Ranking the "Original Six"

The Blackhawks will be interesting. They are set up for a lengthy, continuing run, as much as a team can be in this era. A bounce here or a bounce there, and the Blackhawks are the Pittsburgh Penguins. Don't forget, they were down 3-1 to Detroit in 2013, and finished third in their division this year. (Granted, that was partly explainable by a Patrick Kane injury.) They could have easily been swept by the Lightning. It's a tough sport to maintain postseason dominance in.

 

So who tops the second six, Flyers or Penguins?

Do the Kings jump the Blues for third by virtue of the two Cups, although Blues have been a more successful franchise?

Does the Cup jump the Stars above the Blues?

No doubt the Seals are sixth.

 

At that point pull names out of a hat. Islanders have more Cups than Pens and Flyers.

 

Can't mention the Rangers and forget Jean Ratelle.

Jean Ratelle NHL Statistics | Hockey-Reference.com

 

For the second six:

Pens
Flyers
Kings
Stars
Blues
Seals

Method for my ranking: The Pens have three Cups, but the Flyers have been more consistent over the decades. However, the Flyers are going on 40 years of futility. Kings are now a solid third, and they were a very good team at times pre Gretzky. Stars and Blues were a toss up to me. The Stars have a Cup and more Finals appearances, while the Blues have been above average for years, but never great. Seals, yeah, the Seals. Technically, they merged with the Stars, which means their history sort of exists still.

 

You could also add Milt Schmidt and the Kraut Line (there's a un-PC name that wouldn't work today) to the Bruins.

Mike Richter and Adam Graves could be added to the Rangers.

Terry Sawchuk to the Red Wings.

Larry Robinson to the Habs.

 

Good topic, good responses. I would add Ted Lindsay to the Detroit list and Glenn Hall to Chicago.
Always love when the Seals come up.

 

A Leafs list without Johnny Bower, Teeder Kennedy and (the previously mentioned) Darryl Sittler are fail.

Modern Leaf fans would add Wendell Clark to it as well - he's a God in the Big Smoke.

 

I think the comparison between the Canadiens and the Celtics is probably more apt. Both dominant, old-school teams that were once the epitome of their sport, but have generally been pretty average for a long, long time. Boston had the brief surge when it won the NBA in '08 and made the Finals in '09, but otherwise, they've been pretty mediocre over the past 30 years. In fact, I'd argue that the Celtics' decline began the day Len Bias died, but that's a whole 'nother story.

 

But in total championships, no one is close to the Canadiens and the Yankees. In basketball, the Celtics have one more title than the Lakers.

 

Interesting that the Lightning faced four of the Original Six in the playoffs -- all but the Bruins and Leafs.

 

Bob Baun for the Leafs as well. Loved the Leafs growing up before the Sabres were formed, every Wednesday and Saturday on HTIC, with Foster Hewitt high up in the gondola overlooking MLG..