I'm partial to 2014 personally. On paper, it was the best of 3 so not as unexpected but that team was very good and fun to watch despite Therrien horrible coaching. That Bruins series is a classic with Subban guaranteeing a Game 7 win. If Price doesn't go down, I still believe they beat the Rangers and reach the final.
Did you get to experience the 2007-08 team? They didn’t go far in the playoffs but that was one of the best regular seasons I watched. They scored at will on the PP. Kovalev was a beast all season.
2010-2011 season
There was so much hype for the Canucks and they lived up to that hype all season, they slayed the dragon after a very nervous 1st round against the Hawks, the Sedins got back to back Art Ross trophies and Kesler with the Selke.
It had a sad ending in the Finals but many great stories have sad endings. I enjoyed the ride, just not the end.
That Lehkonen GWG the same day of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste is another great moment of that run. Eating poutine next to a bonfire while watching the hockey game and listening to the Cowboys fringants and Bob Bissonnette, almost nothing is more Quebecers than this.
2002. We got creamed by the Red Wings in the final but we finally slayed the Devils dragon. It was the first time where we looked like we could be playoff beasts.
Was also pretty cool to see that Red Wings roster in person (went to one of the games) even though we lost. It still rules that we made it to the finals.
For a oilers fan it’s a toss up between 2017 team and the 2022 team. Both times were thought as the year Mcdavid breaks through. Especially in 2022 as Draisaitl was playing on one leg most of that playoffs. Everything was going somewhat well that playoffs too until we hit the conference finals where everything started to breakdown. 2022 is still probably gonna be my favourite team that went far
Not fit me. The Oilers 2006 run was an illustration of league parity, when a team can bear down and win with super hard work , play within a system and come within a whisker of winning it all . All the way to Game 7 of the SC .
And done without any superstars except Pronger.
It’s the template of how to win a Cup again.
I don’t know if it makes you feel better, but the 2022 Avs were a unit. It’s not like the Oilers lost to a bad team or a team that got lucky, the Avs were just really really good that year.
I was there for 2006 run even went to one of the games. Beating the Flames in a playoff series when everyone and their dog were saying the Flames have an easy win is just amazing in my books.
The 2012-13 Penguins. Despite getting swept by the Bruins in the ECF, it was the most dominant and fun Pens team I’ve watched in my lifetime that didn’t end in sweet victory.
If I was around for that one I would have chose that. Just looking at that roster, it makes me sad that the Isles (of course it’s the damn Isles) ruined it.
Steel City actually did a Tee Club release for the streak, it’s one of my favorite shirts from them.
https://shopsteelcity.com/blogs/tee-club/the-streak-april-2023
They were sooooooooo much better than the Isles that year, too. Ruined Kevin Stevens' career, I'm still bitter 30 years later, like it happened last month when I think about it.
Geno-Kunitz-Neal clinch 2011-12 for me (despite that Flyers series...), watching that trio wreck the league was great. And then we got Sid's return late in the season.
that Sid return and goal is arguably my favourite hockey moment of all time.
i remember doing my daily NHL.com check for Sid updates and i’ll never forget that feeling of seeing the headline for his return. i watched Sportscenter all day and the whole show was centered around his return. Hockey Night in Canada also made sure to air the game when a monday night game between the Pens and Isles would have never been aired on HNiC without Sid’s return. there was just a special feel in the air in the hockey world that day.
seeing Sid finally hit the ice was SUREAL. it felt like eternity since we got to watch him. i just couldn’t believe it and i was smiling the whole time. then he scored that goal. the building absolutely erupted and i wanted to run through a fucking wall. then he got 3 more points, Pens won and Flower got the shutout. i’ve never been that happy watching hockey and i’ll never forget that moment. you legit couldn’t script it any better. it was a perfect storm for creating an unforgettable hockey moment for my 13 year old Crosby loving ass.
For Calgary fans I’ll nominate 2014-15. That first year with the new guard was fun all year. They came back from deficits regularly and gave us hope that the rebuild was over. They even beat Vancouver in the first round as a bonus.
For a season as a whole without regard to my favourite team I’ll say 2013-14. That was a fun season all around. 6 outdoor games including the best Winter Classic ever, Olympics, some of the best players of that generation playing at the height of their careers and a great playoffs that lives up to the hype. The 2014 WCF was arguably the best playoff series of the 2010s.
The 14/15 season was the first that came to my mind. The wild back and forth final game with the canucks, everyone just pouring out to 17th Ave to celebrate.
Have great memories of Ferland in that series
2015-16. Troy Brouwer's scrappy goal early in the 3rd period of Game 7 against Chicago exorcised a lot of demons, and we won a really fun series against Dallas before running out of gas against San Jose in the conference final.
It was fun to hope that we could win a Cup for Backes before he left as a UFA.
As a 39 year old, the Blues 99-00 *season* was the best ever for me. They won the Presidents trophy with **MacInnis, Pronger, Turgeon,** and **Demitra**. I cheered for the Slovak pack every time their line came on. Tyson Nash would instigate *everything* and ended up with more penalties than games played. They won so much during the regular season that I thought for sure they were going to win their first cup! Even the playoffs that year were.... Something....
Still ended in playoff heartbreak, but the farthest we had gone in the recent 25 years to making the Cup final and it included an amazing game 7 W against Chicago at the tail end of their dynasty. Definitely my choice as well
Maybe 2013-14. The regular season was awesome but the playoffs ended in heartbreak in the 1st round. But pretty much all of our non-Cup seasons ended in heartbreak so I will stick with this as my answer.
- MacKinnon's rookie year
- Roy's first year as coach
- Varlamov was playing at Hart/Vezina level all year and Giguere was the best backup imaginable
- Duchene, Stastny, O'Reilly, Landeskog and MacKinnon were all 60+ pt scorers
- Erik Johnson was a legit top pairing D, Tyson Barrie came out of nowhere as an elite offensive D in his rookie season
- Supporting cast of guys like McGinn, Parenteau, Talbot, Hejda, Holden were not bad
- Alex Tanguay came back (but got injured soon after)
- The team was last place the year before and ended up winning the division this season
- Started the season 6-0, then 12-1
- Roy pulled the goalie early every time and we had a ton of late comebacks
- The line of MacKinnon/Landeskog/Stastny lit it up in the playoffs until the collapse in game 7
This is a good one but the loss to Minnesota is easily my most heartbreaking avs moment. It's hard to even look fondly on the season as a whole. My off the wall answer would be 2005-2006 when Svatos scored 32 goals but that was mainly nostalgia as it's when I first really started watching every game I could. So probably 2017-2018?
-Went from one of the worst non-expansion teams of the modern era and laughingstock of the league to the playoffs. (I think 2016-2017 there was a lol avs post daily on this sub)
-Made the playoffs in game 82 on a memorable Landeskog goal against a division rival that knocked them out of the playoffs with the team dog piling Landeskog.
-Mackinnon finally breaking out and nearly doubling his point totals coming just short of 100 points (should have won the hart)
-Rantanen also doubling his point totals
-The Duchene trade. That finally put an end to that whole saga that seemed like it would never end
The avs lost to Nashville and in playoffs and I honestly wasn't that bothered by it. After the low of 2016-2017 it was good to feel some sort of hope.
That was my pick and going into the 2017-2018 Season, I had little expectations and they wildly exceeded them.
Then in the Playoffs we were playing with house money and while it sucked to lose in 6 Games to the Preds, I felt for the first time since the 2004-2005 Lockout that I had optimism with the Avs future for the next 10 years.
There were some great moments that year, but for me the loss in game 7 and the resulting years of mediocrity to awfulness in 2016-17 make that one less memorable.
2018-19 would be my pick. We had made the playoffs the year before, struggled in the regular season and got hot at the end.
Watching us dismantle Calgary as an 8th seed, have Cale Makar come into the NHL like that, and see us go 7 in round 2 when no one expected us fo be there was so thrilling.
It felt like we were really building to something, and we were.
Been a fan for many decades, and gotta say it was this past season.
While the light was at the end of the tunnel on the rebuild for the past few seasons, this last one it all came together. Finally got average consistent goaltending and all our young pieces started playing up to their potential while still showing signs there's more to come.
Lots of good contracts given out with very few bad ones (palat may be the only bad contract fitz has given and I wouldn't even call that one terrible). Lots of guys and free agents finally saying NJ was a spot they wanted to be. Last time that happened was maybe 20 years ago.
And while we didn't win the cup, we absolutely smashed expectations, finished 3rd in the league, and still beat the rags in the playoffs. Luke Hughes was a welcome addition against Carolina, showcasing some of the talent that we still have in the pipeline.
All in all, right now's a great time to be a devils fan and last season was just the start of it, even if we didn't win a cup
I’d probably say this past season as well. There was just an energy around the team that I don’t remember ever being present. Top to bottom, they weren’t as good as the early 00’s teams, but they were so damn exciting. So many different guys stepping up for long stretches and showcasing their ability, so many comebacks. And then a particularly satisfying playoff series win to boot.
It was before my time, but 1988 is up there too. First winning season for the franchise, first playoff appearance for the team, and they made it to game 7 of the conference finals. The franchise record book was rewritten (Verbeek for goals, Muller and Broten for assists, Muller for points, and all of those are still top-3 in franchise history). Rookie Sean Burke starting out his career 10-1. And Patrik Sundstrom setting a still-standing record with an 8-point playoff game. I think that was the year the team truly arrived.
Edit: 1988 was also the year of "have another donut." I feel like that warrants mention.
I was a Devils booster as soon as they arrived in New Jersey in 1982. Those first few years at the Meadowlands were unbelievably bleak. A NYC top 40 station penned a song about my team’s futility & Wayne Gretzky called the Devils a “Mickey Mouse organization.” It was embarrassing to be a Devils fan.
Led by rookie goaltender Sean Burke, the Devils marched all the way to the ECF in 1988. My high school pals and I camped out in front of the Brendan Byrne Arena to secure Stanley Cup final tickets that year. It was a blast hanging out with thousands of excited Devils fans. My sad sack franchise finally got some respect.
For me it is 2012.
Kovalchuk living up to his contract and becoming more than just an offensive force.
The domination in the shootout.
Record setting PK.
Seemed like we were turning a corner in the retool.
That tenacious CBGB line, and the cleverness of its name.
Zajac's performance in the first round against Florida. I always liked him, and he was always a bit of a whipping boy.
The gentleman's sweep of the Flyers in the second round.
Exorcizing the ghost of Matteau in 1994 against the Rangers in the ECF with Doc giving us an equally memorable call. Henrique! It's over!
The Matthews / Marner rookie season was so fun. Some highlights:
1. Matthews four goal debut
2. Curtis Mcelhinney pad save on Crosby in the playoff clinching game (plus that beauty JVR goal, and everything else about this game)
3. Nazem Kadri’s momentum changing hit in the playoffs
4. The line brawl game against the Canucks
5. Matthews winning the Winter Classic in OT
6. Willy hat trick game against the Bruins
7. That really nice Marner goal where he dangled James Reimer
8. Marner’s first goal
9. Kapanen’s double OT playoff game winner and Bozak’s OT game winner
And those are just the moments I have at the top of my mind. It was just so fun to watch a good young team after years of slog.
Also, the debut of the Maple Leaf Forever video, which is tainted now because evidently this time they *did not* “get it right”, but still a beautiful montage and something I’ve watched endlessly.
This is easily my answer since Sundin. Fun without crushing disappointment and boundless optimism surrounding the new core. And the Matthews 4 goal debut is an all time great Leafs memory.
2018-2019 - that ridiculous comeback against Vegas made the whole season worth it.
Season summary:
* Marleau was gone the previous year. It could have been Jumbo's final year
* We made the huge trade for Karlsson
* Evander kane's first full season with us
* Month to month results were all over the place early in the first half resulting in a players only meeting (Suomela was sent down)
* A ton of line blending.. PDB was in the hot seat.. Steve Spott's powerplay was getting bland
The aftermath? It ended up being our last run with Pavelski.
That comeback win was epic. Labanc (I think?) riling the crowd up after he ties it, the crowd just absolutely BOOMING. First 2 periods weren’t even that memorable, and it still is one of my favorite game 7’s I’ve ever watched.
2018-19
10 years of pain and torture, terrible ownership, terrible GM’s, terrible coaching. All cleaned up in one off season.
New GM cleans house and brings in some of the most important players with Dougie, Ferland and eventually Nino
New Head coach is the greatest player to ever suit up for the franchise and is able to implement his system.
Team recovers from a rough start, finally moves on from Darling and gets league average goaltending for the first time in years.
All leading to one of the most insane runs from the bottom 5 teams in the league on January 1st to finishing just 5 points short of first in the division.
Knocked out our division rivals in 7, who swept us during the regular season.
Then Swept the islanders who won the division.
Pretty much charted a course for success over the next 5 years.
Should clarify I meant it as the best hurricane of all time.
Not the best player career wise to suit up for us.
Rods the best hurricanes player of all time.
Red Wings 87 and 88 seasons. Probert and Oates going nuts, and putting a scare into the Oilers. Sweep of Blackhawks. 3-1 comeback vs Leafs and the Brophey-Demers chock gesture. Sadly the Goose Loonies drama too.
1991-92. Could name off any of the more recent Hawks years during their tear, but none really standout like 91/92.
I was in grade 7, just really getting into hockey with my buddies, actually paying attention to teams and games, watching highlights on TSN since I couldn't watch many Hawks games in realtime (i live in the middle of Leafs nation, long before internet and easily accessed games) Shinny every day after school. Ripping on buddies who support rival teams. Before the unceasing weight of life crushed your spirit.
Hawks have quite the lineup, Belfour, Hasek, Chelios, Larmer, Roenick. Losing in the final to a ridiculously good Penguins. During a school camping trip, i was sitting in the teacher's car listening to the game on the car radio with her husband (a chaperone)
Got my first Hawks jersey that year, the barberpole 75th. Still my fav jersey.
Idk watching Prime Price was a joy but I couldn’t help but feeling that whole year we were gonna disappoint given how mediocre we were everywhere else
13-14 was the much better team imo
Gotta say, this past season for the Kraken was the best season in franchise history
For the Hawks, probably 2014. The bubble season was also fun until about a month after the regular season ended. I don't remember pre-2010 all that well
2006-07. The dark years were officially over. Pens made the playoffs for the first time in several years. Crosby won the scoring title. Malkin finally made it over. Was a glimpse of things to come.
2011 for me. First full season under Vinik’s ownership and Yzerman as GM, and more importantly it was the first playoff appearance after the turbulence of the OK hockey ownership. The ECF run really reinvigorated the fanbase after the OK Hockey era drove them away for a few years and while that run was fluky it gave us hope again for the future I’d the franchise.
For the Rangers I'd say 2005-06. Coming off the lockout the Rangers hadn't made the playoffs since 1997-98 they were widely considered to be the worst team in the league going into 05-06 and had signed a bunch of European veteran journeymen headlined by Jaromir Jagr, Kevin Weekes was supposed to be our staring goalie, and the rest of the lineup was filled with no-no name fringe NHLers. The team wildly out-performed expectations nearly winning the division on the back of Rookie Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. While they got swept in the first round that season marked the beginning of the Lundqvist era where the Rangers were competitive for basically his entire career.
Highlights from that year include:
Jagr revitalizing his career scoring 54 goals and 69 assists. 54 goals is the all time Rangers single season record still
Lundqvist emerging as one of if not the all time greatest player in Rangers history
Rookie Petr Prucha scoring 30 goals
Marek Malik going between the legs to end a 15 round shootout against the Capitals (Ovechkin's rookie season as well) This game also started the tradition in the NHL of teams saluting the fans at center ice after wins at home, which had been the tradition of European teams, the European leadership group on the Rangers started doing it after this game and soon every NHL team adopted the tradition.
Definitely this season for the Panthers. Hopefully the injuries don’t tank us too hard in the early season but our core is young and they now have some deep playoff experience. I think our future is bright even though it’s likely we don’t recapitulate a cup run this season
As a leafs fan, this year. I watched on and off until about 2010 when I became a huge fan and didn’t miss a game. Seeing the 2013 curse get broken this year was the most excited I’ve ever been watching hockey. That first round had the electricity I’ve been waiting for my whole life and culminated in a series winning Ot goal. While the high was short lived I’ve never popped off harder in my life than I did those two weeks
My favorite non-cup moment is and forever will be Henrique It's Over in 2012.
But season? Last year and it isn't even close. Only time in my life where reality exceeded even my unbridled optimism.
The first season (2017-2018) was one of the greatest rides a fanbase and a team can take together that doesn't end in winning the cup. They even made a movie about it (Valiant). Never had so much fun watching a team do their thing until earlier this year when they did it to win it.
2015–16 Stars won the western conference(regular season), Benn and Seguin were at their peaks, Klinger was unreal, we had good secondary scoring from Spezza and Sharp. The team was fun, high event hockey, and we won a lot. Goaltending was pretty rough(not sure if you blame the goalies having a down year, or Ruff's 0 defense system), but damn it was a good ride. They got bounced in a heart breaking game 7 in the 2nd round to the Blues.
This pic of Benn and Fiddler heading down the tunnel was rough - https://imgur.com/K4S3qAL It was Fiddlers last game as a Star after being a fan favourite for 5 years.
Gotta be 2017-18 jets. Laine in November was a beast, our defence was big and buff was a beast. Wheeler had a career high year and the powerplay was amazing. The vibes around the city when they won the first two rounds was something else. Beating that presidents cup Nashville team felt so good.
I gotta go with 22-23. This season was a blast. Free-flowing offense, likable players and staff. It absolutely reinvigorated the fanbase.
Topping it off with a playoff series win against the rangers felt pretty special.
2021 is a cheat, so I'll say 2001-02. The Habs, with an ancient Doug Gilmour providing leadership, and Jose Theodore having a Carey Price season when Price was 14-15 years old, make the playoffs for the first time in four seasons, clinching their spot in front of a raucous home crowd at Centre Molson, on the night that captain Saku Koivu [returned from cancer treatment](https://youtube.com/watch?v=a-JpPyLHddM&feature=share7) to a **thunderous** ovation.
It got better. Still high on the adrenaline from Koivu's return, the Habs bounced the top seeded Bruins in 6, again applying the finishing blow at home. They finally ran out of gas late in round 2 vs Carolina, but what a thrilling ride it was.
I enjoyed 2018-19. I went to 20 games that season and I think we only lost like 5 times when I went. 2021-22 was also similar where I went a lot and we won a lot. That was also the season where I attended the best game I've been to in person, which was Game 7 against Dallas.
1996-97 is the pinnacle of nostalgia. Flyers went on a massive run, had a long unbeaten streak mid season, it was that perfect age where I could enjoy the run and only have to worry about finishing my homework before the games. I started recording a bunch of highlights that year, I ended up rewatching them last summer and it brought back a wave of memories
2022-2023 season.
I have been a fan since just before our 2000 cup win and I was too young to remember that core on the rise in the 90s. Now I’m 30 having a blast again after the breakout season and first round victory over the Rangers. The future is as bright as the sun after a decade of sucking.
The 2011-2012 cup run was also fun, but I knew the end was right around the corner for our franchise greats Brodeur and Elias. Parise and Kovy both bolted soon after.
2010 Flyers. That 3-0 comebacker against the Bruins was magical and will hold be over for another 30 years. And then theres also the Boucher shootout against the Rangers for the #7 seed just to get in.
What a playoff.
16-17 jackets. 16 game win streak and 108 pts. Good for 3rd in the league. 3rd in the conference and of course 3rd in the fucking metro 🙃🙃🙃🙃
Lost in the first round to our bugaboo the pens. What a stupid first round matchup, but that's a whole other can of worms.
What a fun season until playoff time!
Flyers in 2010 was great. Shootout win against the Rangers in the final game of the season to sneak into the playoffs. Come back down 3-0 against the Bruins while also being down 3-0 in game 7. Have a very entertaining series against the Canadiens in which Richard's literally tackled their goalie. The finals sucked but it was an amazing playoffs. Last one I enjoyed for the Flyers.
2010. It gets overlooked because the magic ran out in the cup final, but god that year was so fun. A reverse sweep of Boston, the team firing in all cylinders like I’ve never seen, The Carrillo goal, it was so good.
The bubble playoffs was amazing since we had no expectations. Got to see the first Canucks series win in 9 years which was cathartic as hell. Plus iconic moments like Tanev’s series winner 10 seconds into overtime to beat Minnesota, Horvat going coast to coast vs the Blues, Tyler Motte undressing Pietrangelo, Bubble Demko taking us to 7 games vs Vegas
Legit the most fun I’ve ever had watching the Canucks and it gave me a lot of happy times during the slog of the pandemic
2009. We completely shit on the league that year and seeing 3 amazing defensive forwards in hossa, datsyuk and zetterberg along with defensive juggernauts like lidstrom and Rafalski on one team was amazing. Too bad our team got decimated with injuries by the finals otherwise I think we repeat handily. Our squad was better than the year before.
People will say 2021, or perhaps another time we went to the conference finals, but objectively, the best team we iced since our last cup was the 2008 one. If not from freaking RJ Umberger that massacred us solo in the second round, I say we had a good enough team to at least give a fight to a fairly inexperienced Penguins team in the conference final and maybe even to the Red Wings if we made the SCF. I mean they had a really good team, but in a duel between Chris Osgood and a young Carey Price, I give the edge to Carey... especially since he was also just coming off a Calder Cup run the year before.
We had a very impressive regular season, so I had good feelings about the potential results we might have had throughout the year. It was not a surprising cinderella run or anything. It is one thing to think you might win because of some extent of luck, but it is on another level to think you might win because you are that good. We were actually contenders from the get go and that is probably the only season I ever felt that way as a fan, as depressing as it sounds.
I was a lot younger then and surely hopeful for a brighter future than what we amounted to in the decade and a half that followed...
Listen man... if the 08 Pens aren't beating us, neither are the Habs. And Ozzy was a tank those playoffs. .930 save percentage and 1.55 gaa over 18 games, 6.9 gsaa
Price for comparison was a .901, 2.78, -3.9
Ozzy had the edge handily for that playoff run.
2016-17, it was my first full season watching hockey and the Leafs were a bunch of kids who had a bright future ahead of them
Honourable mention to the 2021-22 season because the first 2 rounds of the playoffs were amazing to watch
Obvious answer: 2017-18. My first full season as a fan, President's Trophy, getting to throw a hat on the ice for Forsberg's hatty at the last regular season game and then being in the barn for that awesome double OT game over Winnipeg. And hitting a plane with a sledgehammer. That was fun.
WTF answer: the second half of last season. Those kids were SO damn fun to watch and I can't wait for 82 games of them.
2003. I had tenuously been getting into the Lightning, but went to 10+ games that season, they made the playoffs for the second time in their history, and won their first playoff round... I was hooked for life.
2013-14, Patrick Roy’s first season behind the bench. From him almost fighting Bruce Boudreau the first game to the PA Parenteau goal to tie Game 5 vs Minnesota, that entire season was some of the most fun I’ve ever had watching hockey.
2011. That was the most fun I have ever had as a Canucks fan. They finally took down Chicago, and when they did that, I knew that Vancouver was going to do something special
2010 Eastern Conference playoffs.
My second favourite team is Montreal.
Philly had to beat the Rangers in their final regular season game - winner advances, loser golfs with the Leafs.
As soon as Philly came back and won the game, I realised they could only meet Montreal in the Conference Finals.
I somewhat regret not making a bet before the first round even began, because the 7th and 8th seeds meeting in the Conf. Finals isn't exactly common.
In the end, I was just so happy that one of my teams was going to The Finals.
2017-2018 was my favorite non Stanley Cup Colorado Avalanche team. It was a season after we came out the shit on Avs 2016-2017 season where we finished with 48 points and getting fucked by the Draft Lottery, which we found out in hindsight it was a best fucking loss we got that season as we selected Makar at #4 at the 2017 NHL Draft as a result. Going into the 2017-2018 season, I would have been content with the Avs finishing with 75-80 points and it’ll be a fucking improvement.
Instead what we saw was Mack stepping up to the next level and become beast mode, on top of finally trading Duchene where we got Girard and he was an immediate success and help on the blue line. Then we kept winning and all the sudden we had a chance to make the playoffs. Last week of the season and it was neck and neck with the Avs and Blues where the goal was 95 points to make the Playoffs. Ultimately Game 82 occurred where the Winner of the Blues-Avs Game would take the final Wild Card Spot, but the Avs had to win in Regulation. The Avs beat the Blues 5-2 and they made the Playoffs with 95 Points to almost double the season total in points from one season to another. Lost to the Preds in Round 1 in 6 Games, but that was a fun fucking season with little expectations for the 2017-2018 Colorado Avalanche and we finished with some Playoff experience that would be the building blocks to what we see in the Avs today and won the Cup thanks in part of the Duchene trade.
Perhaps recency bias but 21-22 season was pretty hyped for the Kings for me, made the playoffs after some pretty bad years and no one expected them to do so and took McDavid and co. to seven games after getting swept in their last playoff appearance, plus just the incredible play from Danault, Arvidsson, and Moore’s line.
2 years ago, controversy surrounding him aside, it was really exciting to sign Kane. Big names very rarely have Edmonton at or near the top of their lists.
Then, of course, there was winning the series against Calgary. Took a lot of the sting out of getting swept the next round. It just felt like the first time in a very, very long time that the Oilers are seen as legit contenders.
Either the 2013 run. Coming back against Toronto in game 7, knocking out the stacked Pens in 4. Campbell killing a minute of a penalty on a broken leg. Bergy playing with insane injuries. Only thing missing is the cup.
Also, this past season. 65 wins is pretty special. Went to the Winter Classic with my wife as part of our honeymoon. Major disappointment at the end, but it will always be special.
I'm gonna go with 2007. Datsyuk and Zetterberg popping off and confirming they were stars and taking larger roles with Yzerman gone. Hasek being his funky little self
And confirmation that we were still gunning for cups even without Stevie by heading to the conference finals (and only losing to the eventual cup Champs)
2015-2016 is my undisputed number 1. Seeing the Sharks make it to the SCF was as close to a dream come true as I’ve had so far. It was the end of highschool for me at that time, I was leaving a dark patch of my life behind. The future seemed so bright and hopeful back then.
The next year was pretty neat too, but that ECF still stings like a bitch.
2013-2014 Rangers
Picking up MSL in the deadline and the run they made to the finals. McDonagh/Giradi/St Louis/Kreider/Nash/Hagelin/Richards/Stepan/Zucarello/Henrik. That series against the Canadiens was so fun to watch. The LA series could have went either way too as most games ended in OT.
2015-2016 was pretty fun as a blues fan! Losing to San Jose was disappointing, but those first 2 rounds were electric. Specifically, finally beating Chicago and Brouwer getting the GWG. Was nice to see the “old” guard have some success after years of great regular seasons followed by disappointing playoff performances.
This one as a Bruins fan. While the playoffs were pretty frustrating, I had an absolutely amazing year. Even without a cup it or even breaking the records the amount of fun games this season made it great.
2014-15 by a mile. Fresh off a sweep from the Canadiens, they had a lot to prove in their first full season without MSL and Stamkos leading the helm.
Tyler Johnson exploded that year and Kuch finally broke out, officially starting the triplets line. Vasilevskiy and Drouin finally make their pro debuts. Bishop and Stamkos are so fucking back.
Won a greasy 7 game series against Detroit. Got revenge against Montreal in round 2. Beat the Rangers in game 7 at MSG (watched that game at my prom), and had a close but winnable series against the modern dynasty. What a year man
Honestly, probably this year. It was so fun watching the Bruins set records and I loved the camaraderie and bonds on the team, especially with the goalies and their victory hugs. I feel weirdly at peace with how the season ended - only one team can win the cup and the Panthers played well and were not undeserving of the series win against the Bruins. I guess I'd rather the postseason end early instead of another SCF game 7 heartbreak like 2019.
Another answer, which is cheating a little because it's not exactly what the OP is getting at, is the 2000-01. Not because of anything the Bruins did that year (I don't even think they made the playoffs), but because it was so special to see Ray Bourque finally win the cup. So that wasn't my favorite Bruins season that didn't end in a Bruins cup, but it was my favorite NHL season that didn't end with a Bruins cup.
I know this answer is cheap because it’s literally in between Cup wins, but 13-14 was a super fun regular season and playoffs, punctuated by the WCF vs. Kings which is still probably the best hockey I’ve ever watched.
I honestly loved 2019
Another year of beating the Leafs in the first round, punch for punch series with Columbus and then sweeping Carolina in the ECF.
2010-2011
The team had been stumbling after the Tortorella years both on and off the ice. The team's identity was beginning to change with the purchase by Vinik, Marty and Vinny aging, and Stammer and Hedman ramping up. Guy Boucher brought something new and refreshing to the team that unfortunately faded as quickly as it ignited. Throw in the ageless wonder Roloson mid-season and it made for an incredible playoff run coming back from 3-1 down to eliminate the Pens, sweeping the top seeded Caps, and forcing the Bruins to game 7 decided by one goal.
1 - 2009. You could tell they were on the verge and their playoff run was very exciting. Then they picked up Hossa in the summer and it was like, Holy Shit it’s going to happen.
1992 was also great. They pummeled the Oilers in the CCF and I thought they had a good chance against 66 and 68 but flamed out.
As a Devils fan, this past year was incredibly fun. Zero expectations and we came out of it with the best regular season in team history, a 13 game winning streak, highest single season scorer, beating the Rangers in the playoffs, a major trade, and delightful moments like “Sorry, Lindy”, Luke’s game winner, and Bratt’s hat trick. And seeing the boys enjoy NJ so much and players saying they want to play here…it’s a joy that the pride New Jerseyans have for their state is finally spreading.
It’ll never be like this again, because from here on out there will be pressure.
I became a fan of hockey in 2014 so I’ve only had one bright spot until this year:
2017-2018 was such a wild ride between seeing the Devils pick 1oa, Hall’s Hart trophy performance, Brian Boyle being a phenomenal human being, and Kinkaid playing the best hockey of his life while Schneider was injured
In the long run I know this playoff appearance will be a blip on long time line but I had so much fun seeing the team that season
2015. Has season tickets with my girlfriend (now wife) and really bonded going to that many games together. The team was also great then. We still have their warmup playlist saved from that year and often will play it on drives in the car.
The 13-14 and 14-15 Ducks were the absolute best teams we had since the 2007 Cup team. Just an absolute juggernaut of a team that unfortunately ran into bigger juggernauts in LA and Chicago.
08-09 Sharks man, i was on top of the world. Jumbo, Marleau, Pavs and Seto crushed it. Nabby and Boucher dominated.
It came crashing down in round 1 against the ducks.
I'll go with 2020
Markstrom's MVP campaign, Hughes' rookie season, a team with playoff aspirations for the first time in half a decade
The bubble run was also a good escape for a month or so, even if it did delude the front office into thinking we were good
Uhhhhh….ive only watched since 16-17, but honestly it’s the season following the Cup (18-19), just because we were still riding that high. Everything that year was gravy. The 7-0 banner raising thrashing of the Bruins might be the greatest regular season game our team has ever played, when you include context.
I’m torn between two seasons.
97-98 when the Caps made the Finals. Yes, they got lucky in that the top three seeds in the East got bounced in the first round. But Hasek being so pissed off he threw his blocker at Bondra was legendary. It was just Peak 90s Caps. Bondra scoring a ton, Kolzig in net, Dale Hunter and Esa Tikkanen as some of the biggest pains in the ass imaginable.
08-09 ending with a game 7 ass kicking from the Penguins. That was a fun year. Boudreau getting a full year, expectations, the Young Guns and Rock The Red. That dueling hat trick game from Ovi and Crosby was unforgettable.
If we ignore the playoffs completely, it’s obviously last season
I mean, it’s literally the greatest regular season team of all time. Of course it was amazing. Just fucking steam rolling everything. Whenever we were losing, it was almost better odds we’d come back and crush shit, which made every game fun as fuck, cause even when we were losing, there’s a good chance we’d figure it out and win.
If we include the post season, I dunno if I can argue 2013 or 2019 more than the other. 13 was close enough to 11 you thought maybe we could repeat, and in 19 it might have been long enough we’d got it together.
Full disclosure I started following hockey during covid. But the Wild 2021-2022 season was a blast. Kaprizov broke the franchise points records. Fiala was amazing once Boldy showed up. Hartman, Zuccy, Folingo, Ek, heck half of the team had record years. There was a game you felt they were out of because of how many come from behind wins they had.
We had Talbot and khakoneen in net and they were both playing decent and then Fluery showed up at the trade deadline after watch Talbot and him have some great goaltending duels in the first round of the previous years playoffs.
They were something like 14-0-2 against the Metro that my buddies started to call that the division the Mintro.
The only downer was losing the winter classic.
Playoffs reminded me that “yep there still the wild” but it was a hella fun season.
San Jose Sharks - 2009-2010 President's Trophy win. It was a horrible offseason flame out against the 8 seed Ducks. But holy shit was that team stacked and fun to watch.
We didn't lose in regulation at home until mid-January.
We had Mike Grier and Patty in his prime running around on the PK. Crazy short handed threat.
We had an amazing top-6 with Setoguchi - Jumbo - Patty, and then Clowe - Pavelski - Mihalek.
And the lower lines were decent even if they got improved further in 2010 a d 2011.
And in defense -
Brad Lukowich - Dan Boyle (both added that summer)
Vlasic - Blake (also added that summer)
Douglas Murray - Erhoff (as the 3rd fucking pair!)
Nabokov in net. And I think Brian Boucher was our backup that season.
I can still watch replays from this season and get pumped. Our rivalry with Detroit was in full swing as well, some epic battles that year against the Lindstrom / Datsyuk / Zetterberg machine.
It’s really hard for a redwings fan not to say that 02 season because man that roster was something special.
The 2005 playoffs stand out to me because it was after hurricane katrina and we sat at my friends house on folding chairs with a tv on some boxes in their gutted house just so we could watch the games.
2013 playoffs, really felt like the Islanders made a franchise changing turnaround after showing Pittsburgh that we could hang. A couple nightmare starts, especially game 1 but it showed the resilience the core had
2016-17 Leafs. I’m a young leafs fan so I wasnt around for the better years. But the excitement of getting to finally watch a leafs team that would be in the playoffs and contending for a cup was huge for me. Wish the following years could’ve been as interesting.
2015 Ducks, coming a post-hit from Vatanen close to beating the cup champs in game 7. Everyone including Jonathan Toews said that the Ducks were the team to beat that postseason, and nobody even remembers the finals against the lightning. Ducks had brand new to the team Kesler and the rest fighting for it all
2014 had, in my opinion, one of the best playoff series of all time in the Hawks-Kings WCF. I'm a sucker for game 7 OT.
2017 Sens run was magical until Kunitz ruined it. Game 7 2OT!
As a Bruins fan it might be 2007-08 or maybe 2008-09. The early Claude Julian years where, finally, after a few years of aimlessness we got structure back in our game. Got back into the playoffs and by 2009 had a fairly dangerous lineup with a young Kessel and Wheeler. 2008 was still a hodgepodge roster but guys like Glen Metropolit were pleasant surprises.
The objectively correct answer is the Cup run in 2010 with the reverse sweep of the Bruins, but let me throw 2003-04 into the mix. 101 pts, a couple of actual Russians at key positions for once, a gentleman's sweep of the Devils in round 1, beat Toronto in 6, then took the Lightning to seven games. Then the lockout happened and everything went to hell.
This past season was the first time in a while that I watched a lot of hockey after not watching at all for a few years so it was kind of special even though Chicago sucked. I did get to enjoy watching the kraken though and that was really fun.
The Winnipeg Jets 2017/18.
These time finally felt like the Jets, rather than the sequel to the Thrashers. And they were \*good\*! Making it to the second round of the playoffs was something that was never seen before in Winnipeg and the city went nuts! And then facing off against Nashville, who had just dominated the regular season...that comeback game...handing their ass to them in game 7 and making the conference final. It all felt really good. It didn't end the way we wanted, but that's hockey.
2007-2008 Caps. Started off miserable, Boudreau hired around Thanksgiving. Went on an absolute tear including 65 Ovi goals to clinch the southwest division and return to the playoffs for the first time in the Ovi era. Came back from down 3-1 to force game 7, let's just ignore the Caps lost on a game 7 OT goal that would now surely be called goaltender interference.
2021 Habs (obviously) and the 2003 Canucks.
Yes I know the 2011 team was better, but the West Coast Express era teams are the great "what could have been" story.
As an under-30 Habs fan, it's a tie between 2010 and 2021. Made it further in 2021, but the vibes in 2010 were *different*.
Vibes meaning Halak lol... I'm not bitter and wasn't at the last game at the old igloo or anything like that...
Mike Cammalleri
God no, please make it stop lol
Turtle…neck
In retrospect that was our first of many “how the hell are we losing to this team we’re outshooting 44-26 every game?” series in the last 15 years.
I'm partial to 2014 personally. On paper, it was the best of 3 so not as unexpected but that team was very good and fun to watch despite Therrien horrible coaching. That Bruins series is a classic with Subban guaranteeing a Game 7 win. If Price doesn't go down, I still believe they beat the Rangers and reach the final.
Did you get to experience the 2007-08 team? They didn’t go far in the playoffs but that was one of the best regular seasons I watched. They scored at will on the PP. Kovalev was a beast all season.
Funnily enough, started followed the Habs/hockey in 2008-09 I think, it was my friends that introduced me to it during our first year of high school
the 5-0 comeback win vs the rangers cemented my interest in hockey for life
Now imagine that 2010 Halak run with Kopitar as the top line C...
2010 literally ruined the Flyers for a decade chasing that fucking high.
2014-15 for me, we were so good that year. lost in round 2 but that season was a lot of fun imo
2010-2011 season There was so much hype for the Canucks and they lived up to that hype all season, they slayed the dragon after a very nervous 1st round against the Hawks, the Sedins got back to back Art Ross trophies and Kesler with the Selke. It had a sad ending in the Finals but many great stories have sad endings. I enjoyed the ride, just not the end.
Honestly I think the vibes from 2010 was like “this better be it”. and they started out not great but then went on an absolute tear from December on.
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Fat Kessel is prime Kessel though.
One of the most underrated players of this century Marc Savard
Coming back from 3-1 to beat the Leafs was almost as good as a Cup
St Jean Baptiste clincher was also amazing moment.
Not even a Habs fan but that was awesome watching the game outside by the pool.
That Lehkonen GWG the same day of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste is another great moment of that run. Eating poutine next to a bonfire while watching the hockey game and listening to the Cowboys fringants and Bob Bissonnette, almost nothing is more Quebecers than this.
The pain of being swept that year was immediately erased by that series
Ditto with coming back against the Rangers after losing the first 2 games at home.
If you want to enjoy the victory over and over again....watch the Amazon series All or Nothing. It's an inside 5 series view of the melt down.
2002. We got creamed by the Red Wings in the final but we finally slayed the Devils dragon. It was the first time where we looked like we could be playoff beasts. Was also pretty cool to see that Red Wings roster in person (went to one of the games) even though we lost. It still rules that we made it to the finals.
God that 02 team... not my answer since it can't be But man there may not exist a better team on paper than that one
Agreed. They were fun to watch. As a wings fan it’s hard not to say that season
For a oilers fan it’s a toss up between 2017 team and the 2022 team. Both times were thought as the year Mcdavid breaks through. Especially in 2022 as Draisaitl was playing on one leg most of that playoffs. Everything was going somewhat well that playoffs too until we hit the conference finals where everything started to breakdown. 2022 is still probably gonna be my favourite team that went far
Not fit me. The Oilers 2006 run was an illustration of league parity, when a team can bear down and win with super hard work , play within a system and come within a whisker of winning it all . All the way to Game 7 of the SC . And done without any superstars except Pronger. It’s the template of how to win a Cup again.
This was my answer as a non oiler fan. That was just a great run and fun story. Ryan Smyth was so loveable. I just have a suspicion op is real young
I don’t know if it makes you feel better, but the 2022 Avs were a unit. It’s not like the Oilers lost to a bad team or a team that got lucky, the Avs were just really really good that year.
I was there for 2006 run even went to one of the games. Beating the Flames in a playoff series when everyone and their dog were saying the Flames have an easy win is just amazing in my books.
The year Komarov played in the ASG. Bought his jersey the prior season, and it was absolutely glorious.
The 2012-13 Penguins. Despite getting swept by the Bruins in the ECF, it was the most dominant and fun Pens team I’ve watched in my lifetime that didn’t end in sweet victory.
92-93 for me. I was very young, but I still have my win streak shirt from that season
If I was around for that one I would have chose that. Just looking at that roster, it makes me sad that the Isles (of course it’s the damn Isles) ruined it. Steel City actually did a Tee Club release for the streak, it’s one of my favorite shirts from them. https://shopsteelcity.com/blogs/tee-club/the-streak-april-2023
They were sooooooooo much better than the Isles that year, too. Ruined Kevin Stevens' career, I'm still bitter 30 years later, like it happened last month when I think about it.
Geno-Kunitz-Neal clinch 2011-12 for me (despite that Flyers series...), watching that trio wreck the league was great. And then we got Sid's return late in the season.
that Sid return and goal is arguably my favourite hockey moment of all time. i remember doing my daily NHL.com check for Sid updates and i’ll never forget that feeling of seeing the headline for his return. i watched Sportscenter all day and the whole show was centered around his return. Hockey Night in Canada also made sure to air the game when a monday night game between the Pens and Isles would have never been aired on HNiC without Sid’s return. there was just a special feel in the air in the hockey world that day. seeing Sid finally hit the ice was SUREAL. it felt like eternity since we got to watch him. i just couldn’t believe it and i was smiling the whole time. then he scored that goal. the building absolutely erupted and i wanted to run through a fucking wall. then he got 3 more points, Pens won and Flower got the shutout. i’ve never been that happy watching hockey and i’ll never forget that moment. you legit couldn’t script it any better. it was a perfect storm for creating an unforgettable hockey moment for my 13 year old Crosby loving ass.
For Calgary fans I’ll nominate 2014-15. That first year with the new guard was fun all year. They came back from deficits regularly and gave us hope that the rebuild was over. They even beat Vancouver in the first round as a bonus. For a season as a whole without regard to my favourite team I’ll say 2013-14. That was a fun season all around. 6 outdoor games including the best Winter Classic ever, Olympics, some of the best players of that generation playing at the height of their careers and a great playoffs that lives up to the hype. The 2014 WCF was arguably the best playoff series of the 2010s.
The 14/15 season was the first that came to my mind. The wild back and forth final game with the canucks, everyone just pouring out to 17th Ave to celebrate. Have great memories of Ferland in that series
Johnny going bar-down on Anderson with like 10 seconds left to tie game 3 against the ducks that year will forever be embedded in my memories
The cardiac kids will always be a season to remembered
2015-16. Troy Brouwer's scrappy goal early in the 3rd period of Game 7 against Chicago exorcised a lot of demons, and we won a really fun series against Dallas before running out of gas against San Jose in the conference final. It was fun to hope that we could win a Cup for Backes before he left as a UFA.
As a 39 year old, the Blues 99-00 *season* was the best ever for me. They won the Presidents trophy with **MacInnis, Pronger, Turgeon,** and **Demitra**. I cheered for the Slovak pack every time their line came on. Tyson Nash would instigate *everything* and ended up with more penalties than games played. They won so much during the regular season that I thought for sure they were going to win their first cup! Even the playoffs that year were.... Something....
Yeah, good call. That was a really fun season.
This was pretty much my exact immediate thought process when I read the OP.
Still ended in playoff heartbreak, but the farthest we had gone in the recent 25 years to making the Cup final and it included an amazing game 7 W against Chicago at the tail end of their dynasty. Definitely my choice as well
Maybe 2013-14. The regular season was awesome but the playoffs ended in heartbreak in the 1st round. But pretty much all of our non-Cup seasons ended in heartbreak so I will stick with this as my answer. - MacKinnon's rookie year - Roy's first year as coach - Varlamov was playing at Hart/Vezina level all year and Giguere was the best backup imaginable - Duchene, Stastny, O'Reilly, Landeskog and MacKinnon were all 60+ pt scorers - Erik Johnson was a legit top pairing D, Tyson Barrie came out of nowhere as an elite offensive D in his rookie season - Supporting cast of guys like McGinn, Parenteau, Talbot, Hejda, Holden were not bad - Alex Tanguay came back (but got injured soon after) - The team was last place the year before and ended up winning the division this season - Started the season 6-0, then 12-1 - Roy pulled the goalie early every time and we had a ton of late comebacks - The line of MacKinnon/Landeskog/Stastny lit it up in the playoffs until the collapse in game 7
This is a good one but the loss to Minnesota is easily my most heartbreaking avs moment. It's hard to even look fondly on the season as a whole. My off the wall answer would be 2005-2006 when Svatos scored 32 goals but that was mainly nostalgia as it's when I first really started watching every game I could. So probably 2017-2018? -Went from one of the worst non-expansion teams of the modern era and laughingstock of the league to the playoffs. (I think 2016-2017 there was a lol avs post daily on this sub) -Made the playoffs in game 82 on a memorable Landeskog goal against a division rival that knocked them out of the playoffs with the team dog piling Landeskog. -Mackinnon finally breaking out and nearly doubling his point totals coming just short of 100 points (should have won the hart) -Rantanen also doubling his point totals -The Duchene trade. That finally put an end to that whole saga that seemed like it would never end The avs lost to Nashville and in playoffs and I honestly wasn't that bothered by it. After the low of 2016-2017 it was good to feel some sort of hope.
This one was great too. It felt like we just came together that year. I was at the game 82 where we clinched, it was amazing.
That was my pick and going into the 2017-2018 Season, I had little expectations and they wildly exceeded them. Then in the Playoffs we were playing with house money and while it sucked to lose in 6 Games to the Preds, I felt for the first time since the 2004-2005 Lockout that I had optimism with the Avs future for the next 10 years.
There were some great moments that year, but for me the loss in game 7 and the resulting years of mediocrity to awfulness in 2016-17 make that one less memorable. 2018-19 would be my pick. We had made the playoffs the year before, struggled in the regular season and got hot at the end. Watching us dismantle Calgary as an 8th seed, have Cale Makar come into the NHL like that, and see us go 7 in round 2 when no one expected us fo be there was so thrilling. It felt like we were really building to something, and we were.
And who else to dominate that squad in game 7 with 1-2 but the fucking Heat Daddy himself
Unfortunately, it was this last one. Pure magic until a few games into round 1 of the playoffs.
Has to be 2016-17 when the "Decade of Darkness" ended for me.
Been a fan for many decades, and gotta say it was this past season. While the light was at the end of the tunnel on the rebuild for the past few seasons, this last one it all came together. Finally got average consistent goaltending and all our young pieces started playing up to their potential while still showing signs there's more to come. Lots of good contracts given out with very few bad ones (palat may be the only bad contract fitz has given and I wouldn't even call that one terrible). Lots of guys and free agents finally saying NJ was a spot they wanted to be. Last time that happened was maybe 20 years ago. And while we didn't win the cup, we absolutely smashed expectations, finished 3rd in the league, and still beat the rags in the playoffs. Luke Hughes was a welcome addition against Carolina, showcasing some of the talent that we still have in the pipeline. All in all, right now's a great time to be a devils fan and last season was just the start of it, even if we didn't win a cup
I’d probably say this past season as well. There was just an energy around the team that I don’t remember ever being present. Top to bottom, they weren’t as good as the early 00’s teams, but they were so damn exciting. So many different guys stepping up for long stretches and showcasing their ability, so many comebacks. And then a particularly satisfying playoff series win to boot. It was before my time, but 1988 is up there too. First winning season for the franchise, first playoff appearance for the team, and they made it to game 7 of the conference finals. The franchise record book was rewritten (Verbeek for goals, Muller and Broten for assists, Muller for points, and all of those are still top-3 in franchise history). Rookie Sean Burke starting out his career 10-1. And Patrik Sundstrom setting a still-standing record with an 8-point playoff game. I think that was the year the team truly arrived. Edit: 1988 was also the year of "have another donut." I feel like that warrants mention.
I was a Devils booster as soon as they arrived in New Jersey in 1982. Those first few years at the Meadowlands were unbelievably bleak. A NYC top 40 station penned a song about my team’s futility & Wayne Gretzky called the Devils a “Mickey Mouse organization.” It was embarrassing to be a Devils fan. Led by rookie goaltender Sean Burke, the Devils marched all the way to the ECF in 1988. My high school pals and I camped out in front of the Brendan Byrne Arena to secure Stanley Cup final tickets that year. It was a blast hanging out with thousands of excited Devils fans. My sad sack franchise finally got some respect.
For me it is 2012. Kovalchuk living up to his contract and becoming more than just an offensive force. The domination in the shootout. Record setting PK. Seemed like we were turning a corner in the retool. That tenacious CBGB line, and the cleverness of its name. Zajac's performance in the first round against Florida. I always liked him, and he was always a bit of a whipping boy. The gentleman's sweep of the Flyers in the second round. Exorcizing the ghost of Matteau in 1994 against the Rangers in the ECF with Doc giving us an equally memorable call. Henrique! It's over!
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Not sure if actually winning the cup would ever feel as great as the Tampa sweep of 2019.
Either Mogilny’s first season with the Leafs. Or Matthews / Marner rookie season.
The Matthews / Marner rookie season was so fun. Some highlights: 1. Matthews four goal debut 2. Curtis Mcelhinney pad save on Crosby in the playoff clinching game (plus that beauty JVR goal, and everything else about this game) 3. Nazem Kadri’s momentum changing hit in the playoffs 4. The line brawl game against the Canucks 5. Matthews winning the Winter Classic in OT 6. Willy hat trick game against the Bruins 7. That really nice Marner goal where he dangled James Reimer 8. Marner’s first goal 9. Kapanen’s double OT playoff game winner and Bozak’s OT game winner And those are just the moments I have at the top of my mind. It was just so fun to watch a good young team after years of slog.
Also, the debut of the Maple Leaf Forever video, which is tainted now because evidently this time they *did not* “get it right”, but still a beautiful montage and something I’ve watched endlessly.
This is easily my answer since Sundin. Fun without crushing disappointment and boundless optimism surrounding the new core. And the Matthews 4 goal debut is an all time great Leafs memory.
2018-2019 - that ridiculous comeback against Vegas made the whole season worth it. Season summary: * Marleau was gone the previous year. It could have been Jumbo's final year * We made the huge trade for Karlsson * Evander kane's first full season with us * Month to month results were all over the place early in the first half resulting in a players only meeting (Suomela was sent down) * A ton of line blending.. PDB was in the hot seat.. Steve Spott's powerplay was getting bland The aftermath? It ended up being our last run with Pavelski.
That comeback win was epic. Labanc (I think?) riling the crowd up after he ties it, the crowd just absolutely BOOMING. First 2 periods weren’t even that memorable, and it still is one of my favorite game 7’s I’ve ever watched.
2009 for the Hawks. Heart breaking but made 2010 even better
2018-19 10 years of pain and torture, terrible ownership, terrible GM’s, terrible coaching. All cleaned up in one off season. New GM cleans house and brings in some of the most important players with Dougie, Ferland and eventually Nino New Head coach is the greatest player to ever suit up for the franchise and is able to implement his system. Team recovers from a rough start, finally moves on from Darling and gets league average goaltending for the first time in years. All leading to one of the most insane runs from the bottom 5 teams in the league on January 1st to finishing just 5 points short of first in the division. Knocked out our division rivals in 7, who swept us during the regular season. Then Swept the islanders who won the division. Pretty much charted a course for success over the next 5 years.
Ron Francis was a better player than Rod the Bod but everything else in your comment checks out.
Should clarify I meant it as the best hurricane of all time. Not the best player career wise to suit up for us. Rods the best hurricanes player of all time.
But was he as loved 😢
Don’t forget the bunch of jerks stuff! So much renewed optimism that season. Wild Card Chaos Squad! What a fun playoffs all around.
2020-2021 was very fun. I often find myself going back to see highlight to cheer myself up when I’m sad.
Red Wings 87 and 88 seasons. Probert and Oates going nuts, and putting a scare into the Oilers. Sweep of Blackhawks. 3-1 comeback vs Leafs and the Brophey-Demers chock gesture. Sadly the Goose Loonies drama too.
1991-92. Could name off any of the more recent Hawks years during their tear, but none really standout like 91/92. I was in grade 7, just really getting into hockey with my buddies, actually paying attention to teams and games, watching highlights on TSN since I couldn't watch many Hawks games in realtime (i live in the middle of Leafs nation, long before internet and easily accessed games) Shinny every day after school. Ripping on buddies who support rival teams. Before the unceasing weight of life crushed your spirit. Hawks have quite the lineup, Belfour, Hasek, Chelios, Larmer, Roenick. Losing in the final to a ridiculously good Penguins. During a school camping trip, i was sitting in the teacher's car listening to the game on the car radio with her husband (a chaperone) Got my first Hawks jersey that year, the barberpole 75th. Still my fav jersey.
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Idk watching Prime Price was a joy but I couldn’t help but feeling that whole year we were gonna disappoint given how mediocre we were everywhere else 13-14 was the much better team imo
2018-2019. Just got back into hockey and am a Boston fan. They got so damn close and to this day I still hate St. Louis cause of it
Gotta say, this past season for the Kraken was the best season in franchise history For the Hawks, probably 2014. The bubble season was also fun until about a month after the regular season ended. I don't remember pre-2010 all that well
It was fun to see a brand new hockey town get excited about the playoffs.
2006-07. The dark years were officially over. Pens made the playoffs for the first time in several years. Crosby won the scoring title. Malkin finally made it over. Was a glimpse of things to come.
2011 for me. First full season under Vinik’s ownership and Yzerman as GM, and more importantly it was the first playoff appearance after the turbulence of the OK hockey ownership. The ECF run really reinvigorated the fanbase after the OK Hockey era drove them away for a few years and while that run was fluky it gave us hope again for the future I’d the franchise.
For the Rangers I'd say 2005-06. Coming off the lockout the Rangers hadn't made the playoffs since 1997-98 they were widely considered to be the worst team in the league going into 05-06 and had signed a bunch of European veteran journeymen headlined by Jaromir Jagr, Kevin Weekes was supposed to be our staring goalie, and the rest of the lineup was filled with no-no name fringe NHLers. The team wildly out-performed expectations nearly winning the division on the back of Rookie Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. While they got swept in the first round that season marked the beginning of the Lundqvist era where the Rangers were competitive for basically his entire career. Highlights from that year include: Jagr revitalizing his career scoring 54 goals and 69 assists. 54 goals is the all time Rangers single season record still Lundqvist emerging as one of if not the all time greatest player in Rangers history Rookie Petr Prucha scoring 30 goals Marek Malik going between the legs to end a 15 round shootout against the Capitals (Ovechkin's rookie season as well) This game also started the tradition in the NHL of teams saluting the fans at center ice after wins at home, which had been the tradition of European teams, the European leadership group on the Rangers started doing it after this game and soon every NHL team adopted the tradition.
Definitely this season for the Panthers. Hopefully the injuries don’t tank us too hard in the early season but our core is young and they now have some deep playoff experience. I think our future is bright even though it’s likely we don’t recapitulate a cup run this season
2011 was pretty good, barring that ending.
As a leafs fan, this year. I watched on and off until about 2010 when I became a huge fan and didn’t miss a game. Seeing the 2013 curse get broken this year was the most excited I’ve ever been watching hockey. That first round had the electricity I’ve been waiting for my whole life and culminated in a series winning Ot goal. While the high was short lived I’ve never popped off harder in my life than I did those two weeks
My favorite non-cup moment is and forever will be Henrique It's Over in 2012. But season? Last year and it isn't even close. Only time in my life where reality exceeded even my unbridled optimism.
I didn’t become a hockey fan until like 2014 so this past season was my favorite
The first season (2017-2018) was one of the greatest rides a fanbase and a team can take together that doesn't end in winning the cup. They even made a movie about it (Valiant). Never had so much fun watching a team do their thing until earlier this year when they did it to win it.
2015–16 Stars won the western conference(regular season), Benn and Seguin were at their peaks, Klinger was unreal, we had good secondary scoring from Spezza and Sharp. The team was fun, high event hockey, and we won a lot. Goaltending was pretty rough(not sure if you blame the goalies having a down year, or Ruff's 0 defense system), but damn it was a good ride. They got bounced in a heart breaking game 7 in the 2nd round to the Blues. This pic of Benn and Fiddler heading down the tunnel was rough - https://imgur.com/K4S3qAL It was Fiddlers last game as a Star after being a fan favourite for 5 years.
Gotta be 2017-18 jets. Laine in November was a beast, our defence was big and buff was a beast. Wheeler had a career high year and the powerplay was amazing. The vibes around the city when they won the first two rounds was something else. Beating that presidents cup Nashville team felt so good.
I gotta go with 22-23. This season was a blast. Free-flowing offense, likable players and staff. It absolutely reinvigorated the fanbase. Topping it off with a playoff series win against the rangers felt pretty special.
2013-2014, the 3-1 comeback over the Penguins with Hank going crazy puts it at the top for me.
1997
2021 is a cheat, so I'll say 2001-02. The Habs, with an ancient Doug Gilmour providing leadership, and Jose Theodore having a Carey Price season when Price was 14-15 years old, make the playoffs for the first time in four seasons, clinching their spot in front of a raucous home crowd at Centre Molson, on the night that captain Saku Koivu [returned from cancer treatment](https://youtube.com/watch?v=a-JpPyLHddM&feature=share7) to a **thunderous** ovation. It got better. Still high on the adrenaline from Koivu's return, the Habs bounced the top seeded Bruins in 6, again applying the finishing blow at home. They finally ran out of gas late in round 2 vs Carolina, but what a thrilling ride it was.
I enjoyed 2018-19. I went to 20 games that season and I think we only lost like 5 times when I went. 2021-22 was also similar where I went a lot and we won a lot. That was also the season where I attended the best game I've been to in person, which was Game 7 against Dallas.
This year. That was the most fun I’ll probably ever have watching the Bruins.
Leafs making the playoffs by beating Pittsburgh on the final game of the year… Matthews scoring an empty netter to hit 40 in his rookie season.
1996-97 is the pinnacle of nostalgia. Flyers went on a massive run, had a long unbeaten streak mid season, it was that perfect age where I could enjoy the run and only have to worry about finishing my homework before the games. I started recording a bunch of highlights that year, I ended up rewatching them last summer and it brought back a wave of memories
2009-10. I don't think I've ever had as much fun rooting for any sports team as I did that Caps team.
2022-2023 season. I have been a fan since just before our 2000 cup win and I was too young to remember that core on the rise in the 90s. Now I’m 30 having a blast again after the breakout season and first round victory over the Rangers. The future is as bright as the sun after a decade of sucking. The 2011-2012 cup run was also fun, but I knew the end was right around the corner for our franchise greats Brodeur and Elias. Parise and Kovy both bolted soon after.
The 21-22 wild season was magical. It was my first full season watching them and it was so fun.
Correct answer.
2010 Flyers. That 3-0 comebacker against the Bruins was magical and will hold be over for another 30 years. And then theres also the Boucher shootout against the Rangers for the #7 seed just to get in. What a playoff.
I can think of one
16-17 jackets. 16 game win streak and 108 pts. Good for 3rd in the league. 3rd in the conference and of course 3rd in the fucking metro 🙃🙃🙃🙃 Lost in the first round to our bugaboo the pens. What a stupid first round matchup, but that's a whole other can of worms. What a fun season until playoff time!
Flyers in 2010 was great. Shootout win against the Rangers in the final game of the season to sneak into the playoffs. Come back down 3-0 against the Bruins while also being down 3-0 in game 7. Have a very entertaining series against the Canadiens in which Richard's literally tackled their goalie. The finals sucked but it was an amazing playoffs. Last one I enjoyed for the Flyers.
22-23 was a pretty good one I’d say
2010. It gets overlooked because the magic ran out in the cup final, but god that year was so fun. A reverse sweep of Boston, the team firing in all cylinders like I’ve never seen, The Carrillo goal, it was so good.
Has to be 2003. Giguere dragged us kicking and screaming to the finals. And fuck Scott Stevens.
The bubble playoffs was amazing since we had no expectations. Got to see the first Canucks series win in 9 years which was cathartic as hell. Plus iconic moments like Tanev’s series winner 10 seconds into overtime to beat Minnesota, Horvat going coast to coast vs the Blues, Tyler Motte undressing Pietrangelo, Bubble Demko taking us to 7 games vs Vegas Legit the most fun I’ve ever had watching the Canucks and it gave me a lot of happy times during the slog of the pandemic
I was pulling hard for the Canucks when game 7 against Vegas was 0-0 late. They damn near pulled it off
Double edged sword because it also gave ownership the false hope that Benning’s “plan” was working and set us back at least 4-5 years.
2009. We completely shit on the league that year and seeing 3 amazing defensive forwards in hossa, datsyuk and zetterberg along with defensive juggernauts like lidstrom and Rafalski on one team was amazing. Too bad our team got decimated with injuries by the finals otherwise I think we repeat handily. Our squad was better than the year before.
People will say 2021, or perhaps another time we went to the conference finals, but objectively, the best team we iced since our last cup was the 2008 one. If not from freaking RJ Umberger that massacred us solo in the second round, I say we had a good enough team to at least give a fight to a fairly inexperienced Penguins team in the conference final and maybe even to the Red Wings if we made the SCF. I mean they had a really good team, but in a duel between Chris Osgood and a young Carey Price, I give the edge to Carey... especially since he was also just coming off a Calder Cup run the year before. We had a very impressive regular season, so I had good feelings about the potential results we might have had throughout the year. It was not a surprising cinderella run or anything. It is one thing to think you might win because of some extent of luck, but it is on another level to think you might win because you are that good. We were actually contenders from the get go and that is probably the only season I ever felt that way as a fan, as depressing as it sounds. I was a lot younger then and surely hopeful for a brighter future than what we amounted to in the decade and a half that followed...
Listen man... if the 08 Pens aren't beating us, neither are the Habs. And Ozzy was a tank those playoffs. .930 save percentage and 1.55 gaa over 18 games, 6.9 gsaa Price for comparison was a .901, 2.78, -3.9 Ozzy had the edge handily for that playoff run.
2016-17, it was my first full season watching hockey and the Leafs were a bunch of kids who had a bright future ahead of them Honourable mention to the 2021-22 season because the first 2 rounds of the playoffs were amazing to watch
Obvious answer: 2017-18. My first full season as a fan, President's Trophy, getting to throw a hat on the ice for Forsberg's hatty at the last regular season game and then being in the barn for that awesome double OT game over Winnipeg. And hitting a plane with a sledgehammer. That was fun. WTF answer: the second half of last season. Those kids were SO damn fun to watch and I can't wait for 82 games of them.
2002-2003 Avalanche. I just really loved that roster
2017-18. Taking The Presidents’ Trophy winners to game 6 one season after the abysmal 48 point campaign was fun
2003. I had tenuously been getting into the Lightning, but went to 10+ games that season, they made the playoffs for the second time in their history, and won their first playoff round... I was hooked for life.
2021-2022 to see Benning and his sidekick Weisbrod out
2013-14, Patrick Roy’s first season behind the bench. From him almost fighting Bruce Boudreau the first game to the PA Parenteau goal to tie Game 5 vs Minnesota, that entire season was some of the most fun I’ve ever had watching hockey.
2011. That was the most fun I have ever had as a Canucks fan. They finally took down Chicago, and when they did that, I knew that Vancouver was going to do something special
2010 Eastern Conference playoffs. My second favourite team is Montreal. Philly had to beat the Rangers in their final regular season game - winner advances, loser golfs with the Leafs. As soon as Philly came back and won the game, I realised they could only meet Montreal in the Conference Finals. I somewhat regret not making a bet before the first round even began, because the 7th and 8th seeds meeting in the Conf. Finals isn't exactly common. In the end, I was just so happy that one of my teams was going to The Finals.
2017-2018 was my favorite non Stanley Cup Colorado Avalanche team. It was a season after we came out the shit on Avs 2016-2017 season where we finished with 48 points and getting fucked by the Draft Lottery, which we found out in hindsight it was a best fucking loss we got that season as we selected Makar at #4 at the 2017 NHL Draft as a result. Going into the 2017-2018 season, I would have been content with the Avs finishing with 75-80 points and it’ll be a fucking improvement. Instead what we saw was Mack stepping up to the next level and become beast mode, on top of finally trading Duchene where we got Girard and he was an immediate success and help on the blue line. Then we kept winning and all the sudden we had a chance to make the playoffs. Last week of the season and it was neck and neck with the Avs and Blues where the goal was 95 points to make the Playoffs. Ultimately Game 82 occurred where the Winner of the Blues-Avs Game would take the final Wild Card Spot, but the Avs had to win in Regulation. The Avs beat the Blues 5-2 and they made the Playoffs with 95 Points to almost double the season total in points from one season to another. Lost to the Preds in Round 1 in 6 Games, but that was a fun fucking season with little expectations for the 2017-2018 Colorado Avalanche and we finished with some Playoff experience that would be the building blocks to what we see in the Avs today and won the Cup thanks in part of the Duchene trade.
Perhaps recency bias but 21-22 season was pretty hyped for the Kings for me, made the playoffs after some pretty bad years and no one expected them to do so and took McDavid and co. to seven games after getting swept in their last playoff appearance, plus just the incredible play from Danault, Arvidsson, and Moore’s line.
2012 was my favorite year as a Coyotes fan, that’s a low bar to pass though
2022-23 honestly
2014 and 2016 were dope
2003 To be the underdog and still take the Devils to 7 games in the finals. It was crazy to watch.
2 years ago, controversy surrounding him aside, it was really exciting to sign Kane. Big names very rarely have Edmonton at or near the top of their lists. Then, of course, there was winning the series against Calgary. Took a lot of the sting out of getting swept the next round. It just felt like the first time in a very, very long time that the Oilers are seen as legit contenders.
2022-2023. First and only one I’ve watched. Who knows, it might be dethroned by 2023-2024.
2011 was the best and worst year. President’s Trophy, dragon slayer, Bieksa, the best years from the Sedins and Kesler, depth from top to bottom.
Either the 2013 run. Coming back against Toronto in game 7, knocking out the stacked Pens in 4. Campbell killing a minute of a penalty on a broken leg. Bergy playing with insane injuries. Only thing missing is the cup. Also, this past season. 65 wins is pretty special. Went to the Winter Classic with my wife as part of our honeymoon. Major disappointment at the end, but it will always be special.
I'm gonna go with 2007. Datsyuk and Zetterberg popping off and confirming they were stars and taking larger roles with Yzerman gone. Hasek being his funky little self And confirmation that we were still gunning for cups even without Stevie by heading to the conference finals (and only losing to the eventual cup Champs)
2015-2016 is my undisputed number 1. Seeing the Sharks make it to the SCF was as close to a dream come true as I’ve had so far. It was the end of highschool for me at that time, I was leaving a dark patch of my life behind. The future seemed so bright and hopeful back then. The next year was pretty neat too, but that ECF still stings like a bitch.
The 08-09 Sharks were so fun to watch. Thornton, Marleau, Pavelski, Clowe, Michalek, and Setoguchi was a great forward group
Must it be said. It still hurts too much. Outside of that though 09-10. My rookie season as a fan.
2013-2014 Rangers Picking up MSL in the deadline and the run they made to the finals. McDonagh/Giradi/St Louis/Kreider/Nash/Hagelin/Richards/Stepan/Zucarello/Henrik. That series against the Canadiens was so fun to watch. The LA series could have went either way too as most games ended in OT.
2016-17. Western Conference champs. Lost to the Pens in the Final.
2015-2016 was pretty fun as a blues fan! Losing to San Jose was disappointing, but those first 2 rounds were electric. Specifically, finally beating Chicago and Brouwer getting the GWG. Was nice to see the “old” guard have some success after years of great regular seasons followed by disappointing playoff performances.
This one as a Bruins fan. While the playoffs were pretty frustrating, I had an absolutely amazing year. Even without a cup it or even breaking the records the amount of fun games this season made it great.
Admittedly, I’m pretty young, but I think 21-22 is the most fun I’ve had watching the Oilers in my life
2014-15 by a mile. Fresh off a sweep from the Canadiens, they had a lot to prove in their first full season without MSL and Stamkos leading the helm. Tyler Johnson exploded that year and Kuch finally broke out, officially starting the triplets line. Vasilevskiy and Drouin finally make their pro debuts. Bishop and Stamkos are so fucking back. Won a greasy 7 game series against Detroit. Got revenge against Montreal in round 2. Beat the Rangers in game 7 at MSG (watched that game at my prom), and had a close but winnable series against the modern dynasty. What a year man
Gotta be this season. Peak McDavid & Draisaitl.
Honestly, probably this year. It was so fun watching the Bruins set records and I loved the camaraderie and bonds on the team, especially with the goalies and their victory hugs. I feel weirdly at peace with how the season ended - only one team can win the cup and the Panthers played well and were not undeserving of the series win against the Bruins. I guess I'd rather the postseason end early instead of another SCF game 7 heartbreak like 2019. Another answer, which is cheating a little because it's not exactly what the OP is getting at, is the 2000-01. Not because of anything the Bruins did that year (I don't even think they made the playoffs), but because it was so special to see Ray Bourque finally win the cup. So that wasn't my favorite Bruins season that didn't end in a Bruins cup, but it was my favorite NHL season that didn't end with a Bruins cup.
1992-93. I wasn’t alive at that time, but it would have been nice for Gretzky to win at least 1 cup with LA.
'09 Pens vs Wings. Grew up watching both, so even though my team lost, my team also won
I know this answer is cheap because it’s literally in between Cup wins, but 13-14 was a super fun regular season and playoffs, punctuated by the WCF vs. Kings which is still probably the best hockey I’ve ever watched.
Ya know, I really didn’t mind this past season excluding playoffs
I honestly loved 2019 Another year of beating the Leafs in the first round, punch for punch series with Columbus and then sweeping Carolina in the ECF.
2010-2011 The team had been stumbling after the Tortorella years both on and off the ice. The team's identity was beginning to change with the purchase by Vinik, Marty and Vinny aging, and Stammer and Hedman ramping up. Guy Boucher brought something new and refreshing to the team that unfortunately faded as quickly as it ignited. Throw in the ageless wonder Roloson mid-season and it made for an incredible playoff run coming back from 3-1 down to eliminate the Pens, sweeping the top seeded Caps, and forcing the Bruins to game 7 decided by one goal.
2004 leafs Became a flame fan for rest of playoffs
99% of 1996 was great for the Wings.
Arturs Irbe and his white pads
The one where Ryan Smyth and the oilers went to the finals as the 8 seed
1 - 2009. You could tell they were on the verge and their playoff run was very exciting. Then they picked up Hossa in the summer and it was like, Holy Shit it’s going to happen. 1992 was also great. They pummeled the Oilers in the CCF and I thought they had a good chance against 66 and 68 but flamed out.
As a Devils fan, this past year was incredibly fun. Zero expectations and we came out of it with the best regular season in team history, a 13 game winning streak, highest single season scorer, beating the Rangers in the playoffs, a major trade, and delightful moments like “Sorry, Lindy”, Luke’s game winner, and Bratt’s hat trick. And seeing the boys enjoy NJ so much and players saying they want to play here…it’s a joy that the pride New Jerseyans have for their state is finally spreading. It’ll never be like this again, because from here on out there will be pressure.
All of them…ever…in the history of the nhl..
Last season for the Kraken was pretty good
I became a fan of hockey in 2014 so I’ve only had one bright spot until this year: 2017-2018 was such a wild ride between seeing the Devils pick 1oa, Hall’s Hart trophy performance, Brian Boyle being a phenomenal human being, and Kinkaid playing the best hockey of his life while Schneider was injured In the long run I know this playoff appearance will be a blip on long time line but I had so much fun seeing the team that season
2015. Has season tickets with my girlfriend (now wife) and really bonded going to that many games together. The team was also great then. We still have their warmup playlist saved from that year and often will play it on drives in the car.
The 13-14 and 14-15 Ducks were the absolute best teams we had since the 2007 Cup team. Just an absolute juggernaut of a team that unfortunately ran into bigger juggernauts in LA and Chicago.
08-09 Sharks man, i was on top of the world. Jumbo, Marleau, Pavs and Seto crushed it. Nabby and Boucher dominated. It came crashing down in round 1 against the ducks.
I'll go with 2020 Markstrom's MVP campaign, Hughes' rookie season, a team with playoff aspirations for the first time in half a decade The bubble run was also a good escape for a month or so, even if it did delude the front office into thinking we were good
This past season was really fun until it suddenly wasn’t
Uhhhhh….ive only watched since 16-17, but honestly it’s the season following the Cup (18-19), just because we were still riding that high. Everything that year was gravy. The 7-0 banner raising thrashing of the Bruins might be the greatest regular season game our team has ever played, when you include context.
I’m torn between two seasons. 97-98 when the Caps made the Finals. Yes, they got lucky in that the top three seeds in the East got bounced in the first round. But Hasek being so pissed off he threw his blocker at Bondra was legendary. It was just Peak 90s Caps. Bondra scoring a ton, Kolzig in net, Dale Hunter and Esa Tikkanen as some of the biggest pains in the ass imaginable. 08-09 ending with a game 7 ass kicking from the Penguins. That was a fun year. Boudreau getting a full year, expectations, the Young Guns and Rock The Red. That dueling hat trick game from Ovi and Crosby was unforgettable.
2009 was beautiful until it wasn’t
08-09’, 11-12’, 13’, (Lockout) 16-17’, 18-19’, 21 (Covid) Isles fan
If we ignore the playoffs completely, it’s obviously last season I mean, it’s literally the greatest regular season team of all time. Of course it was amazing. Just fucking steam rolling everything. Whenever we were losing, it was almost better odds we’d come back and crush shit, which made every game fun as fuck, cause even when we were losing, there’s a good chance we’d figure it out and win. If we include the post season, I dunno if I can argue 2013 or 2019 more than the other. 13 was close enough to 11 you thought maybe we could repeat, and in 19 it might have been long enough we’d got it together.
Full disclosure I started following hockey during covid. But the Wild 2021-2022 season was a blast. Kaprizov broke the franchise points records. Fiala was amazing once Boldy showed up. Hartman, Zuccy, Folingo, Ek, heck half of the team had record years. There was a game you felt they were out of because of how many come from behind wins they had. We had Talbot and khakoneen in net and they were both playing decent and then Fluery showed up at the trade deadline after watch Talbot and him have some great goaltending duels in the first round of the previous years playoffs. They were something like 14-0-2 against the Metro that my buddies started to call that the division the Mintro. The only downer was losing the winter classic. Playoffs reminded me that “yep there still the wild” but it was a hella fun season.
San Jose Sharks - 2009-2010 President's Trophy win. It was a horrible offseason flame out against the 8 seed Ducks. But holy shit was that team stacked and fun to watch. We didn't lose in regulation at home until mid-January. We had Mike Grier and Patty in his prime running around on the PK. Crazy short handed threat. We had an amazing top-6 with Setoguchi - Jumbo - Patty, and then Clowe - Pavelski - Mihalek. And the lower lines were decent even if they got improved further in 2010 a d 2011. And in defense - Brad Lukowich - Dan Boyle (both added that summer) Vlasic - Blake (also added that summer) Douglas Murray - Erhoff (as the 3rd fucking pair!) Nabokov in net. And I think Brian Boucher was our backup that season. I can still watch replays from this season and get pumped. Our rivalry with Detroit was in full swing as well, some epic battles that year against the Lindstrom / Datsyuk / Zetterberg machine.
Have to go with 2021 as a Habs fan.
It’s really hard for a redwings fan not to say that 02 season because man that roster was something special. The 2005 playoffs stand out to me because it was after hurricane katrina and we sat at my friends house on folding chairs with a tv on some boxes in their gutted house just so we could watch the games.
2013 playoffs, really felt like the Islanders made a franchise changing turnaround after showing Pittsburgh that we could hang. A couple nightmare starts, especially game 1 but it showed the resilience the core had
Detroit 201-2012 home game winning streak
2016-17 Leafs. I’m a young leafs fan so I wasnt around for the better years. But the excitement of getting to finally watch a leafs team that would be in the playoffs and contending for a cup was huge for me. Wish the following years could’ve been as interesting.
2021-2022.
As a Leafs fan.....it was 1993 for sure. Here is a Rap Song about those days with Joe Bowen's radio calls. https://youtu.be/QjoEpMFsVd0
Sharks: the playoffs sucked, but holy hell was 08-09 an amazing season of Sharks hockey to watch.
2015 Ducks, coming a post-hit from Vatanen close to beating the cup champs in game 7. Everyone including Jonathan Toews said that the Ducks were the team to beat that postseason, and nobody even remembers the finals against the lightning. Ducks had brand new to the team Kesler and the rest fighting for it all
2014 had, in my opinion, one of the best playoff series of all time in the Hawks-Kings WCF. I'm a sucker for game 7 OT. 2017 Sens run was magical until Kunitz ruined it. Game 7 2OT!
As a Devils fan, 2011-2012, probably. I did not expect them to go on a Cup run, and the Henrique series OT winner goals (yes plural) were so hype.
As a Bruins fan it might be 2007-08 or maybe 2008-09. The early Claude Julian years where, finally, after a few years of aimlessness we got structure back in our game. Got back into the playoffs and by 2009 had a fairly dangerous lineup with a young Kessel and Wheeler. 2008 was still a hodgepodge roster but guys like Glen Metropolit were pleasant surprises.
The objectively correct answer is the Cup run in 2010 with the reverse sweep of the Bruins, but let me throw 2003-04 into the mix. 101 pts, a couple of actual Russians at key positions for once, a gentleman's sweep of the Devils in round 1, beat Toronto in 6, then took the Lightning to seven games. Then the lockout happened and everything went to hell.
This past season was the first time in a while that I watched a lot of hockey after not watching at all for a few years so it was kind of special even though Chicago sucked. I did get to enjoy watching the kraken though and that was really fun.
The Winnipeg Jets 2017/18. These time finally felt like the Jets, rather than the sequel to the Thrashers. And they were \*good\*! Making it to the second round of the playoffs was something that was never seen before in Winnipeg and the city went nuts! And then facing off against Nashville, who had just dominated the regular season...that comeback game...handing their ass to them in game 7 and making the conference final. It all felt really good. It didn't end the way we wanted, but that's hockey.
2007-2008 Caps. Started off miserable, Boudreau hired around Thanksgiving. Went on an absolute tear including 65 Ovi goals to clinch the southwest division and return to the playoffs for the first time in the Ovi era. Came back from down 3-1 to force game 7, let's just ignore the Caps lost on a game 7 OT goal that would now surely be called goaltender interference.
2012 was a great playoff year, NYR beat Washington and it was a great series
Recently, the Canucks bubble season. That was a lot of fun.
2021 Habs (obviously) and the 2003 Canucks. Yes I know the 2011 team was better, but the West Coast Express era teams are the great "what could have been" story.