Kesler doesn't wanna hear that the Nucks are declining

[stemit14]

Elite teams win championships... Period.

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by stemit14

Elite teams win championships... Period.

Thanks for the definition Webster

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

Thanks for the definition Webster

Celebrity Flames Fan!

[Beatle17]

Originally Posted by Hells Bells

^^ Exactly.

President Trophies don't make you elite... Stanley Cups do.

So then Carolina is an elite team since the lockout?

[Burner]

all i have to say about the topic of this thread is

Get used to it Kesler

[strombad]

Originally Posted by Beatle17

So then Carolina is an elite team since the lockout?

It takes a mixture, but winning a cup is part of it. Anaheim, Carolina, Tampa Bay, LA. None of those teams are elite. Nor were they the year they won the cup. It is for the exact same reason that both Carolina and Vancouver are not elite teams: the inability to dominate the game in all situations. Carolina had a great playoff run that ended up in a championship after an average season, they fell off the next season. Vancouver has had great seasons but never been able to finish.

Elite teams win championships, but winning a championship is not the automatic thing that makes the team elite. It's the last piece that shows the team truly is elite, that they have put everything together and are able to beat every team in the league on their best days. Vancouver can't say they're able to do that.

But, to be fair, if you think Vancouver is elite, then yes, Carolina would be elite by that logic as well.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by opendoor

Only 1 team in the league (Pittsburgh) has more wins over the last 5 seasons than Vancouver. If that's not elite (at least in terms of regular season success), then what is?

Thanks D. Sutter, do they also have the most 20 goal scorers on the team?

[Vinny01]

In a 30 team league where dynasties no longer exist what defines an elite team? How is LA who won in 2012 and made it to the 3rd round in 2013 with a core still on their 20's not elite by today's standards?

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Vinny01

How is LA who won in 2012 and made it to the 3rd round in 2013 with a core still on their 20's not elite by today's standards?

They're not elite because the year they won it all, they were a #8 seed that could easily have missed the playoffs. They were one spot ahead of the Flames, who were not an elite team in anybody's books. The next year they were a #5 seed, but still only 4 points away from missing the playoffs.

Elite teams don't worry about missing the postseason.

I put the 2012 Kings in the category of Cinderella teams, with the likes of the '99 Sabres, '03 Ducks, '04 Flames, and '06 Hurricanes and Oilers. It's very rare for a team in that class to win the Stanley Cup. Full credit to the Kings for doing it — but they were still Cinderella. They just managed to clinch it before Jonathan Quick turned back into a pumpkin.

[Mike F]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

I put the 2012 Kings in the category of Cinderella teams, with the likes of the '99 Sabres, '03 Ducks, '04 Flames, and '06 Hurricanes and Oilers. It's very rare for a team in that class to win the Stanley Cup. Full credit to the Kings for doing it — but they were still Cinderella. They just managed to clinch it before Jonathan Quick turned back into a pumpkin.

I disagree about the Kings being a Cinderella team in 2012. After Sutter took over as coach, they were 24-13-9, which would translate to a 101 point season over 82 games. They then went 16-4 in the playoffs. Borderline teams don't catch fire at that level for that long

[DuffMan]

Kesler is an elite crybaby. The Canucks are elite divers.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Mike F

I disagree about the Kings being a Cinderella team in 2012. After Sutter took over as coach, they were 24-13-9, which would translate to a 101 point season over 82 games. They then went 16-4 in the playoffs. Borderline teams don't catch fire at that level for that long

It was Jonathan Quick who mostly caught fire. When a goalie gets that hot, you could put him on almost any team and they would go deep in the playoffs.

By the way, 24-13-9 is still 24 wins and 22 losses, which is hardly a world-beating record.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

It was Jonathan Quick who mostly caught fire. When a goalie gets that hot, you could put him on almost any team and they would go deep in the playoffs...

I might agree with you if the Kings had not now managed to do it two years in a row. Getting to the third round in the playoffs in back-to-back years is a rare feat these days, and something that I would say only elite teams are capable to do.

Since the 2005–06 season:

· The Ducks have done it once (2005–07)
· The Blackhawks have done it once (2008–10)
· The Wings have done it once (2006–08)
· The Penguins have done it once (2007–09)
· The Sharks have done it once (2009–11)

No team has managed it three years straight, and of the above list of six teams, only one of those failed to win a championship. Of these teams, only the Kings have managed to return to the Conference Finals the year AFTER having won the Cup.

[BlackWallStreet]

I'd say they were elite during that Stanley cup run then they went and got
Guys like kassian... Lol

[dissentowner]

Who cares if they were an elite pre-season, regular season team. They are never winning a SC and that is what is important here.

[Pontine]

As much as I hate the Canucks, they were at least an elite Regular season team.