Here is interesting way to judge a teams success by the number of playoff series they have won.I went back to the year right after the Habs won the Cup...

New Jersey 20
Detroit 19
Colorado 16
Dallas 12
Philly 11
Anaheim 10
Toronto 9
Rangers 9
San Jose 8
Ottawa 8
Carolina 7
Buffalo 7
Pittsburgh 7
Vancouver 6
St Louis 6
Tampa Bay 5
Edmonton 5
Washington 4
Calgary 3
Florida 3
Chicago 3
Montreal 3
Minnesota 2
Boston 2
Los Angeles 1
Islanders 0
Atlanta 0
Columbus 0
Nashville 0
Phoenix 0


As we can see its very interesting that since their Stanley Cup win, the Habs have been one of the worst teams in the NHL , with respect to playoff series won. Other surprises Boston with only 2 and original six member Chicago with only 3..Interesting the Leafs are the team with the highest number without a Stanley Cup finals appearance.

Anaheim Ducks have done a phenomenal job in their short existence....

And please dont flame me, it took a while to do it all by hand...Not bashing the Habs per se, but pointing out that in recent years they have been atrocious.

DISCUSS

I'm not sure what this is supposed to be saying other than the very good franchises are very good and the bad ones are very bad, the Leafs are in the middle and since they can no longer vastly outspend other franchises they have become a bottom level team.

no it goes to show that even though they havent won a cup in recent years, they have been one of the more succesful franchises with respect to playoff wins...

Ok, the have managed to win a few rounds based on having an OK team with great goaltending that couldn't get the job done, still not sure why this is supposed to be considered a good thing.

Serge is under the impression that success in the NHL is measured by how many playoff series a team wins. I'm not sure if he's always believed this or if it is something that has evolved over the years of Leaf stinkatude.

Ask a Flyers fan if he'd trade those playoff series wins for 1 Stanley Cup.

As a fan of the Montreal Canadiens that Stanley Cup win in 1992-93 was a whole lot sweeter than I imagine any number of series wins (sans Cup) would be. Perhaps others would prefer the series wins, I don't know.

You are just being a donkey here....Since YOUR last Stanley Cup win, you have been one of the worst teams in the NHL...While the Leafs have given them a chance on several occasions to win a Cup..All you can do is put yourself in position to be a champion...

Yeah, I guess Buffalo Bills fans are ecstatic with their playoff success.

better than a ton of other fans who havent even been close...

It is donkeys like you that make the Montreal Canadiens one of the most hated BUNCH OF ASSHOLES that they are...

There I said it, and now I can go on with my day.

But not as good as a team who won the Superbowl.

And the Montreal Canadiens are "the most hated BUNCH OF ASSHOLES" because of their success. Same thing for the Yankees.

The old argument, pretty sure its come up here before.

Over a 4 year span, would you rather be:

the Buffalo Bills (4 Super Bowl games, no wins)

OR

A team like Carolina Hurricanes in hockey (1 Cup, no other playoffs appearances 03-07)


I find this a tough argument personally. The excitement of following your team go that far in 4 straight years, as entertainment, must be amazing. Granted the pain of never winning would sting, but what a ride. And its hard to argue the Bills weren't a dynasty, at least in my opinion.

You cant say the Bills were a different team because of a missed FG..They were the best team in the AFC 4 years in a row..

Only retarded leaf's fans could possibly argue that finishing second is good.
finishing second is like kissing your sister. Like being second in the vote for president.
finishing second is worse then not making the playoffs. ANY real sports fan would trade 20 years of losing for one title.
The joy that comes along from winning one title washes away all the agony of defeat. I know i am a die hard redsox fan since i was 5.
I use to cringe when i saw or heard the name buckner, but now that we have won it all i could care less about buckner or losing in 1985.
Winning it all is that sweet. On the other side of the coin as a die hard bruins fan all i have to remember is getting swept by the oilers in 1990 and winning one game in 1988 cup finals. You think that looking back in that i wouldn't rather have lost in the first round. Ya i would have because losing in the finals is 10X worse then not making the playoffs. Its crushing.
As leaf fans around the world may never know, you can thank your stars at least for that
If the choice as a fan was to win the first round playoff series every year for ten years then lose out the second round or win one champinship and not make the playoffs in 10 years only a donkey would chose not to win it all.
bottom line playoff success means nothing without a championship.
RHH

There is another whole argument here that everyone (see: serge), is missing.
You can make absolutely no argument that, since the lockout, the NHL isn't basically a new league when it comes to the cap and the way the league works. Serge, how about you post a chart that lists teams playoff records since the lockout. Since we wont be going back to a non cap system, you may as well compare apples to apples, instead of isolating a short (10 year) era where the leafs could buy enough players to squeak into the playoffs. How are they doing NOW?

Dont get me started there...The lockout was a way to screw the Leafs...Where they changed the system overnight...Not fair to look at that..Did every team start fresh with no salary restrictions, same draft picks and a level playing field ...HELL NO..we started the whole god damn system 3 blocks behind everyone else...Just so the moronic cities like Atlanta,Tampa,Florida and Nashville wont go bankrupt or move..

Stupid if you ask me to bring this shit up.

After the lockout teams could buy out players with no cap hits -- blame MLSE for hanging on to their pylon collection!

Dont get me started about your pity franchise that led to this mess...

Well yes; only having NHL franchises in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal would have been so worth it

The Islanders have gotta be pretty embarrassed about the last 15 years looking at this.

sure why not, improve our chances at a Stanley Cup...

The leafs still wouldn't win.


BTW I'm pretty tired of you trying to put disclaimers on clear Hab bashing threads trying to play it off like your just pointing something out innocently. Hey I don't care if you want to take shots at the habs, I find it funny coming from a leaf fan but at least be a man and call a spade a spade.

as opposed to Dale's Leaf bashing threads...

And trust me I have bet a lot of spades, you sir are no spade...

Uhh I said go ahead and make Hab bashing threads, infact I encourage it... but stop playing it off like you are Mr. objectivity who is not being offensive whatsoever, it's getting ridiculous. As for your second comment I'm not really sure what it means, but I'm pretty sure your son put the idea together.

This just tells me that you are only interested in winning, and not the spirit of the game.

seriously dont involve my son...And you have no idea the fine line of objecitivity and the sinc way@@

and just to add, the numbers I didnt make up..

Don't be ridiculous. He's a Leafs fan, he's not interested in winning either.

thats right...The Leafs dont have to prove anything..we are already winners.

I agree. It was a close race between those that think Tom Cruise is sane, those predicting a Jennifer Aniston/Brad Pitt reunion and Leafs fans but the award for most delusional definitely goes to Leaf fans.

the Leafs are not winners.