Stanley Cup Winners Or Cup Finalists Without A Single Top 100 Player?

[GlitchMarner]

Which teams have won the Cup or lost in the SCF that didn't have a single player that can be argued to be a top 100 player in NHL history?

The 2006 Hurricanes come to mind. Staal is, what, maybe top 250 all-time? I guess maybe Brind'Amour has an argument for being top 300.

Eichel (2023 Golden Knights) and Barkov (2024 Panthers) are still in their primes and climbing the all-time rankings. I'm not sure either can crack the all-time top 100 (that's a tall order).

 

[jigglysquishy]

2019 Blues come to mind.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

Among Cup winners - definitely the 2019 Blues. They might not have anyone make the Hall of Fame (Alex Pietrangelo is their best bet, and I doubt he's in the top 200 all-time). The same is probably true of the 2023 Golden Knights (where their greatest player is again Pietrangelo, or perhaps M-A Fleury).

If we're including finalists (commenting on their "greatest" player, from an all-time ranking perspective):

• 1944 Blackhawks - Doug Bentley is probably in the mid-100's now
• 1950 Rangers - Allan Stanley isn't anywhere close
• 1981 North Stars - probably Dino Ciccarelli (low-end HOF'er who might be somewhere around 250th)
• 1982 Canucks - probably Stan Smyl, who isn't anywhere close to the top 200, let alone the top 100 (or maybe Ivan Boldirev?)
• 1991 North Stars - Mike Modano is around 150th or so
• 1996 Panthers - John Vanbiesbrouck, who isn't anywhere close to the top 100
• 2017 Predators - doubtful that anyone approaches the top 100 (or am I being too harsh towards Roman Josi?)
• 2018 Golden Knights - see comments above about the 2023 team
• 2020 Stars - nobody seems to be close (the best candidate would be Jamie Benn or Corey Perry)

There are several teams that are arguable (where the greatest player has a case for the top 100, but it's not rock solid):

• 1975 Sabres - Gilbert Perreault
• 1994 Canucks - Pavel Bure
• 1998 Capitals - Adam Oates
• 2002 Hurricane - Ron Francis
• 2004 Lighting - Martin St. Louis
• 2004 Flames - Jarome Iginla
• 2012 & 2014 Kings - Drew Doughty

 

[carjackmalone]

Canucks 82
Panthers 94

 

[Crosby2010]

I would say surprisingly lots of teams. Top 100 is a pretty tough task. Teams not mentioned yet that I think fit the bill:

2021 Canadiens
2020 Stars
2016 Sharks (Thornton is at least close to the Top 100 cut off on the other side)
2011 Canucks (Is Luongo a top 100 player?)
2007 Senators (Alfredsson, maybe? That's it. And I'm far from convinced he's there)
2003 Ducks (Kariya and Oates are very much borderline)
1989 and 1986 Flames (Yeah probably still MacInnis, but it's closer than we think)
1987 and 1985 Flyers (Mark Howe is their best but is he top 100?)
1943 Red Wings (Sid Abel possibly)

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I doubt there are 100 players better than Barkov so I wouldn't include him.

From winners it's the Blues, Knights and Hurricanes.

 

[Crosby2010]

I doubt there are 100 players better than Barkov so I wouldn't include him.

From winners it's the Blues, Knights and Hurricanes.

I wouldn't be sure about that. Great player, but far from someone guaranteed in the top 100. I was questioning Joe Thornton myself personally. And I think Thornton is above Barkov.

 

[Sentinel]

Among Cup winners - definitely the 2019 Blues. They might not have anyone make the Hall of Fame (Alex Pietrangelo is their best bet, and I doubt he's in the top 200 all-time). The same is probably true of the 2023 Golden Knights (where their greatest player is again Pietrangelo, or perhaps M-A Fleury).

If we're including finalists (commenting on their "greatest" player, from an all-time ranking perspective):

• 1944 Blackhawks - Doug Bentley is probably in the mid-100's now
• 1950 Rangers - Allan Stanley isn't anywhere close
• 1981 North Stars - probably Dino Ciccarelli (low-end HOF'er who might be somewhere around 250th)
• 1982 Canucks - probably Stan Smyl, who isn't anywhere close to the top 200, let alone the top 100 (or maybe Ivan Boldirev?)
• 1991 North Stars - Mike Modano is around 150th or so
• 1996 Panthers - John Vanbiesbrouck, who isn't anywhere close to the top 100
• 2017 Predators - doubtful that anyone approaches the top 100 (or am I being too harsh towards Roman Josi?)
• 2018 Golden Knights - see comments above about the 2023 team
• 2020 Stars - nobody seems to be close (the best candidate would be Jamie Benn or Corey Perry)

There are several teams that are arguable (where the greatest player has a case for the top 100, but it's not rock solid):

• 1975 Sabres - Gilbert Perreault
• 1994 Canucks - Pavel Bure
• 1998 Capitals - Adam Oates
• 2002 Hurricane - Ron Francis
• 2004 Lighting - Martin St. Louis
• 2004 Flames - Jarome Iginla
• 2012 & 2014 Kings - Drew Doughty

I have no doubt MAF is a HHOFer.

 

[The Panther]

I have no doubt MAF is a HHOFer.

He might end up so. But he probably shouldn't.

 

[seventieslord]

The same is probably true of the 2023 Golden Knights (where their greatest player is again Pietrangelo, or perhaps M-A Fleury).

MAF was long gone by then!

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

I would say surprisingly lots of teams. Top 100 is a pretty tough task. Teams not mentioned yet that I think fit the bill:

2021 Canadiens

I feel Carey Price could place quite comfortably in the top 100 for me, but I do see the other side of the coin.

 

[Gerulaitis]

Canadiens 1993 if we don't count goaltending

 

[Bear of Bad News]

MAF was long gone by then!

They did have Jonathan Quick, technically.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Canadiens 1993 if we don't count goaltending

Why would we not count goaltending?

 

[Crosby2010]

I feel Carey Price could place quite comfortably in the top 100 for me, but I do see the other side of the coin.

I don't think he does, no. When you think of goalies placing in the top 100 how many would there be? Would 20 even be too much? I think it would. 10, maybe 15 tops. I love Price, but he is not a top 15 goalie of all-time. Injuries may have robbed him of doing this, but yeah I can't put him that high, nor in the top 100.

 

[MadLuke]

Price before the finals played like someone that could make the Top 100 (and had the potential to be one) but will not make the cut as an Top 100 players.

To make the top 100 now, you can of need to be a bit better than the average best player born a certain year (has the sport is more than 100 years old).

Price is at best third of his own draft year (Crosby-Kopitar) ? Quick-Letang did had great career has well. Ovechkin/Malkin the year before, the whole 2003 class the year before that, it show just how hard be at least ~Top 2 of the average modern year to be in the conversation can be.

Obviously the 1875 to 1945 era will be way less than 1 player per year making the top 100, but it is year after year, harder and harder to make that cut

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

I don't think he does, no. When you think of goalies placing in the top 100 how many would there be? Would 20 even be too much? I think it would. 10, maybe 15 tops. I love Price, but he is not a top 15 goalie of all-time. Injuries may have robbed him of doing this, but yeah I can't put him that high, nor in the top 100.

No, it’s fair enough. I tend to think of goalies with the “best in the world”-aire about them, and Price has a fairly prolonged one. Like, it seems like a decade where he’s arguably the best goalie in the world, which should make him figure into top 100-discussions. I feel he’s neck and neck with Lundqvist, with the edge to the latter, but with serious doubts as to who peaked higher.