Avs the Best in 2001 and the League Expands to 30 Teams

Bourque wins a Cup before he retires and Roy cements his legacy as one of the best goaltenders of all time.
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[@johnmack3497]

Gary Thorne’s call on Game 7 of the Finals is legendary. AFTER 22 YEARS, RAYMOND BOURQUE!!!

[@GreenHornet553]

That call still gives me goosebumps. Probably my favorite hockey moment, tied with the Bruins winning in 2011.

[@chrisb8021]

Roy won a Cup and a Conn Smythe in three different decades. He took on Gretzky and won in five with a mediocre team. He’s the GOAT

[@doaftheloaf]

gretzky's team was equally mediocre.

[@MixerMadness]

Roy crapped the bed a lot too and had a stacked team here. Hasek finally goes to a good team and wins the cup in his first season. 2002 -I’m a buffalo fan lol

[@evander7654321]

I was at that game 3 game in Vancouver for my birthday, first ever playoff game I got to see live.

[@Marleau_Seneca]

I never clicked, liked, and commented on a video as fast as this one. Go Avs! :D

[@GrinderCB]

2001 was the year of what Kings fans call the "Frenzy on Figueroa." Detroit up 2 games to 1. Gm. 4, Wings up 3-0 middle of the 3rd, looking like they'll take a 3-1 series lead. The Kings get quick goals from Scott Thomas, Jozef Stumpel, and Bryan Smolinski to tie the game. Smolinski's came with under a minute left in regulation. Eric Belanger scored the game winner in OT but it was such a quick in-and-out goal that instant replay had to be checked to see if went in. Series tied at 2 games apiece. The Kings stayed right with the Red Wings in Gm. 5 and Adam Deadmarsh finished it in OT of Gm. 6. I remember the Red Wings being so worn out after Deadmarsh scored the series-winner that many of them were collapsed on the ice, waiting until they had to get up and go through the handshake line.

[@MixerMadness]

That kings team almost took out these cup winning avs in the second round too

[@ShantyIrishman]

After 22 years...

[@Peoplesrepublicoffortnite]

ShantyIrishman RAYMOND BOURQUE!!!

[@dnasty312]

RAYMOND BOURQUE! 😃

[@jordza2k11]

Milbury deserves a Poile/Snow/Benning/Bergevin style video, from an knowledgeable, impartial fans perspective, detailing his decade of ridiculousness

[@MixerMadness]

Yeah fans these days going off on all these gms like there the worst ever. I don’t think there’s ever been a guy worse at his job, he’s even awful on tv why does this idiot keep getting million dollar contracts for being an idiot.

[@waterdrinker_]

Watch the urinating tree video on him

[@GreenHornet553]

Now this is the NHL I remember, as this is technically the first full season of hockey I watched. And while I never got to see Bourque much at all when he was a Bruin, seeing him win with the Avs was cool and made me somewhat of a fan of the team (even if it was against a team I also liked in the Devils). As a side note, one thing I would like to point out with the Bruins around this time is that the Bruins wouldn't have been so mediocre to awful in the beginning to the middle of the 2000s had they drafted better from the late 90s onward. Rather than taking players like Sergei Samsonov and Nick Boynton in 97 and 99 respectfully, they could have taken Marian Hossa, Henrik Zetterberg or Martin Havlat and given Thornton a true goal scorer to have and play off of. Rather than gambling on Lars Jonsson in 2000, they could have taken Justin Williams or Niklas Kronwall. Rather than swapping picks with Edmonton to take Shoane Morrison in 2001, they could have either stayed at 13 to take Hemskey or take Cammalleri at 19. And, to skip ahead, rather than going after that bust Hannu Toivonen in 2002, they could have taken a cornerstone defenseman in Duncan Keith. That run of poor decision making from say 1996 to 2002 arguably set the team up for its downfall once 05-06 hit. That aside, I enjoyed watching this Shannon as it brought back so many great childhood memories of watching hockey on ESPN.

[@havardmoen6423]

Your history videos brings back quite a few memories! Good and bad!

[@QPINE01]

I’ve waited for the these all summer and after go school the last few weeks. I love them.

[@Bla_Razor]

Love the bracket-style view of the playoffs matchups and the seedings are a nice addition too - keep it so!:)

[@trich-1041]

Can always remember game 7 this year. Was in the hospital watching it. Was a kid and had to get stitches

[@soundersfan2443]

I think I said early on in this series that I had a lot to learn and I have learned a good amount. I thank you for that THG. I still got more to learn, so I will be looking forward to more videos about hockey's past. I will also be purchasing some books and magazines.

[@DARK24-7]

Was so happy for Mr.Bourque,and another for Mr.Sakic!And yes Mr.Roy #1!!!

[@macklinflaherty6588]

As a Bruins fan, I pulled so hard for Colorado that year and I was overjoyed seeing him hoist a cup. I was only twelve, so I wasn't even alive the last time a Boston team had won a title, so it was a pretty amazing moment.

[@thestone9134]

My greatest memory is when Lemiuex came back from retirement in December against Toronto Jagr and Lemiuex back together again was an dream come true. In 43 games he gets an below average 76 points. Holy hell that game against Toronto was amazing!

[@steelassault262]

In February of 2001, I watched the Minnesota Wild beat the Pittsburgh cry babies in South St. Paul by a score of 3-2. Mario complained about the Wild defense, and coach Lemaire stated," If they didn't play defense in the NHL, he would still be playing."

[@MixerMadness]

Mario and Roy were two guys to me that while beyond great we’re just unlikesble. Maybe that’s me

[@steelassault262]

I agree. It always threw me for a loop when the announcers said waaaaaa. I didn't know who they were talking about because the camera showed a guy named Roy. I finally decided Waaaa works because that's what he said after JR made scoring on him look easy.

[@czarii2422]

Bourque won that year, so it’s a good one in my book.

[@DavisGB84]

I still have nightmares about the Pens losing to NJ in the semifinals. That one stung.

[@MixerMadness]

I still have nightmares about the pens even being in that series considering buffalo was up 3-2 on the pens in the second round and could of eliminated them in overtime but in buffalo fashion blew a 3-2 series lead and then lost the 7th game. They do that all the time.

[@InsignificantNick]

Watched this while folding laundry. Thanks for the continuous content!

[@ryanbranigan231]

Millbury impersonation is spot on

[@Rubensitoc]

That year was my first contact with the NHL!! (I'm from Europe), because I got my first NHL 01 computer game on my 9th birthday with Jere Lehtinen on the cover.

[@tonttaana8930]

Lemieux comeback and put 76 points in 43 games!!!!!, that insane in 3 years absent:). what a generation talent. penguins team was good. Lemieux , jagr,kovalev,straka and Lang.

[@patch8376]

Tony tontaana Jagr won the TSN Dynamic Duo though. ;)

[@srouji6]

Patrick Roy=GOAT

[@ryanesaki]

So crazy how Tampa went from one of the worst teams in the league to Stanley cup champions in just a few years. I totally forgot they were this bad in 01

[@dpause10]

I remember Patrick Roy catching a bit of flag from the press during the Kings series. The Avs had dominated all year and the suddenly Felix Potvin stops them right in their tracks. They lose game 1 with a couple of softies on Roy, win the next 3 only to be shut out by Potvin for 2 straight games. Game 7 ended up being a bit of a break-through game for them that year. While they lost Forsberg to a ruptured spleen, that hard-fought series galvanized the team and ultimately put them on that run toward the Finals. He then has that fumble in Game 4 in the finals allowing the Devils to tie the game in the 3rd. And then of course with their backs to the wall, Patrick Roy steals game 6 in the Meadowlands. At the time, as an Avs fan you could always rely on the Roy bounce. One bad game or even worse public criticism was all that Roy needed and he would turn into hockey's version of the Hulk and stop everything the following game. Sakic definitely put in a MVP worthy performance in that run, but Roy was just on another level.

[@kevaninthe4135]

Bourque gets his Cup at long last.

[@DARK24-7]

Joe Sakic is by far my fave player!!!I dont think he gets enough credit for being such a great player!!!

[@ericveneto1593]

Mike Millbury: "Hold my beer"!

[@not2tees]

The Islanders could NOT get out of the cellar in this era. I have bonded with Shannon over the summer of history. I'm a history freak.

[@Nathan-yq7zl]

Roy vs. Brodeur = Greatest Heavyweight matchup ever!

[@Nickleblanc41]

Nathan what about Leighton vs Niemi in 2010

[@hockeyfreakofnature]

I deeply hated the Devils and the Avalanche in 2001, so the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals was worst-case scenario for me. But i tortured myself by watching the Finals and it was worth it to see Ray Bourque finally raise the cup.

[@austing.8870]

As a Detroit fan who was around for the rivalry, I have to agree about Roy. He is the greatest ever. I hate him, to be sure, but I respect the hell out of him.

[@eila2088]

Biggest heartbreak as Leaf fan. It was bad they lost at home, their biggest chance to win series, but more importantly that Game 7 they were blown out and it wasn't close. Round 1 and the SCF were fantastic though :)

[@omegablack80214]

Ottawa has a super bad case of little brother syndrome. Toronto would just pimp smack them around.

[@MixerMadness]

Except right after the lockout, the sens would win every game seemingly in a blowout fashion. 05-06 to thennext few years. It seemed like that was the only time it happened though and yes when it mattered the leafs ended up winning

[@omegablack80214]

@@MixerMadness at least it didn't reach Montreal-Boston or Caps-Pens levels of ownership.

[@wyldstar7692]

I’d also like to add that I liked Cory Stillman a lot

[@stevenloeffler1266]

I know this will Probobly never happen but owning an NHL expansion franchise woulf be sick!

[@CoDINmyHEART]

Bigger chance to marry Donald Trump and make him switch sex for your satisfaction only.

[@veselinboyadzhiev4724]

We're not done yet! Conroy a powereplay goal and it's 2-1! Hahah

[@memomelaza]

As a side note, Domi in that series against the Devils this season just completely decided to put on a clownsuit. Not his only incident, nor was he the only infractor that season or all time, etc etc, just one that always triggers me slightly because of the way he seems to be brought up and the tone and light in which he is always talked up in. Just one of those weird things like how Marchment was tough, intimidating and mean, but Ulf was dirty, Messier was showing leadership and sparking a fire in the team while Chelios just lost his head. But we had the code though right? All this came to me when I saw that Domi and Marchment for some reason was featured on the NHL 19 legend teams. I'm sure they will be wearing 28 and 27 respectively in the game though so it's all cool.

[@Nickleblanc41]

Under the current playoffs format and divisions: COL vs ARI DAL vs STL SJ vs VAN EDM vs LA DET vs TOR OTT vs BUF NJ vs PIT WSH vs PHI

[@memomelaza]

I would recommend for someone who wants to see a bit of stuff about the Islanders of thereabouts of this era, find a way or source to watch the espn documentary from a few years ago, "30 for 30 Big Shot" Highly recommended doc about the John Spano "saga" that had happened a few years previous to this, but a lot of the involved at this time were there for.

[@ChrisNS17]

Johan Sebastien Giguere

[@petercasnocha5340]

Black Lodge bruh *insert missing GIF here*

[@dnasty312]

I hear you saying that like Richard Dreyfuss

[@philipcoggins9512]

Isn’t this the year where Lemieux came back and scored 86 points in 43 games?

[@SverigeiSverige]

Philip Coggins yes and no. 43-35-41-76

[@Diljabar]

Dave Andreychuk went back to the Sabres this year and it was totally an all-in season (expect for Michael Peca who held out, loser). Sabres were 60 seconds from returning to the Conference Finals before things happened that make me physically angry and the rest of the series will go undescribed by myself.

[@kevinbudzinski9576]

Actually the Red Wings finished this season 49-20-9-4 with 111 points

[@jasonsmith5226]

Did you seriously forget the Rob Blake trade to Colorado? And don't forget Steven Reinprecht also,for Deadmarsh,& Aaron Miller. But that trade was far more important than the trades you mentioned...Blake was a top 5 defenseman at the time. After Forsberg got hurt...no chance we even beat St Louis in WCF,let alone beat NJ... without Rob Blake.

[@father042]

The last time two top seeded teams appeared in the finals

[@SverigeiSverige]

Nicklas Lidström becomes 1st european to win the Norris. His 1st of 7 Norris.

[@MixerMadness]

Wasn’t he the first European captain to win the cup too

[@SverigeiSverige]

Yes, 2008.

[@danzemacabre8899]

I believe you missed the Keith Tkachuk trade to St.louis

[@psynema]

Didn't mention the Lindros trade :(

[@TheHockeyGuy]

He wasn't traded until the summer after the 2001 Cup.

[@psynema]

ah so next year then :)

[@tmbsports3720]

You forgot to mention bourque getting the cup

[@sergel.8876]

Detroit finished with 49-20-9-4 record

[@sergel.8876]

Yeah. He must have misread the numbers. Always double check after writing down all those numbers. Beside that, very well done. Must be a lot of work with all those teams now.

[@jasonsmith5226]

As a Colorado fan,I hated Vancouver back then...maybe more than Detroit,& Dallas, believe it or not. Probably not as much by 2001...we had just lost to Dallas in back to back game 7s. But I remember hating Vancouver the most...even before that Steve Moore/Todd Bertuzi crime.

[@adamscott2801]

Ladies And Gentleman Columbus’s troubles start here.

[@BoyNamedSue4]

2001 in Anaheim in a nutshell: Good news Ducks fans. You got the goalie of the future. Oh you also traded an all star two days after your GM promised him that he was staying. Royally pissing off your other all star and being the point that lead him to deciding to not resign with the team in a few years.

[@MixerMadness]

Yeah but one year later in 2002 you didn’t mention Patrick roy blowing game six with the Statue of Liberty ornhame seven with seven goals four of them in the first lol. Roy had a pretty stacked team to be fair. The devils had firepower but I think a team that has Sakic and forsberg close to prime amongst Blake Foote bourque and playoff tangiary hejduk drift against a team that just went on a long cup run and didn’t have the motivation to win it for Ray. And it took them 7 games to do it. Just saying ...can you tell I don’t like Roy either? Props to you for giving him credit though I like how you try and be fair to the teams (Toronto) you don’t like I hate the leafs too. I just think hasek carried buffalo to even this game seven of the second round vs Mario and the pens. That 2001 buffalo team was led by stu Barnes Miri Satan and ale will zhitnik. I mean, good players but making it one goal shy of the final four in a year that had those Stars wings Avs flyers blues devils etc was very good for hasek. You can also probably tell I’m a buffalo fan if not from other comments.

[@JoeyJordison97]

😊

[@PeterCPRail8748]

Roy was just unbelievable that playoffs and especially the finals. Almost like he was possessed to win it for Ray. As for hashik being number two, that's a big NO!!!! Brodeur is. I always get into heated arguments but Hasik as good and talented he was, he also had 100 lucky rabbit feet up his ass. His best saves where all flucks, especially when he was face down on his belly flailing like he was drowning. He wasn't it a clutch tender, only that one year in 99. For me to be one of the best in history in that position you need to be solid regular season and in playoffs. While carrying the team on your back in certain big games. Something both Brodeur and Roy did time and time again. Even trechiak, arguably the best non Canadian tender of all time, advised management in Chicago to keep belfour over Hasik when they where both young prospects for the Hawks. In my opinion he falls somewhere in 4th or 5th all time best tenders in NHL history.

[@hockey161616]

How did the wings have more points than the blues with that record?

[@hockey161616]

Ah, typo, they went 49-20. Not 40-29

[@giotrapani7852]

I respect Patrick roy as a goalie but that conn smythe should've went to Joe Sakic.

[@evanoscherwitz1434]

Did you just say Johann Sebastian Giguère

[@kakarroto007]

I personally hated the Avalanche since the 90's, but today's rivalries in sports seem dead.

[@quanchi371]

Is there a reason Detroit finished higher despite having a worse record? Or was it just a mistake on your part?

[@SverigeiSverige]

Quan Chi mistake, DET had 111P. Should write points instead of wins...

[@quanchi371]

I still don't see how they have 111P. Isn't is W-L-OTL-T? and a point is awarded for an OTL or a tie?

[@SverigeiSverige]

49-20-9-4 = 111P Not correct on the board.

[@Detector1977]

Well, i don't think Roy is the best goalie of all time BUT he is one of the greatest winners of all time. Most games a goalie plays in his entire career are in the regular season and Hasek is way better. Sure, Championships matter but Roy wasn't fantastic if you look at his regular season stats and trophies.

[@Nickleblanc41]

Columbus were great expansion team? They have been known as the lease successful team in the NHL since the Jets returned to Winnipeg

[@nathanviebranz9111]

Nick Leblanc we’re only looking at the 2000-01 season in this video, before all the other Columbus seasons. 28-39-9-6 is pretty solid for an expansion team’s first year in the pre-lockout era. Vegas’ season is an outlier because that’s an anomaly that will never be replicated.

[@Nickleblanc41]

Nathan Viebranz the pre-lockout era was before 1994

[@nathanviebranz9111]

Nick Leblanc most people consider the 04-05 lockout the marker due to the impact of losing the entire season. That’s when the game began to change into what we have today.

[@Nickleblanc41]

Nathan Viebranz the first lockout was in 1994-95 that’s when the lockout era you can’t just change history, it’s like that original 6 era thing where only one of the 6 teams are actually an original team.

[@nathanviebranz9111]

Nick Leblanc the game stayed the same when that lockout ended. The NHL today is different from the NHL before 2005 due to things like salary cap, revenue sharing, etc.

[@commandershepard1838]

Roy had a great team in front of him. Not saying he wasn’t great. But hasek is easily better. That isn’t because of my bias as a Detroit fan, I just watched them play and watched hasek carry teams that were garbage and Roy win with hall of famer galore. Finally in 2002 hasek got a good team in front of him and won. Looking back on it, Roy was pekka rinne before pekka rinne. One night he’s amazing the next he’s Swiss cheese. Both big goalies.

[@robins5798]

Roy's two cups in Montreal weren't with hall of famer galore. He won cups and Conn Smythe trophys in three different decades and two completely different eras of hockey. That speaks for something. But yeah, Hasek was amazing between 1993 and 2002 and untouchable when it comes to regular season numbers and awards during that time.

[@gymrat2647]

Didn’t like Roy when he was playing for the habs or the avalanche

[@doaftheloaf]

as a habs fan, i still vote for hasek over roy. sorry, but no goalie got in the opponents' heads like hasek did in his prime. it's close, though. i'd say both are top 10 or 15 players all-time.

[@DevilzFan]

Being at game 6 of the finals that year was my most painful experience as a Devils fan. This series also made me completely despise Ray Bourque (whom I previously liked a lot) simply because of how much everyone was sucking his jock.

[@JHockeyFan]

Yeah it’s hard for me to like Ovechkin when everyone has been all over him.

[@MixerMadness]

Ovechkin and Bourque deserved it soooo much they don’t have unlikeable personalities either unless your a penguins or Habs and yeah probably devils cause of this I don’t understand anyone disliking either

[@DevilzFan]

Bourque did not in any way deserve it. He abandoned his team to go win elsewhere. I just don't respect that. Ovi absolutely deserved his Cup. He stuck it out.

[@wyldstar7692]

I said it yesterday, I’ll say it today and every other day for probably the rest of my life.. Mike Milbury is the worst thing that ever happened to the Islanders. If your a fan of the Canadiens and the Senators, your G.M.s might be making bad moves, but Milbury ruined the Islanders for decades to come. We’re still paying for Yashin and DiPietro!

[@michalomelka3408]

Unlike you, I kinda liked Avalanche, mainly thanks to Peter Forsberg, but for me Hasek > Roy. Buffalo was so terrible, they would never make a playoffs without him, not to mention reach the cup finals.

[@MixerMadness]

They also made the final four in 98 and one game away from the final four in this season here with hasek he was beyond amazing

[@amazinmets8439]

I never liked how Bourque begged for a trade out of Boston so he could get his name on the Cup. He should've stuck with his team, win or lose. But he could never get it done for Boston so I guess he had to go to the best team in the league and piggyback his way to a Cup. I lost respect for him though after that.