Sure they can (they did). That's what having all star goaltending and ridiculously high shooting % can do. It can make a bad team look good by seemingly hiding all of their shortcomings. And now its starting to catch up to them.

We can make fun of the oilers forever (god knows they're terrible too) and yet they've allowed 300(!) less shots against this year than the Leafs. So yeah. The leafs have always been bad.

^ So any thoughts on my Decade Teams post?

I recognize you didn't have a chance to see some of those teams

I don't really disagree with anything you said, especially if you're going by Stanley cups. I think its virtually impossible for there to be any team as dominant in an era like the 80s islanders or oilers so its kind of a crapshoot for teams nowadays. Chicago is a good a bet as any but who knows how that holds up even by like 2018.

Also its unfortunate that there are many great teams that didn't win as much or at all, especially in the last couple decades. The Pronger St. Louis Blues of the late 90s-early 00s and San Jose Sharks of the past decade or so come to mind. Hell even the 2000s Senators were crazy good but sadly only had one finals appearance. Parity kills sometimes.

Wow

Brendan Shanahan to leave league office for Toronto Maple Leafs role - ESPN

Go BLUE JACKETS!
 

I can totally see cbj beating the pens. Pittsburgh isn't really that good

^ I don't see anyone but Boston coming out of the east tbh. There's a LOT of teams I could see coming out of the west, Blues, Blackhawks, SJ, Kings, Ducks, Avalanche, the west is loaded.

The way its looking my predictions might include 3 wild cards winning their series. Damn. The west is going to be awesome I can't wait.

EDIT: I was also at the oiler game last night for Ryan smyths last game. The most emotional hockey game I've ever been to by a long shot. Probably means nothing to anyone here but he really was my generation's oiler and the tributes/standing o's and such were outstanding. Just an unreal showing all around. Even the Canucks came back on the ice and individually gave him handshakes and hugs and stuff. He was also on the ice for like 95% of the powerplays in the game which was awesome (he ended up being tied for the franchise record for ppgs). Dang I'm crying just thinking about it.. they better retire his number

St Louis looked so good all year but I'm listening to them lose to the Red Wings, if the current score holds they will have lost 6 in a row, and the Avs win the two seed. Not that the Wild aren't a tough team to face in the first round, they absolutely are buf it looks like the Blues get the defending champs instead.

As I typed this, Abdelkader scored for the Detroits, they lead 3-0 with about six minutes left in the third. Avs-Wild, Blues-Blackhawks

Now I'm listening to the Bruins-Devils game, absolutely nothing at stake as the Bruins have wrapped up the President's trophy and the Devils are out of the playoffs, but there is a decidedly poignant element to this game, as it could very likely be the final game in the great Martin Brodeur's HOF career

I would listen to the RED HOT Flyers game, but that announcer is hands down my least favorite in all of sports.