Skintag Necklace wrote:
You lose any credibility not recognizing what is obvious to a fan with even passing knowledge of NHL hockey. The Hawks 2009-10 roster is far and away the best team since the 04 lockout. It may be the best team in the last 15 years however the 01 Avs and the 02 Wings would be in that conversation as well.
Meh.
I don't think it's worth too much time pondering over. I also referenced the 2001 Avs and 2002 Wings and so voila, I gain back atleast 40% of my credibility Johnny on the spot.
That 2010 Hawks that won the Cup were quite similar to the 2009 Hawks team, and that 2009 Hawks team got absolutely shit-canned by the Wings in 5 games that year (and the Wings of 2009 were a shell of their 2008 team). So, perhaps that 2008 Red Wings team consisting of Datsyuk, Zetterberg, etc., deserve some love as well.
That Chicago 2010 team had a lot of style, "coolness", and talent, which I think made them a loveable team by fans in the NHL. They certainly were a talented team, without question. However - during those 2 seasons of 2009 and 2010, the Hawks never really faced a truly elite team. The ONE time they did, was against the Wings in 2009, and they got shit canned in 5.
In 2010 - they played against a Nashville team that had a pop-gun offense if I recall correctly, followed by very mediocre Vancouver and San Jose teams that possessed neither a top elite defensive pairing nor a top 3 elite goalie in the league. Both Vancouver and San Jose's psychological issues come playoff time have been well documented.
In the finals, the Hawks played against a Flyers team that was kind of there by fluke (they almost got completely rag dolled by Boston until Boston's arrogance as a team set in which allowed Philly to win 4 straight). The Flyers had Pronger, but they didn't have an elite goalie and had a lot of question marks as a team.
Again - the only real "good" team that the Hawks played between 2009 and 2010 in the playoffs, was a slightly watered down version of the 2008 Cup winning Wings team and they got bitch-slapped in 5 games. Granted -Hawks were one year more mature in 2010 than 2009, but I just don't think that team as a whole was "all that."
Nashville, Vancouver, and Philadelphia all had multiple games against the Hawks in those playoffs where they scored tons of goals. Chicago's offense however, kept them afloat. Against more modern teams like LA, Boston, and the current Chicago Blackhawks, I don't think this would've been the case.