Through the 1986 offseason, a really unusual factor occurred within the NHL: The league made a rule change that no person received all that upset about.
That was uncommon, even again then, as a result of followers prefer to complain about issues. However this transformation was so easy, and so clearly the best determination, that there actually wasn’t something to complain about. Or so we thought.
The rule needed to do with the playoff format, and the league’s ongoing makes an attempt to have one that made sense. Since 1974, when the league added a fourth spherical to the playoff match, the primary spherical had all the time been shorter than the others. Initially, it had been a three-game preliminary spherical, later growing to 5 video games. In 1986, the league determined to increase the primary spherical to seven video games, the identical because the others. And everybody went “Positive, that is sensible.” Possibly just a few of us complained that the additional video games would make the season longer. However the additional playoff hockey, and the additional income it might generate, was a simple promote. And so the change was made, after which no person considered it once more.
Till as we speak. Or in my case, till just a few weeks in the past, when a reader named Andrew asked a question: How a lot does hockey historical past change if the primary spherical had stayed best-of-five?
The reply, because it seems, is “loads.” So as we speak, we’re going to return to that call from practically 40 years in the past, and work our means by means of an alternate model of NHL historical past that might — truthful warning — make a few of you unhappy.
1987: Capitals knock out Islanders in 4
The Washington Capitals took care of enterprise on the street, profitable on back-to-back nights in Lengthy Island to get rid of the Islanders in four games.
It’s a disappointing loss for the Islanders, the one-time dynasty seeking to rebuild with a youthful roster led by 21-year-old star Pat LaFontaine. They’d hoped that this 12 months’s playoff would afford him the prospect to provide a signature second, however as an alternative, the younger phenom didn’t even rating a purpose within the sequence.
The Capitals will now take pleasure in a brief break earlier than dealing with the Flyers, whereas the Islanders head dwelling. If it’s any comfort, not less than LaFontaine and the remainder of New York’s disillusioned gamers will get to spend the Easter vacation with their households, as an alternative of placing in hours of unpaid time beyond regulation at work. Right here’s hoping their Easter finally ends up being epic.
1989: No revenge for Gretzky, as Oilers get rid of Kings
When it turned clear that the Oilers would face former captain Wayne Gretzky and his Los Angeles Kings in spherical one, hockey followers felt certain that the Nice One would have one thing dramatic in retailer for the workforce that traded him away.
Nope. The Oilers received the sequence fairly simply, taking it in four games regardless of the Kings having home-ice benefit. It’s a disappointing begin to the Gretzky period in Los Angeles, one that may little question elevate questions on whether or not the blockbuster commerce was even value it.
1990: Jets shock the Oilers with largest win in franchise historical past
The streak is over. After shedding to the Oilers in 5 straight playoff matchups relationship again to 1983, the Winnipeg Jets have lastly slayed the dragon. The tip got here on Dave Ellett’s dramatic double-overtime power-play purpose to finish Recreation 4, which sparked a wild celebration worthy of a series-winner.
The loss is a crushing blow for the Oilers, and particularly for captain Mark Messier, whose fame within the post-Gretzky period takes a large hit. There had been hopes in Edmonton that Messier could lead on the workforce to a different Stanley Cup, cementing himself as a professional NHL famous person as an alternative of merely a supporting participant. As an alternative, the loss makes it clear that Messier is simply not the type of chief who can assure his workforce a win.
As for the Jets, the win simply ranks as the largest second in Winnipeg’s NHL historical past, and will even generate sufficient enthusiasm within the fan base to assist the workforce push back any monetary challenges within the coming years.
1991: Tremendous Mario and the new-look Penguins exit meekly to Devils
In what can solely be described as a devastating loss for a workforce that had spent the 12 months earlier than including Corridor of Fame caliber expertise round famous person Mario Lemieux, the Penguins had been eradicated within the first spherical by the underdog Devils in Game 5.
Lemieux had been unable to get his workforce over the hump since breaking into the league in 1984, however followers have defended him by declaring that no participant can win a Cup all on his personal. The Penguins apparently agreed, and had spent the 12 months earlier than including gamers similar to Ron Francis, Larry Murphy, Joey Mullen and first-round choose Jaromir Jagr. In the long run, it barely mattered, as they fell to a New Jersey workforce that couldn’t even end .500 on the season.
Whereas some critics are calling for the Penguins to blow all of it up and begin over, preliminary phrase out of Pittsburgh is that the workforce will run it again yet one more time, banking on a greater playoff efficiency in 1992.
1992: Penguins Repeat! (With one other first-round exit)
The Lemieux-era Penguins will go into the historical past books as the best workforce to by no means win a Stanley Cup.
That a lot appears inevitable within the aftermath of their second straight first-round exit from the playoffs, this one by the hands of Washington. The Caps put an emphatic finish to the sequence with a 7-2 win in Game 4, sending the Penguins off the ice to a refrain of boos from disgusted dwelling followers.
Whereas Lemieux’s Penguins have seen average regular-season success, nearly cracking the 90-mark in every of the final two seasons, they’ve collapsed shortly as soon as the playoffs arrived. Clearly, main adjustments can be coming to Pittsburgh, and it stays to be seen if anybody can be secure on a workforce that can be remembered as a large failure.
1994: Canucks collapse in opposition to Flames
The primary spherical of the playoffs is over, and as soon as once more the season’s most necessary video games can be performed with out the Vancouver Canucks. The workforce hasn’t been out of the second spherical since 1982, a streak that may proceed after they had been eradicated by the Flames in 4 video games, capped off by a third-period collapse on dwelling ice to finish their season.
That 1982 workforce, in fact, was the one which made an unlikely run all the way in which to the Stanley Cup last. Some Canucks followers had hoped for the same consequence from this 12 months’s squad, however that was clearly a pipe dream. With Pavel Bure proving to be a regular-season surprise, captain Trevor Linden unable to provide numbers to match his overinflated fame and goalie Kirk McLean failing to ship key saves, any hope that Pat Quinn’s gamers might flip into greater than the sum of their elements has now been completely dashed.
1995: Capitals beat Penguins, once more
Ho hum, the Caps beat the Penguins but once more, concluding the newest chapter in what’s changing into one of many sport’s extra lopsided rivalries. The official finish to the sequence got here in a Game 4 blowout, however the sequence was principally over as soon as Washington took the lead for good after three video games. If there’s one factor we’ve realized from watching these groups face off within the playoffs, it’s that the Capitals usually are not the type of workforce that blows a sequence lead.
1999: Coyotes get rid of Blues, earn first playoff glory in Arizona
Regardless of an early wobble that noticed them lose Recreation 1 and wish time beyond regulation to sq. the sequence in Recreation 2, the favored Phoenix Coyotes had been in a position to proper the ship in time to get rid of the Blues in four games.
Whereas profitable one spherical might not look like a lot, the victory will little question come as a reduction to Coyotes possession, and to the league that’s backed them. The workforce had misplaced within the first spherical of the playoffs in every of their first two years in Phoenix, and in some unspecified time in the future, it’s a must to win to construct a sustainable fan base. Failing to win a single sequence of their first — let’s simply choose a random quantity right here for sake of argument — fifteen years of existence would clearly be the type of catastrophe that no new market might realistically recuperate from. However that’s not one thing the Coyotes must fear about now, so let the desert period start.
2003: Roy, Avalanche simply dispatch Wild
On paper, it appeared like one of many largest mismatches in latest playoff historical past. On the ice, it performed out basically the identical means, because the star-studded Avalanche had a simple time with the Wild, reducing that workforce’s playoff debut brief with a Game 4 win.
This Avalanche workforce is constructed to win the Cup, that includes MVP favourite Peter Forsberg together with Joe Sakic and Rocket Richard-winner Milan Hejduk. As if that wasn’t sufficient, the workforce has additional motivation to win for Patrick Roy in what would be the legendary goalie’s last season. Roy’s last chapter might or might not include a fifth ring, nevertheless it actually wasn’t ending by the hands of a latest enlargement workforce.
The Wild, to their credit score, not less than managed to win a recreation within the sequence. However that was all that may very well be anticipated from a workforce whose offense is principally Marian Gaborik after which a bunch of spare elements similar to Andrew Brunette, a plugger whose subsequent huge purpose can be his first. Coach Jacques Lemaire has confronted some criticism for sticking with struggling starter Dwayne Roloson all through the sequence, which is truthful. But it surely hardly issues, since his different was profession backup Manny Fernandez, who actually wasn’t going to come back in and miraculously outduel the legendary Roy.
2010: Unstoppable Capitals roll over Canadiens
It’s the identical outdated story for the Washington Capitals: They only don’t collapse within the playoffs.
After all, that choice was by no means actually on the desk for this 12 months’s version, a Presidents’ Trophy-winning juggernaut that simply despatched the underdog Canadiens packing in 4 video games with a 6-3 win in Montreal. It was the type of first-round flex you anticipate from a Cup contender, and a reassuring message that this Caps workforce has been constructed the best means.
As for the Canadiens, give them full credit score for attempting in a sequence during which they by no means had an opportunity. There can be issues going ahead concerning the goaltending, as younger Carey Worth and veteran Jaroslav Halak had been each shelled within the sequence. However given the disparity between the 2 groups, it might have taken much more than one sizzling goalie for Montreal to have any type of probability.
2011: Sabres not prepared for playoff break fairly but
Sabres followers must wait some time earlier than they see playoff motion once more.
About two days, to be precise. That’s when their second-round sequence is about to start, after the Sabres knocked out the Flyers in an exciting winner-take-all Recreation 5 that was determined in time beyond regulation.
In unrelated information, Ville Leino had only one level within the Flyers’ five-game playoff run, ending any hopes that some dumb workforce will overpay him in free company in just a few weeks.
2013: Leafs lose in utterly unmemorable means
The Bruins eradicated the Leafs in four games, a predictable end result that may most likely be forgotten just a few weeks later.
Given how lopsided the sequence has been, the Leafs are fortunate that this was solely a best-of-five. If there had been one other recreation, the Bruins absolutely would have received that one too, after which Toronto followers would have needed to hear about “4-1” for years to come back.
2014: Sharks sweep Kings
Save your jokes about being playoff chokers. The Sharks clearly don’t need to hear them this 12 months, taking good care of the rival Kings in a three-game sweep. It’s solely been one spherical, nevertheless it’s truthful to say that this San Jose workforce feels totally different. You possibly can see it of their eyes.
The loss raises vital questions concerning the Kings, the 2012 champs who now appear like one-hit wonders. They’d hoped to be within the operating once more this 12 months, however the Sharks confirmed that they’re not in the identical league. It’s important to surprise if we’ll even see them win a spherical within the subsequent decade or so.
The truth is, the Kings’ outlook is so pathetic that Sharks captain Joe Thornton was bummed out just thinking about it.
2021: Leafs take first step of lengthy playoff run
They are saying {that a} younger workforce’s first playoff sequence win is an important stepping stone.
Nicely, this Leafs workforce already received that one out of the way in which two years earlier than, after they beat the Bruins in five games. However this win most likely tastes even sweeter, coming in opposition to their arch-rivals who realistically by no means had an opportunity. The Leafs dropped a flukey Recreation 1 within the aftermath of the John Tavares damage, however then by no means appeared again, profitable the final three video games of the sequence by a mixed rating of 11-2, together with a decisive shutout in the clincher.
It’s a troublesome lesson for the Canadiens, however one all groups need to be taught: It’s one factor to win early in a sequence, however you’ve got to have the ability to shut. Brendan Shanahan’s Maple Leafs have clearly figured that lesson out early.
2022: Kings earn win in uncommon Oilers matchup
Adrian Kempe’s time beyond regulation winner introduced a fast finish to the winner-take-all Recreation 5 between the Kings and Oilers.
It was an entertaining sequence between two groups who not often face one another within the playoffs. The truth is, the assembly was the primary between the 2 groups since all the way in which again in 1992. The Oilers eradicated the Kings that 12 months, in addition to in 1991 and 1990. Fortunately, Kings followers received’t have to fret a few fourth-straight loss in opposition to the identical workforce, since that may be pathetic.
2023: Document-shattering Bruins crush flailing Panthers
That didn’t take lengthy. Not that anyone thought it might.
Coming off a report 135-point season, the Bruins made fast work of the Panthers, ending their first-round sequence in 4 video games with a convincing 6-2 blowout in Florida. It was a becoming end result, given the huge disparity between the 2 groups, and units the Bruins up as decisive Cup favorites going ahead.
As for the Panthers, they’ll face robust questions after what can solely be described as a disastrous 12 months. One 12 months faraway from a Presidents’ Trophy of their very own, the Panthers indulged in an overactive offseason that noticed them rent Paul Maurice and commerce for Matthew Tkachuk, solely to plunge 30 factors within the standings and barely make the playoffs.
The tip end result, one which completely everyone saw coming: It seems {that a} coach who stop on the Jets and a playoff choker from Calgary had been one way or the other not the ultimate items for a workforce of underachievers, cheap-shot artists and Buffalo Sabres castoffs. The excellent news is that they solely have three years left on Sergei Bobrovsky’s albatross of a contract. Given how huge a multitude Invoice Zito has fabricated from this workforce in brief order, it’s truthful to say that he’ll be lengthy gone by the point that deal runs out in 2025.
No less than one factor is obvious: Over the subsequent few years, the street to the Japanese Convention championship will function a compulsory cease in Florida … when it’s time to take your children to Disney World to have fun beating the nice groups.
(High picture of the Maple Leafs and Bruins in 2013: Brian Babineau / NHLI by way of Getty Photographs)
