Where does this Washington Capitals team rank with the ALL TIME greatest NHL teams?

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Defender of the Faith
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This is not the same Capitals team that hasn't gotten anywhere in the past. Their last coach was probably the softest coach in the NHL. They've got it it all, coaching, goaltending, scoring, character. 61 goal differential is huge. This one of the most dominate teams in a long team. Other president trophy winners haven't been this far ahead. Teams of the past would not even be able to compete in today's game. They would get killed. Guys are just bigger and faster now, and hit harder.

The passage of time is a funny thing. It happens in two ways, first slowly, and then all at once.

"Teams of the past" refers to a lot of teams. Would any NHL team today beat the 1940 Rangers? Sure. Would any NHL team today beat the 1994 Rangers? Not so fast, my friend.

Jaromir Jagr goes back to the Penguins Cups in the early 90's, and he is still putting up numbers today at age 43. It is not like the "bigger and faster" guys of the NHL today have made him obsolete. I think the Gretzkys and Messiers and Yzermans and Orrs would not have any problems playing and excelling in todays game.

The game itself has changed, the rules, the goalie equipment, the philosophies of coaching and strategy, etc. But if you evened out these things accounting for the difference in eras, I think you have to go back pretty far to see 2016 teams completely dominating.
 

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Plus I think one could argue that since the Caps are doing what these teams of the past did, against a salary cap, against superior competition, makes it even more impressive.
 

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This is the most dominate team of the salary cap era for sure. 95/96 Redwings?
I have no problem saying the 2015-16 Caps are the most dominant team since 95-96 Wings or even 92-93 Pens but what happened to those two teams in the playoffs? :)

Caps have a heck of a squad for salary cap era but to call any post-salary cap team one of the best of all-time is just ludicrous. same with any sport. 70's Steelers vs Brady Pats? please ... Steelers win 9 out of every 10 games no matter how many practices Belicheat is filming or how many headsets he uses to pump in AM radio. But for their period the Pats are perhaps even more impressive because of the forced parity. Same with Bama football today. We might all (bama fans, i mean) love the Bear but when you can hand out 125 scholarships just to assure your rivals don't get players that's a lot different than today's recruiting world....not to mention needing to win 14 or 15 games, not 10 or 11

i put all NHL teams up against 92-93 Pens and the Caps are a galaxy or two away from that team. Aside from allowing shorthanded goals and a David Volek slapper it was a nearly perfect team
 

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94 points in February? It's hard not to be impressed with that. I think its worthy of conversation.
 

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The spread on Pats/70s Steelers would be like 8 or 9

and by 8 or 9, I mean Steelers players that would suffer from permanent paralysis.

Look at the size/speed/strength of players at each position. It isn't even close.

I know the Steelers had a lot of guys on the sauce back then but the HGH is way better now, sorry.
 

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I have no problem saying the 2015-16 Caps are the most dominant team since 95-96 Wings or even 92-93 Pens but what happened to those two teams in the playoffs? :)

Caps have a heck of a squad for salary cap era but to call any post-salary cap team one of the best of all-time is just ludicrous. same with any sport. 70's Steelers vs Brady Pats? please ... Steelers win 9 out of every 10 games no matter how many practices Belicheat is filming or how many headsets he uses to pump in AM radio. But for their period the Pats are perhaps even more impressive because of the forced parity. Same with Bama football today. We might all (bama fans, i mean) love the Bear but when you can hand out 125 scholarships just to assure your rivals don't get players that's a lot different than today's recruiting world....not to mention needing to win 14 or 15 games, not 10 or 11

i put all NHL teams up against 92-93 Pens and the Caps are a galaxy or two away from that team. Aside from allowing shorthanded goals and a David Volek slapper it was a nearly perfect team


you must be a pens fan....:). "Should have' won three-in a row



that was a hell of a team . Keep in mind, Mario got hurt , then diagnosed with Hogkins. Extensive physical, mental toll. Treatment included radiation therapy.......battled back and CARRIED his team in the last month and half winning 17 consecutive games, a NHL record . Was in his prime, 27ish. Ended up with 160 points in 60 games......:realtongu
 

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the caps would not even win a division in the west
they have accomplished nothing
when they win 3 cups then you might have a point
 

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Is there a Yes/No future anywhere on the Caps winning the Cup?
 

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No doubt they are having a regular season for the ages.

That plus 61 goal differential is impressive, how many empty net goals do they have?

i think it is hard to discuss how great they are without going through the the playoffs.....this could be a Carolina Panthers team playing a weak division and schedule.

the play offs are the true test ....the team and the coach (with his old team) have some historical issues in the PO's
 

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Massey has the Caps ranked 8th in the league and 18th for SOS.
 

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Is there a Yes/No future anywhere on the Caps winning the Cup?
i don't see any yes/no options. highest price for Caps to win cup is +500 at unibet. highest odds to win east is +175
 

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They couldn't warm the Gilles islander teams or the Montreal teams that featured lafleur , the roadrunner & Bellevue , or Richard , messier& Gretzky oiler teams would slaughter them. Even Bobby Orr and the big bad Bruins or the broad street bully teams are better

This sounded like a foreign language to me
 

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Caps getting set to play the Hawks in 5 minutes on NBC. Guess we'll see a potential finals match up. I took the Hawks.
 

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Ovechkin, and Kane trade goals. 1-1.
 

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Jaromir Jagr goes back to the Penguins Cups in the early 90's, and he is still putting up numbers today at age 43. It is not like the "bigger and faster" guys of the NHL today have made him obsolete. I think the Gretzkys and Messiers and Yzermans and Orrs would not have any problems playing and excelling in todays game.

Many solid posts in this thread including rolltide, Chazz, and JohnnyMac. No doubt we’re comparing apples and oranges. Just watch a vintage game on the NHL Network and you’d be astonished, or reminded, how slow it played and how small the players were compared to today. Certainly not as physical, (excluding weekly bench clearing brawls), as today’s game simply because of the armor these robocops are wearing. Doesn’t mean the old timers weren’t tough just played a very different game. Goalies for the most part stood and tried to kick save. There was no butterfly, they weren’t 6’6”, they didn’t wear a mattress for pads. Between genetics, training, and a world wide talent pool the game is better by far today.

I’m old, and blessed, enough to watch Bobby Orr, in his prime, from the gallery god seats in the old Boston Garden. He, like the Great One, Jagr, Hull, Howe, and a handful of others were cut from a different mold. They dominated in their day. I don’t think they would today. They’d be good, not great. The majority of the players pre 1990’s couldn’t compete in today’s game.

Today’s Washington Capitals are a strong team in a league of parity, (mostly created by the salary cap). But as many have said before wait till the playoffs and see how they do. They definitely are loaded and deep everywhere. They are a fun team to watch. But are they one of the greatest of all time? I bought them at 12/1 earlier in the year and I’m not sure that number is fair enough.
 

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2-1 CHGO...great fast paced game...

VV..I watched Bobby Orr great player....Hell I remember the chgo MPH line...

Damn, remember no masks or helmets...WTF...

Way different game back then..
 

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The West is still the best.
 

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3-2....
 

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PP Caps
 

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