Oh yeah, i definitely think that more games during regular season are better reflection of actual quality of a team. Sure, there is certain variance too, as you named it, but its still less than play-off variance.
Perhaps the discussion should not be strictly confined to winning the PT itself, moreso more broadly to winning the most games during regular season - and being up there in thus regard multiple years in a row. That shows certain level of consistency, but because you dont get Cup for consistency, people here scoff about PT and being good in regular season in general as a nothingburger. Thats what bugs me. When Montreal randomly made it to the SC finals in 2021, did it made them better team than whoever won the PT that year (and was probably more consistently winning team both in regular season and playoffs, in the year prior and year after)? I for one think not. But by your logic, it was, cause cup is th only thing that matters, and Montreal got closest to it.
So i guess we will have to disagree on this. Anyway, i respect your points, even if i disagree, its not about everything, there is lot of truth to what you wrote, that i cant refute, at worst its up to discussion. Surely the guy, who used the word “dumb” in the first place, would not say so, if you made your thoughts on the topic this concise right away.