OT: Best hockey team of the 2000's

Submitted by Bo's Left Nut on
Who has been the best hockey team of the 2000's? With playoff hockey nearing, I'd love to see some great discussion. I'd either have to say 2007-2008 Red Wings or the 2012-2013 Blackhawks. DISCUSS! EDIt: Forgot the 2001-2002 Red Wings. Dominant as hell.

bluenoteSA80

April 11th, 2015 at 10:28 AM ^

This team at a minimum has to be considered. You couldn't turn around in the locker room without bumping into a hall of fame level player. The head coach wasn't too bad either.

rob f

April 11th, 2015 at 10:43 AM ^

but rather enjoyed your rant anyway!

But back to your question...the 2001-02 Red Wings, without much doubt one of the finest collections of talent I've seen in my lifetime.  Hall of Famers all over the ice, great coaching, good goaltending, best Red Wings team in the post-expansion era.

DenverRob

April 11th, 2015 at 10:47 AM ^

Not even close. It is the 2002 red wings. Counting the front office, players and coaching they will have over 12 hall of farmers. Yzerman, shanahan, robataille, lidstrom, larionov, hull, Hasek, fedorov, datsyuk and chelios as hof players. Scotty bowman, nill and holland as coaches or front office. They only team that would rival the 84 oilers since the 1980s. LGRW.

The Dude

April 11th, 2015 at 11:08 AM ^

When you look at that roster and the talent it was incredible...and they could play any style. They didn't have as many hall of famers, but they were the ideal mix of size, speed, and skill.

Toews, Kane, Sharp, and Hossa as the core with Ladd, Byfuglien, Brouwer, Versteeg (pre-inhury) as the high skilled depth at forward. Keith with the best year of his career to this point, Seabrook, Campbell, and Hjalmarsson on defense. 

bleed_trueblue17

April 11th, 2015 at 11:21 AM ^

1. 2001-02 Red wings.. Not a debate
2. 2000-01 Avalanche.. Very good
3. 2012-13 Blackhawks
4. 2007-08 Red wings
5. 2007-08 Penguins

Ranking based off roster, regular season and playoff success combined

HM: 02-03 Senators, 02-03 devils, 03-04 Lightning, 03-04 Red wings, 06-07 ducks, 10-11 bruins, 09-10 Blackhawks, 08-09 Penguins

bleed_trueblue17

April 11th, 2015 at 3:25 PM ^

They almost got bounced in first round of their last one lack of Hall of game talent ride quick to too many wins they are great in playoffs especially quick but they are no where even close to the best teams assembled in the 2000s just because you win the cup doesn't mean you were the best notice I left out multiple cup champions. It's funny too cuz I'm a kings fan have been since 2007-08.. But they are not in the top 5 and I really don't think they deserve honorable mention either.

shallowcal

April 11th, 2015 at 11:27 AM ^

for the 2001-02 wings was absolutely spectacular, the rest of the role players were some of the best of the time as well.  dandenault, draper, mccarty, holmstrom, maltby, duchesne

Avant's Hands

April 11th, 2015 at 11:30 AM ^

Since 90% of the people here are Wings fans this "dicussion" is going to be mostly between which Wings team was the best. And don't get me wrong, I think the 02 Wings are probably the best of the decade. But most of you aren't even considering other teams. Just to increase discussion I will throw my team in the ring: the 2000 Devils. I know the Devils get a bad rap around here for playing the trap in the 90s, but most people seem to ignore that they largely didn't play that way from 2000 on. In fact, they finished first in the Eastern Conference in goals scored (second overall to the Wings). That team had the Elias-Arnott-Sykora line, which could score on anyone, and Brodeur in his prime. 

I know the 03 Devils had a slightly better record and took the Cup as well, but I always felt like the 2000 team was the best of the five Devils teams to make the finals. Again, I'm not saying they are definitely better than the 02 Wings, but I think they should be in the discussion.

flashOverride

April 11th, 2015 at 5:32 PM ^

I'm a Wings fan, and I appreciate the hell out of the Devils, even after '95. This would be because the 2000 edition kept the Stars from a repeat, the 2001 squad gave the Avalanche a hell of a Finals series, and in 2003 finally sent a Ducks team, which consisted of Giguere and nothing else, crashing back to Earth. 

Canadian

April 11th, 2015 at 12:16 PM ^

2005 Team Canada World Junior Team was the best ever assembled (I think they would've matched up well with those great Russian squads) for that age group.
With Brent Seabrook, Dion Phaneuf, Cam Barker & Shea Weber on the blue line; Jeff Carter, Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Mike Richards, Corey Perry and Patrice Bergeron up front it didn't matter that Jeff Glass was in the crease. They had some lesser known players that were very good in the juniors too like Danny Syvret, Anthony Stewart and Nigel Dawes that just added more great depth.

Bando Calrissian

April 11th, 2015 at 12:23 PM ^

And here I was ready to discuss which 2000s UM team dong punched me the hardest. I'm inclined to say 2007 or 8, but those early aughts teams... Montoya collapsing in the tournament...

Ack.

BlueinLansing

April 11th, 2015 at 3:14 PM ^

One team people forget

 

No NHL team scored more points than the 2006 Detroit Red Wings with 124.  True their division sucked with Columbus, Chicago and St Louis finishing in the last 3 spots in the Conference.

The Wings were 2nd in goals scored and were never shut out during that season.Wings were beaten 4-2 by Edmonton in round 1.

 

Cup success is everything in the NHL and I understand that, but that Red Wings team was awesome and for me is probably its most disappointing in the last 2 decades as far as Cup performances. 

flashOverride

April 11th, 2015 at 5:03 PM ^

2013 Blackhawks almost were taken out by the Wings. I know that Wings team also upset Anaheim, but come on. The 2008 Red Wings didn't come close to losing a series. Yeah they went six games a few times, but they didn't trail 3-1 and get taken to OT of Game 7. 

I think the 2007 Ducks and 2009 Penguins have to be mentioned. 

Md23Rewls

April 11th, 2015 at 5:05 PM ^

2014 Team Canada Olympic team was the most dominant seven consecutive games I've ever seen. Those Sweden and USA games could have gone on ten hours each and neither team was ever going to score on them.

antidaily

April 11th, 2015 at 5:09 PM ^

2012 LA Kings playoff run was pretty incredible. They only lost like 4 games in the playoffs. Started each series 3-0. Won 10 or 11 straight road games.