggest issues with your definition of the word: Lack of sample size.
Elite teams don't just appear and disappear for a season or two, good teams can have great seasons, but elite teams spend 5 or 6 years dominating. LA, Calgary (04-06), Vancouver, these are only elite teams if your definition is "moderately-to-very successful for a season or two".