If the 2014-15 Montreal Canadiens had a Better Forward Core, Would they have won the Stanley Cup?

[BlueBull]

Putting this here and not HOH because it's recent enough most members would remember.

Montreal's 2014-15 Top 6 Forward Core:
Max Paccioretty (37 Goals)
Tomas Plekanec (60 Points)
Brendan Gallagher (24 Goals)
David Desharnais (48 Points)
Alex Galchenyuk (46 Points)
...Dale Weise (29 Points)

They're defense was certainly Good Enough, featuring prime Subban and Markov, and Jeff Petry came back in time for playoffs, and they had the best version of Carey Price in net, but their forward core was pretty bad save for Max Paccioretty.

Do you think they could've had a chance with a better forward core?

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[AvroArrow]

I don't think they'd beat Chicago but they may have made the ECF or even finals.

 

[NyQuil]

I mean, if its a forward corps full of Hall of Famers, sure.

I’m not sure how to answer. Most teams in the league if they had an absolutely amazing forward corps would have a shot.

 

[Xspyrit]

I think Buffalo could have won that year if they had good players too...

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

"If the 2014-15 Montreal Canadiens were a better team, would they have won the cup?"

 

[x Tame Impala]

Tampa had a much better forward corps and they still lost.

 

[Holymakinaw]

no

 

[LevelingSolo]

No, maybe the 14 Habs do if Price doesn't get hurt

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

No, maybe the 14 Habs do if Price doesn't get hurt

This.

 

[Connor McConnor]

This makes no sense

 

[David Suzuki]

I think if they had one more player at Pacioretty's level (near 40 goals) they probably could have made the finals but it's easier said than done cap wise.

Realistic maybe, would be if they removed someone like Petry for a forward equivalent.

 

[Bleeker]

Define better..
Add a Mackinnon and another solid top-6 guy and i would say yes definitely.

 

[wetcoast]

I mean, if its a forward corps full of Hall of Famers, sure.

I’m not sure how to answer. Most teams in the league if they had an absolutely amazing forward corps would have a shot.

This was my first thought as well but my second thought is that this group of forwards probably rivals the 98-99 Hasek led Sabers as the 2 "worst" or better put least impressive set of forwards groups to make the SC finals since the lockout and heck maybe even after 1970ish?

 

[Master P]

Define "better'. Are we talking a couple depth guys? Or are we talking adding Crosby and Ovechkin?

 

[Jack Spider]

Define "better'. Are we talking a couple depth guys? Or are we talking adding Crosby and Ovechkin?

Matt Duchene and Patrick Sharp ish.

 

[LightningStorm]

Better is a bit too vague for me to know how to vote.

I do remember this team very well though. All season long the Habs and Bolts were in a back and forth for the Atlantic, which the Habs won by a point. We would later beat them in six games in R2. Very hard team to score on with MVP Price and their D, but most leads on them felt safe for how anemic their offense was.

Habs/Bolts was a good rivalry in 2014 & 2015 with lots of back and forth. Ironically, it all felt like a distant memory by the time of the 2021 SCF with how much had changed in the ensuing years.

 

[JaegerDice]

No. Tampa was pretty clearly the best team in the East that year, and Chicago was even better than them.

 

[BlueBull]

No. Tampa was pretty clearly the best team in the East that year, and Chicago was even better than them.

Tbh. Tampa would have smoked you guys if they weren't underacheivers in the playoffs at that point in their history.

 

[LightningStorm]

Tbh. Tampa would have smoked you guys if they weren't underacheivers in the playoffs at that point in their history.

I wouldn't call Tampa underachievers based on losing the 2015 finals. That was the very first deep playoff run for out current core. Honestly neither the Hawks nor Bolts were at their peak in 2015. Hawks 2010 and 2013 teams were better (I'd even say 2014), and while the Lightning were cup contenders then, we didn't become cup favorites until 2018.

2015 finals was simply a case of the more experienced Hawks making more big plays in big moments. A pretty good series quality wise overall that I think the Bolts learned a lot from.

 

[Voight]

No, maybe the 14 Habs do if Price doesn't get hurt

Doubt it. There isn't much difference between the 14 & 15 Habs. Forwards and D are still mediocre.

 

[Hostile Offer]

Tampa had a much better forward corps and they still lost.

Tampa didn't have a peak Carey Price in net. But yeah I don't think one or two upgrades at forward takes that Habs team over the hump, unless we're talking about a Crosby level addition. Price was the main reason they went as far as they did with that core, although they were more well-rounded than, say, the team that made the SCF in 2021.

 

[Aashir Mallik]

Define better

What type of talent do they get? How many players do they get?

The question is too broad, they would’ve won if their forward core featured superstars like ovechkin Crosby and Kane. Or are we only adding first liners? Or second liners?