Which teams are bound for mediocrity over the next 5-6 years?

[Bruins4Lifer]

Where's the lie?

They've been past the second round once since then.

Is the bar for surpassing mediocrity being one of the final 4 of 32 teams left in the playoffs?

Highest reg season pts %, and they're top 5 in playoff game wins over the last 10 years. That ain't mediocre.

 

[PlayMakers]

Where's the lie?

They've been past the second round once since then.

By that definition everyone but the Lightning is mediocre.

 

[Machinehead]

Is the bar for surpassing mediocrity being one of the final 4 of 32 teams left in the playoffs?

Highest reg season pts %, and they're top 5 in playoff game wins over the last 10 years. That ain't mediocre.

By that definition everyone but the Lightning is mediocre.

Teams that just show up in the playoffs and have no real chance of winning it are mediocre. Since 2013, the Bruins have beaten the Leafs, Blue Jackets, Hurricanes, and Capitals in playoff series. Of those, only the Capitals have been to the Finals since 2013 and the team the Bruins beat was well past their prime.

Dallas hasn't won a Cup but they've beaten Colorado multiple times. The Bruins haven't beaten a legit contender in a playoff series since they beat PIttsburgh in 2013.

 

[Bruins4Lifer]

Teams that just show up in the playoffs and have no real chance of winning it are mediocre. Since 2013, the Bruins have beaten the Leafs, Blue Jackets, Hurricanes, and Capitals in playoff series. Of those, only the Capitals have been to the Finals since 2013 and the team the Bruins beat was well past their prime. The Bruins haven't beaten a legit contender in a playoff series since they beat PIttsburgh in 2013.

Gotcha. So the champions are the one team per year that is not mediocre. At least I understand your definition of mediocrity better now.

 

[Machinehead]

Gotcha. So the champions are the one team per year that is not mediocre. At least I understand your definition of mediocrity better now.

I literally didn't say that.

I gave the example of Dallas. They haven't won the Cup but they've beaten top teams in the West almost every run they've gone on. Edmonton, by extension, beat Dallas, so you kind of have to take them seriously.

The Bruins have beaten Toronto and Columbus.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

Vegas just lost like 45% of their active roster and replaced them with Victor Olofsson and Akiva Shmid. Their era of suck is nigh.

I hope so. Flames have their 2026 1st round pick

 

[Bruins4Lifer]

I literally didn't say that.

I gave the example of Dallas. They haven't won the Cup but they've beaten top teams in the West almost every run they've gone on. Edmonton, by extension, beat Dallas, so you kind of have to take them seriously.

The Bruins have beaten Toronto and Columbus.

And Toronto and Columbus have beat Tampa, so by extension.... nevermind, that don't count.
I understand you completely.

 

[leafsfan2point0]

The way the Leafs have been tail-spinning lately...115 points in 2022...111 points in 2023...102 points in 2024...mediocrity awaits just around the corner.

Leafs

I see the usuals are out in full force lol.

I’d go with the kings, though I do like the Byfield contract.

 

[blackjackmulligan]

flyers would love mediocrity.

 

[SheldonJPlankton]

Mediocre is often used in the sense that something is substandard and undesirable.

Exactly. Leaf is often used in the same way.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

I see the usuals are out in full force lol.

You say this like your team hasn’t been mediocre for 20 years

 

[PlayMakers]

Teams that just show up in the playoffs and have no real chance of winning it are mediocre. Since 2013, the Bruins have beaten the Leafs, Blue Jackets, Hurricanes, and Capitals in playoff series. Of those, only the Capitals have been to the Finals since 2013 and the team the Bruins beat was well past their prime.

Dallas hasn't won a Cup but they've beaten Colorado multiple times. The Bruins haven't beaten a legit contender in a playoff series since they beat PIttsburgh in 2013.

Lol, you're working too hard to make up a new definition for mediocre.

Haters gonna hate.

 

[HeyMattyB]

 

[kingsholygrail]

The LA Kings.

 

[Volica]

5 years is probably too long to project.
But man, mediocrity. Is this a thread about the Calgary Flames or their US equivalent the Minnesota Wild?

 

[HanSolo]

I hope so. Flames have their 2026 1st round pick

I mean they'll be middling by that point, I expect.

 

[HF007]

Minnesota, Columbus, Utah, Buffalo, Calgary, New Jersey, Carolina

 

[The Hockey Tonk Man]

Hopefully the Sabres & Sens will be in the playoffs by then!

 

[Byron Bitz]

I literally didn't say that.

I gave the example of Dallas. They haven't won the Cup but they've beaten top teams in the West almost every run they've gone on. Edmonton, by extension, beat Dallas, so you kind of have to take them seriously.

The Bruins have beaten Toronto and Columbus.

The Leafs are widely regarded as one of the worst playoff teams in the league and the Bruins have never been able to beat them in less than 7 games. Every series is razor close and comes down to a coin flip in game 7 so what does that say about the Bruins as a playoff performing team?

 

[PaulD]

Bout 24 teams.....Easier to list the ones that are going to contend.....and we pretty much know who they are .

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Could give you a bunch of names but asides from the old teams and the young teams that haven’t fully turned the corner—

the Kraken really stick out unless Beniers or a prospect or 2 turn into legit stars

 

[Siignal]

As a Flames Fan who both started this thread and thought we might go for rock bottom this year...

I hope Montréal likes our pick. It is our destiny to be mid.

Islanders are still the real answer though. Washington has boondoggled everyone.

 

[ElLeetch]

Impossible to predict.

6 years ago, every team that was in the final four this year missed the playoffs, and half of the division winners of that year missed the playoffs this year.

If I had to guess, Pittsburgh post Crosby-Geno will be bad for a while?

Their fans are already getting ahead of it:

 

[jfhabs]

As a Flames Fan who both started this thread and thought we might go for rock bottom this year...

I hope Montréal likes our pick. It is our destiny to be mid.

Islanders are still the real answer though. Washington has boondoggled everyone.

Had some tough exchanges with some Flames posters this summer just for saying there's a chance that pick is in the teens. I was saying like maybe 15-20% chances... lol

Heck it's even very possible for Florida's pick to be in the teens too.

Islanders and Pens are my picks in the East. Non-existent prospect pools

In the West, I'd pick Nashville. It seems like they always find a way, but they are getting older and not a big fan of their prospect pool. Forsberg 30, Josi 34, Stamkos 34, Marchessault 34, O'Reilly 33. Their defense really isn't deep, once Josi decline they'll be in big trouble. There's only soo much Saaros can do.

 

[winnipegger]

I'm confused by CGY's roster I get that the huberdeau trade was a flop but I don't know what they are trying to accomplish. It's like a team specially designed to finish 17th overall.