In my opinion the 1980-84 NY Islanders are the best NHL team of all time. Do you agree?

Question

They won 4 straight Stanley Cups and lost in their 5th consecutive try to the Edmonton Oilers in 1984!!
That's unheard of in modern day sports, and it gets zero recognition because hockey gets stepped on all the time!

Answer 1

The Islanders won 19 consecutive playoff series, no one else has won more than 13 (1976-79 Montreal). But alas, that is where the greatness ends.

The Islanders were the last team to reach 5 Stanly Cup Finals. Let's look at other teams who did that
1965-1969 Montreal Canadiens (winning 4)
1951-1960 Montreal Canadiens (winning 6)
Hmmmmm.......a pattern

Let's look at other teams who have won 4 or more cups in a row
Montreal 1976-1979
Montreal 1956-1960
Hmmmmm......the pattern continues

You say the Oilers won 5 Cups in 7 years?
But they never won 3 in a row
They never won 10 playoff series in a row (twice they won 9)

Montreal won 6 cups in 8 years (1953-1960)
Montreal won 5 cups in 7 years (1973-1979)
Montreal won 5 cups in 7 years (1965-1971)
Montreal won 6 cups in 9 years (1965-1973)

Personally, having been a scout in the NHL from the mid 60s to the mid 90s.
The Montreal success from 1953-1979 will be unmatched
The Islanders teams were very good, and swept the Oilers a year before losing in 5.

But the Montreal teams that were in 10 straight Stanley Cup finals were the greatest team of all time. Between 1952 and 1969, they were either 1st or 2nd over all every year except 1963, and even then, they were only 3 points out of 1st.

Answer 2

I've never had the pleasure to watch any of the great dynasties, (isles, oilers, habs) The fact that NY and Edmonton did it after the Expansion is pretty impressive, the Habs of the 50's did it in the original six era, so there wasn't as much competition, maybe more solid competition.

But what about when Montreal won 4 in a row right before the Isles, you could compare that to NY and Edmonton, its more in the same time frame.

But to say best of all time it would be hard to choose.

I'm not as knowledgeable as some one that was alive during those times, and was able to see these teams play, seeing that i was born at the tail end of Edmontons dynasty years, but this answer was as good as i can do.

Answer 3

The Islanders were pretty darn solid, but Edmonton managed to lift the cup 5 times in 7 years following that NY dynasty.

The Oilers run is my personal favorite, but the Montreal string of 5 straight cups in the 50's has to get the nod as the NHL's most dominant squad.

That franchise has twice won six of ten cups in a decade (50's, 70's)

Answer 4

The Montreal Dynasty was the greatest dynasty of them all. No debate. 5 cups in a row at one point, 4 in a row at another point, and won 15 Cups between 1956 and 1979 and only missed the playoffs once. The Isles run was great, but, the Canadiens were just to dominate for so long. So look at the teams in that era, and you'll find the best teams in NHL history.

Answer 5

They were a good team but best of all time. NO.
The Oiler team that won 5 in 8 years and also dethroned the Isles was better. The Leaf team that ended Montreal's strangle hold of the cup in the early sixties also was better.
But the all time best team was the Habs from 55 to 60. 5 cups in a row. Five of a kind certainly beats four of a kind.

Answer 6

I even have watched and been to such fairly some Islander video games in my existence. I even have seen them supply up undesirable targets and spot those variety of undesirable draft suggestions and commerce them away. i replaced into not alive while the Islanders gained a playoff sequence in 1993. yet each season I see fairly some coronary heart on the ice. Kyle Okposo, John Tavares, Michael Grabner all super youthful expertise. The administration has been terrible. Milbury and Maloney ruined the franchise interior the previous due ninety's and early 2000's. Hiring Garth Snow as a typical supervisor replaced into not an excellent thought, although the Ryan Smyth deal in 2007 replaced into sensible and an excellent pass, signing Rick Dipetro to that contract replaced right into a undesirable pass, i could see why they did it, i advise it worked with Marty Brodeur, they only equipped around him and gained 3 cups. The Islanders decide for a guy with adventure at the back of the bench. i could see a guy like Ron Wilson taking over and that i think of he could restoration issues up. the subsequent subject is getting a delegated goaltender, Nabakov has performed o.k. yet he will retire interior of right here couple of season. interior of two years D.P would be long gone and that i might permit al Montoya do the job pass isles:)

Answer 7

not only that, they have the record for most consecutive playoff series won....they won 16 from 1980-83 and then made the finals the next year (winning 3) and that makes 19. even the great celtics teams that won 8 in a row won just 2 series a year.

Answer 8

I am sure they are good, but if you want to talk to hockey fans all you have to do is talk to Canadians, we love the sport! And to bad to say that the Montreal Canadiens are pretty sad now but on the whole it is still the team that won the most Stanley Cups ever! They used to be so amazing!
http://proicehockey.about.com/od/stanleycupbunker/a/stanley_cuplist.htm

Answer 9

Montreal used to get the top 8 french canadian prospects. So all of their powerhouses were better. Imagine what their team would look like if it was still like that. Broduer backed up by Luongo. Crosby, Lecavelier. You get the picture. No wonder they won so many stanley cups the rules were completely unfair.

Answer 10

Greetings,

The Isles were a pretty good team back then, but the Montreal Canadiens are the all time best.... 5 in a row....and it could have been 8 in a row at one point.....incredible!!

Check out this recent article....

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news;_ylt=AtlF9F6n0mi0ixLoM9FB4KtI2bYF?slug=stfinalscuplegends&prov=st&type=lgns

Good day,
JS