Though only time will tell, it will be interesting to see how this year’s Stanley Cup Series will be regarded by NHL fans in the future. Normally, the NHL Playoffs are a time for fans to see how their team stacks up against the top franchises from each conference.
This year, however, delays in play and other factors have led to one of the most unique Stanley Cup Playoffs yet. Not only was the format altered, but it’s also been a first for more than a few teams.
The 2020 Playoffs is the first post-season tournament to not include any Californian team, while it’s also the first to include each of the original World Hockey Association teams: Edmonton Oilers, Arizona Coyotes, Carolina Hurricanes, and Colorado Avalanche.
At the moment, the Dallas Stars are waiting to see who will make it through the semi-finals between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Islanders, who are still in after their game five win. Though many thought the Colorado Avalanche or St. Louis Blues would advance past the Stars, the playoffs this year have been action-packed.
Those looking to place a risk-free wager on who will take the Stanley Cup home will have to decide if the Stars endurance and brawn are enough to sweep technical teams like the Lightning and Islanders.
This type of endurance-versus-skill faceoff isn’t the first. In the past twenty years, some of the most notable Stanley Cup Finals Series have come from this kind of match up. Let’s take a look at the top three.
2003: Devils vs. Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks managed to claw their way from being the seventh-seeded team in the Western Conference to face the second-seeded Eastern Conference champs, the New Jersey Devils.
The Ducks were the clear underdog from the start. They were playing in their first Stanley Cup Finals, which only made their push to drive the Devils into game seven all the more satisfying for spectators.
However, what made this Finals series something to remember was that it pitted two brothers against one another on the rink. Scott Niedermayer was the star talent on the Devils at the time, while his younger brother, Rob Niedermayer, also stood out as a leader for the Ducks.
Unfortunately for fans of the underdog comeback, the Devils defeated the Ducks 4-3.
2013: Blackhawks vs. Bruins
This is a notable series because of the high-octane action. In fact, the first game of the series quickly became the most-watched NHL game in the last 16 years. It set the tone for the rest of the series, lasting well into a triple-overtime.
The Blackhawks’ Andrew Shaw ended up scoring at 12:08 in the third overtime to end the match. The next five games (which saw the Blackhawks win the series 4-2) were a grueling battle of top talents.
It was an exciting, if slightly uneven match from the start. The Blackhawks came into the Finals with the Presidents Trophy under their belt from a tip-top season, while the Bruins came in without goalie Tim Thomas.
Still, the Bruins fought valiantly and made a comeback after being down 3-1 during game four of the series. This led to a highly-charged game six, played in Chicago. A final goal from Dave Bolland of the Blackhawks at minute 19:01 in the third period ended the series.
2002: Red Wings vs. Carolina Hurricanes
No other team in recent NHL history (or at all) is as highly regarded as the 2001-02 Detroit Red Wings team. For a deeper dive, check out Nicholas J. Cotsonika’s book on the stellar season, titled Hockey Gods: The Inside Story of the Red Wings’ Hall of Fame Team.
In short, the Red Wings were the team to root for. They had raw talent on their side and had created one of the greatest teams in the history of the sport. Their roster included eleven future Hall of Famers, which included head coach Scotty Bowman.
However, their opponents, the Carolina Hurricanes, had enjoyed a truly ‘Cinderella story’ season. They continually defied the odds to make it to the Finals and, despite the obvious talent on the Red Wings, managed to hold on until game five of the Series before losing 3-2 to Detroit.
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