In the Salary Cap Era, is There a Secret To Building a Champion?

[@sharkhaos_probably]

Not being the Sharks is a good start

[@Christophernbh]

"Doug Wilson, sign your entire aging core to 8 year contracts, your this close to a cup f*ck the future!"

[@leftcoaster67]

Get in Line with Vancouver and Buffalo.

[@nINJAP3RUNA]

​@@Christophernbh67% of GM's are one year away from a stanley cup when they begin a rebuild.

[@philtorrez4198]

What if you’re the sharks?

[@leftcoaster67]

@ wait your turn. You got Celebrini that’s a good start.

[@orangecounty2033]

I was 30 when I had Panthers season tix the first year 1993. I never thought I would be 60 when they win a Stanley Cup. But here I am

[@that_guy0_0]

King of youtube right here

[@leftcoaster67]

Build through the draft, and strong defence and goaltending. Doesn't work every time. But it leads to success.

[@XSharkdarkX]

Strong defense you right. Goaltending just need to be ok. Kuemper, Binnington, Ward, Crawford or Niemi were good goaltenders but not stellar. A recent Vezina finalist is rarely in the champion team.

[@leftcoaster67]

@@XSharkdarkX Timely goaltending?

[@milesbowen9433]

@@XSharkdarkX true, maybe a better term is goaltending that can pick up and dominate on a good year. Like bobrovsky the past two seasons

[@Chimeratech8]

Couple things stand out to me: Strong defense is a must along with solid (but not neccessarily superstar) goaltending. Have a strong 3rd line that can chip in offensively while still being good defensively. Lastly, don't be a Canadian team lol.

[@BasementBodybuilding]

Yes it’s simple: 1: acquire a legit first line center, who is not over age 30. There is yet to be a cup champion in the cap era with a 1C over age 30. Centers age fast, and their prime age is younger than other positions like defense and goaltending. 2: have a lottery (top 3) draft pick on your team. There has yet to be a cup champion in the cap era without one. The Blues are the only team in the cap era to win with a 3rd overall pick, every other team has a top 2 pick. Not every tanking team wins a cup, but all cup winners went through a tank of some sort. 3: have a clear cut number 1 defenseman. This one is more vague, but there is always a clear outlier on cup champion teams. 4: since there will be a few other teams that fit this criteria, your roster should have good depth, and your players need to have a high morale and get hot at the right time. The first 3 are mandatory, the fourth one all comes down to effort and team morale. You can’t just be the best on paper, you have to separate yourselves. I’m not an oilers fan, but they will win the cup this year because of these four reasons.

[@LSA30]

You forgot the most important one: *luck* . Stanley Cup champs usually have had good luck with things out of their control, like decent scheduling, fortuitous bounces, inconsistent officiating, and, most crucially, injuries. You can have all the ingredients you mentioned down to the tee, but if your team is not lucky it won’t reach the top.

[@BasementBodybuilding]

@@LSA30 luck plays somewhat of a role, but I’d argue good teams create their own luck and their talent/determination can override bad luck to an extent

[@jchristner82]

​@@LSA30 Top 3 pick is pretty lucky

[@timothyhaley6187]

5. The goalie

[@jessiegandhi4340]

Devils might win a cup soon with this criteria lol hopefully

[@outsourced-fd7vf]

Oh ya, love you hockey guy, one of the best dudes ever

[@bsfm6990]

Get players from the sabres that seem to work for vgk, blues, Florida

[@jasonandros9395]

“My eyes gloss over and I think about puppies”😂

[@mbertrand]

Nice to see the Ducks in a video about winning these days.

[@LSA30]

That Stanley Cup is almost old enough to be tried as an adult.

[@Lebowski55]

You forgot to mention the impeccable drafting the Blackhawks did from 2002 to 2007. They found Duncan Keith in the second round Brent Seabrook in the first round Dave Bolland in the second round Corey Crawford in the second round Niklas Hjalmarsson in the fourth round Dustin Byfuglien in the 8th rd, Troy Brouwer in the 7th rd.

[@yourmentalandlord]

He can't think of everything.

[@Goofreyhorn]

Hjalmarsson remains so underrated on those teams

[@brasch170]

Keep up the good work, Shannon!

[@ayroau]

Detroit maybe not at a dynasty level in the 90's but among the most influential teams in NHL at that time around the world..

[@outsourced-fd7vf]

The Oilers bookending this list really ties together the story of high hopes and historic letdowns

[@MarkCMG]

Thanks for the video! A great idea for a video and perfectly detailed to let the numbers do the talking and the outliers stand out.

[@TransNat]

To me determining if you need the full rebuild comes down to, "does the entire culture of the team need to change?" I think for a team like Chicago, it was the right call. Most teams though, there's usually a framework you can work with to build from.

[@clydeblair9622]

Pittsburgh, thanks Gary.

[@LeagueOfJared]

Being Pittsburgh is a good start

[@FilthyRotten]

Take the penguins route threaten to move the team to a different location, file bankruptcy and tank for generational talents

[@Nikkerman]

Have a distinct identity, have a fantastic coach, and have 4 good centers or 6 good dmen.

[@superblitz]

Kings 2012 & 2014 was a ropadobe. Limps into the playoffs then remembered how to play.

[@iliaponomarev1624]

At some point I saw a kinda-sorta recipe: 1. Rebuild, get some high picks 2. Get better, make Playoffs, give your youth playoff experience 3. Get worse, miss Playoffs, get some more youth (not necessarily lottery picks, but some late 10th or early 20th), sign your step 1 young stars to deals that are somewhere in between armed robbery and aggravated robbery in terms of cap hit. 4. Go for it

[@pauljmorton]

Somehow I'm getting the sense that there was a lot of controversy in the EDM-CAR final.

[@SkyFellowship]

06 Canes vs Sabres was the first series of hockey we ever got to see, been an Avs fan since 01 when we literally couldn't watch a game and seeing the Canes vs Sabres stunned us as to just how good hockey was, was chuffed when the Canes beat Edmonton and still kinda see them as our eastern team, but, all Avs all the time and glad after missing the 01 cup despite supporting them (Euro fan) we finallllly got to see a cup win in 22 and it was a phenomenal run

[@chrisbelos2834]

there is one thing in common with all thoses teams : a first overall pick. get one by tanking or by trade, they are always there. you can also trade your first overall like St-Louis did for depth.

[@Lebowski55]

So the take away from this video is unless you have a foundation of several drafted young players it’s very difficult to win a second Stanley Cup.

[@strider2175]

Shannon sent me with his comment at 17:55 😂

[@1shotlegend]

The secret is Bettman

[@XSharkdarkX]

Shhhhhh don't tell Vegas secret to everyone

[@xJabro]

Fun Fact: Toronto hasn't won three rounds in the playoffs since 1932, which also predates the best-of-seven system. When they won the cup in 1967, the playoffs were only 2 rounds long consisting of 4 teams.

[@LoganFruz]

Not doing what the leafs do(im a leaf fan sadly 33 years of scar tissue)

[@FirewagonHockey]

Drafting right will be huge for the long-term for sure.

[@boxvango9021]

Without even watching the video I can tell you that a big part is your lowest paid players. You need the guys that punch above their weight to make the difference between the big and small contracts. Management has to identity and acquire these role players and get them in the mix with the big boys. Yes, you need goaltending. Yes, you need defense. Yes, you need special teams. Yes, you need depth in scoring. But the teams that have bottom 6 guys who are the grit, glue, and guts are the cup winners. 3rd and 4th liners that can score are the ones that face the lower tier checking, and carve up the other team. They are the difference.

[@nedeninja420f8]

Ill say this every time . Such a beauty of a jersey . LGB!

[@michaelb6392]

Hey Shannon, can you make a video on coaches that have won a stanley cup with a team, then switch to another team to bring the same success? It would be neat to see how well the team performed that they went to, and if the same success followed. This is my way of asking if teams should "recycle" coaches as much as they do.

[@xSG199x]

Having a good GM/owner, success for a team starts from the very top. You need scoring depth, defence, and a good coach. Also pray that you don’t have alot of injuries because usually the healthiest team wins the cup, and maybe some luck if you need it.

[@iliaponomarev1624]

Looking at success stories just one part of the picture. Another part is looking at those who did the same and failed.

[@RiskyCapital]

NHL general managers taking notes from this

[@DuatinDauphin]

great video, i am now interested in how long the coach had been with the team prior to winning the cup

[@bolts_hockey_91]

Is there a secret to building a stanley cup champion? Yes. Depth.

[@ayroau]

Sometimes you just need a Phil Kessel to win it all. Has he retired yet or is still winning?

[@arnoldb4526]

- through the draft - good locker room - stagger contracts - keep a solid core together - trade cancerous players

[@XSharkdarkX]

I would say a recipe : an elite scouting team for the draft and trades. At least two superstar forwards + at least one on defense. Excellent depth especialy on the top 9 and the two first pairs. Ok goaltending at least and a good coach.

[@GoodMenstruationAttitude]

People keep saying goalies don't matter anymore, but it's simply untrue. Some teams can occasionally win without a great goalie, but nobody repeats without one. In reality, elite goalies are simply rare, so occasionally a mediocre goalie lucks into one. It's vitally important not to overpay the wrong goalie, but *if* you have the opportunity, drafting and developing a star goalie is still the surest recipe to playoff success, and almost no star goalies fail to regularly make the playoffs. Not that every team gets that opportunity. Similarly, not every team gets the opportunity to draft a 1C, or even a 1D. Truth is no, there is no formula, because some teams acquire through trades, some through draft, most through both. The unifying factor is good contracts at all levels. Period. While no successful team has zero poor contracts, reliable contenders are invariably chock full of good ones, and it's re-signing the wrong champions that sinks would-be dynasties. Exactly *three* of the NHL's highest-paid players (Bob, Eichel, & Vasi) won a Cup during those high-priced contracts; the others that have won one in the past all received their expensive contracts after winning, not before.

[@GizmoBeach]

McDavid reaches 1-K points. Obviously he’d been there sooner if not for this and that and injuries so focus on him scoring 1.52 points per game vs. a total someone like Dale Hunter achieved but in close to 1,400 games.

[@Nickleblanc41]

Build a playoffs team and hope your goalie is hot when you get there. That's how you build a winner

[@blortflorington9165]

Im sort of new to Hockey, what happened or was controversial in that Carolina Oilers game 7 in 06?

[@EvanEscher]

game 1, Oilers defenceman Marc-Andre Bergeron pushed Andrew Ladd into Oilers' star goalie Dwayne Roloson, injuring him for the rest of the series.

[@navw21]

Need two good Centers. Two good Dmen. And an above average Goaltender. Sprinkle in good veterans and adequate depth.

[@diggergeensen860]

Have a team in a state with no taxes; and, or in the sunbelt - where Bettman is trying to “grow the game”, and cement his pet projects.

[@TheHockeyGuy]

Why did Florida suck for 25 years if taxes made such a huge difference?

[@diggergeensen860]

@ You feel it’s just a coincidence that recent history has given us a slew of teams playing in cities with no state taxes making finals appearances? Maybe you don’t, but I’d totally understand your reasons for not admitting it here either way. I’m not going to get too deep into my reasons for declining to provide my feeling on it being far from a coincidence. This is your platform, and your livelihood, so clearly the notion of an organized stacked deck taking credibility away from a league you make a living following isn’t ideal for anyone. What I will discuss here (concerning the topic) is this……The tax loophole creates an opening for certain teams to pay players less of a tax hit, while they take more money home. It’s a tool that’s clearly being used by a half a dozen clubs to create a wealth of depth on their rosters that the other teams around the league simply can’t match. It is enough of a problem, that if it isn’t dealt with in the next CBA, I’ll be unfollowing the league completely. There would literally be no point in continuing to support a league that looks the other direction, while some teams have a distinct advantage over the rest. It’s the same reason I don’t really follow MLB anymore. It’s the big boys, and everyone else. A joke! Have a pleasant evening Shannon, and keep up the great work.

[@danieldosso2455]

Bawston;s also been to the finals in 15 and 19

[@bradenstewart6270]

As the great philosopher and theologian Al Davis once said, “just win baby”

[@michaelnextdoor8726]

Don't think you can come to any conclusions. Full rebuilds are tough so maybe better to not to do full teardown.

[@intothestorm86]

Disagrew concerning Pittsburgh, any team would have reach same level of success if they could recruit, Malkin, Crosby, Fleury and Letang and that period of rebuild

[@TylerMorganShow]

It's all about the cup

[@jibathus]

Ducks 07 were built for one thing and one thing only, and it probably wouldn't have happened without the lockout. They were a mega team and it's always that odd thing to look back and remember they didn't win the presidents too. The sens team on the other side of it was really good too, but the hockey gods shined on Teemu instead of Alfie. Great year, can't go back 😢

[@lrba5524]

My opinion: make the playoffs with a really good goalie. The teams on here that do not fit that criteria had unreasonably good skaters. Defense also seems very important which makes sense, but like the capitals' D wasn't that great... I think one really striking thing to note is all these teams besides the Canes and Blues had prolonged regular season success around the time they won the cup. Lots of President's Trophies on here too even if they're not won the same year as the Cup. Along the same lines, i don't remember that well, but it does seem like a lot of these guys were division winners the year they won. maybe a bit of momentum generated from beating a wild card team?

[@theramplocal]

Great video, Shannon for Hart 2025

[@EvanEscher]

Short answer: no As long as there's a draft and half the teams make the playoffs, it will be a crapshoot.

[@isidornimages]

My memory is a bit blurry, but wasn't it in 2010 Chicago's most important player was the Calgary player that "arranged" so they only had to face one of the Sedins when they played Vancouver? And again Chicago, would they have beaten Tampa if Bishop had been healthy through that final series? Yeah, I'm just tired hearing Chicago's 3 in 6 years called a dynasty. If Tampa wins this season, that'd also be 3 in 6. Would that also be a dynasty? Even with the 2nd and 3rd four years apart?

[@shawnhutchings5931]

Sure there is, pay all your players a lot of money under the table. (The magic word is: BONUSES!!!) I honestly think the salary cap is a joke!

[@oscargoldman4867]

Doesn't work that way

[@randombutrelevant]

gotta lose before you know how to win, every cup is preceded by very, very, very bad times... that is the only consistent thing

[@peterolbrisch8970]

Interesting stuff.🤔

[@clydeblair9622]

Detroit doesn't have a clue.

[@sabref4i290]

So we're not gonna mention how Dallas completely cheated to win their cup totally tainted

[@TheHockeyGuy]

LMAO. 1) prior to the cap 2) 25 years ago, let it go. 3) Dallas won in six games, so they were up three games to 2 and the goal in question was legal. I am amazed how long people can be mad about something like this.

[@BoyNamedSue4]

What kind of puppies?

[@vancitycanucks]

Not being Canadian is a must.

[@rabeechowdhury]

Canucks choked lol. They were the only canadian team to have homecourt and still lost to Boston but lost in a horrible way getting shutout in game 7.

[@oscargoldman4867]

Every team that wins a cup has a majority canadian roster.

[@fooddog45]

THG feels so negative and short whenever he talks about the Wings compared to all other teams. I think he dislikes the Wings more than he lets on.

[@mcj44]

No, that’s just what you choose to hear.

[@brAnd7onX87]

Hey I don't see any Canadian teams... Oh yeah.

[@gordtulk]

Truly Suck (no half-a$$) for five to ten years - get very high draft centre dman and goalie. Just look at the teams that have won in the cap era…

[@ChrisWebbyLyrics1]

E Rods mouth scares me