Gotta wonder where Chicago/LA 2014 would rank here. I know it’s not the final, but people at the time were saying it might as well have been. That series was absolutely insane.
The last ~2 minutes of the 2020 final felt so surreal. At that point the Stars felt like there wasn't a chance, and seeing the close ups of their bench without any noise from a crowd drove home how final it felt. I'm really glad they're having a resurgence this year because, man, that felt like the end of an era.
The Stars played on like 21 plus injuries. We were on a technical third string goalie that needed hand surgery after the series because he had no feeling in three of his fingers. Our captain needed three surgeries to repair everything from hip to shoulder injuries sustained throughout the playoffs. Tyler Seguin needed knee surgery and missed the first half of 2021. Roope Hintz fractured his ankle in the semis and then hurt his hip in the finals. Miro had hip issues, Klinger and Lindell had shoulder and hand injuries respectively, Blake Comeu had a separated shoulder, and Radek Faksa broke his wrist. We had no chance to beat Tampa. Our entire first, second, and third lines were almost all broken. We have a valiant effort and after the final whistle blew, I was absolutely floored. When news broke about just how many players we had injured, I was beyond upset lol
Two things. 1) If you ever make merch, you need to put the phrase “At least we got an overtime goal” on a shirt. 2) The way you used music in this one is excellent. Well done!
Even though we lost game 1, that 2018 finals opener is one of my favorite games I’ve watched in recent times and really got me hyped that year. Really enjoyed the Jon Bois style and content you have on your channel, keep up the great work man!
Reflections on my casual sports fandom: I read your comment, and am surprised to see this compared to Jomboy, who is more comedic while analytic, assuming a speak to text typo. I then search the John Boy sounding name to find that "Jon Bois" is yet another distinct sportscaster of the internet. Today I Learned...!
I've had multiple requests to run the numbers for the 2014 West Final between the Kings and Blackhawks, soooo.... GP: 7 SC/G: 51.428 xGF% diff/G: 6.436 xGF% diff (lower): 48.6 2+ score diff/G: 14.918 3+ score diff/G: 5.693 LC/G: 1 Goals/Game: 7.286 Matchup/Story: 4 Game 1 (CHI 3-1): 137.7 Game 2 (LAK 6-2): 114.8 Game 3 (LAK 4-3): 147.0 Game 4 (LAK 5-2): 15.3 (oof) Game 5: (CHI 5-4 2OT): 188.0 Game 6 (CHI 4-3): 227.9 Game 7 (LAK 5-4 OT): 265.0 (#1 out of all games in this video...and it is also the only game I've ever seen where the xGF were exactly dead even: 2.74-2.74) No length bonus: *4th* No xGF modifier: *1st* No score penalty: *2nd* Overall ranking: *1st*
that 2014 WCF was seriously the best hockey ive ever seen. That series WAS the Finals. Everyone knew whoever came out of it, was winning the Cup. Even as a Hawks fan, that series is probably my favorite ever, although its hard to beat out the 3 series that you end up winning the Cup in. Also, for 2015, i think the Story Score should be given an extra point because that series was the one that would decide if the Blackhawks were gonna be a Modern Day Dynasty. By winning it, they cemented their Dynasty, but in the dust, showed what would be what we know as the current day Lightning that have been to 3 Finals with 2 Cups.
@@madiganyt Man do I miss the days when our teams were battling for the cup. You guys had a longer run, but it was fun while it lasted. Never have I been more nervous as a fan than I was during the playoffs at the Madhouse, that place was going nuts at all moments. Super intimidating, then you had to hear that goal song to rub it in after every Blackhawks goal.
@@ZiggyValentine CHELSEA CHELSEA I BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOURE DANCING SLOWLY SUCKING YOUR SLEEVE, THE BOYS GET LONELY AFTER YOU LEAVE, ITS ONE FOR THE DAGGER, ANOTHER FOR THE ONE YOUR BELIEVE! CHI-LAK rivalry was just peak hockey and was almost the best match up. A never miss series for them.
@@madiganyt I think because it was built on respect more than hatred. As a Kings fan, I don’t remember being particularly annoyed by Hawks fans. We all knew we were witnessing something special.
@@ZiggyValentine same, i definitely wasnt a fan after 2014 though lmao. But i have so much respect for guys like Quick and Kopitar and Doughty. Theyre all amazing players and made our 3 Cup journey just that much more special
I actually do believe that the best finals for a first time fan to watch would of been the 2018 finals. An understandable and heart thrilling story with ovi and the knights, and an outcome that was unanimously celebrated. The best cup lift of all time, the save, too much excitement every game. Nothing else to say. We all have our own personal favorites, mine will always be 2018.
It is a great cup lift, but I think 1994 Mark Messier has a little something to say about that. I was happy for Ovi but I started the series rooting for the expansion Golden Knights to do the impossible. I was a bit disappointed to see them go out in 5 games like that. But it was still great hockey.
I hear you, but 2019 had a similar story. A team left for dead mid season, an unbelievable run to make the playoffs, then 4 tough series all culminating in a team that had waited longer than any other in the league's history getting their first cup. If 2018 didn't hook you in, 2019 sure as hell would have.
First off, you need to send this video out to SB Nation or another Sports Media company because this is so high quality and I think it is on par with something that would be made by any of those companies. Secondly, while the Avs vs Lightning series ranks low it will always be memorable to me for a very specific reason. The Avs head coach, Jared Bednar, once played for the ECHL's Huntington Blizzard back before I was born. Huntington has not had hockey in over 20 years, and the fact that one of its former players was able to win hockey's most coveted trophy still fills me with joy that a small city in West Virginia contributed to hockey history in a small way.
I appreciate this, because I bet if you made a video on the best series just from memory, historical context, big moments et cetera, it would come out different. It’s interesting to see such a relatively objective analysis. Edit: also, not a Pens fan? Nvm. I have my answer 😂
For those wondering where this year's Stanley Cup Finals would rank, these are the stats (assuming that my calculations are correct lol) and their ranking since 2008. (If the rankings seem too low, remember this is the ranking after already adding all of the 5 games from this year to the list, so the series is out of 16, and the games is out of 95) Games: 5 (T-13th) Goals/G: 7.60 (2nd) Lead Changes/G: 0.60 (6th) Scoring Chances/G: 62.40 (3rd) xGF %diff./G: 9.69 (11th) xGF %diff. cumulative: 42.61 (12th) Time 2+ diff./G: 20.56 (12th) Time 3+ diff./G: 14.33 (15th) Story: 4 (T-3rd) Game 1: 151.1 (33rd) Game 2: 31.4 (88th) Game 3: 281.6 (1st) (!) Game 4: 104.2 (60th) Game 5: 17.0 (91st) Series overall: 54.6 (14th) Well, at least we got an overtime goal
Brilliant! My calculations are a touch different though...they rank the 2023 SCF as worse than MTL/TBL...16th. Funny how the only great game according to the model was the one the Panthers won :)
@@PinholesGraham Thank you for this! I figured with the general lopsidedness in Vegas’ favour, this was gonna be a lower ranking series- but that game 3?!? That’s BIZARRE. But, such is hockey.
@@PinholesGrahamSimilar to 2021 actually. The only really exciting game was the one that Montreal won. Games 2 and 5 were okay as well though. The panthers got blown out three different times which made it pretty un exiting.
@@chrisuncleahmad As a habs fan believe me I remember lol. Not just outshot, completely dominated. They probably had double the zone time as Tampa. But Vlasilefsky was an absolute wall the entire game and just two little mistakes by the Montreal d-men managed to turn into goals. I don’t think I’ve ever been saltier than after that game.
Great video I can tell this took alot of time and effort. Don't agree with every pick but that's ignoring stats and talking about actual excitement I can't argue the stats lol. You should make a video about the 15 best playoff series (not finals exclusive) in the last 15 years that would be really cool too.
Can't argue with the math but I'm surprised we were this high. You touched on it a little bit. I think a lot of people, myself included just thought those games in Washington were such a wash for the Caps that they tend to dismiss them. Still so happy we finally got a Cup.
Model seems really quite good, at least for my tastes. When you started explaining, I decided to write down my top 3 and bot 3 based on my personal memory/feelings to compare at the end. (Un)luckily, my team has not been in the final in the past 15 years, so I was free-ish from personal bias. For best I had: 1)PIT-DET rematch 2) BOS-VAN 3) CHI-PHI For worst I had 13th) LA-NYR 14th) LA-NJ 15th) TB-MTL Great video, really enjoyed your explanation.
I remember this vid a while back, and just recently rewatched it. What a treat and then it turns out that this video has a whole bonus channel with more essay videos! time to binge
I’ll never forget the energy that was going around in St. Louis when they finally brought a Cup home in 2019. It was like a movie, the atmosphere inside of Ballpark Village for the game 7 watch party was like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
Never seen your videos, but bro. This is incredible. Not just the result, but the way that you 'showed your work' and then laid it all out earns a sub from me 💪
I appreciate the work that went into this video and the mathematical angle means you looked at these series from a very unique perspective. For me, the thing that makes a game or a series great is simply "Did it have a dramatic finish?" That to me is the golden snitch so to speak. It decides whether or not a game will be remembered for a long time. A close, evenly played, fast-paced matchup can be fun and exciting but without that trademark moment, there's nothing to burn it into your brain for a long time. And you definitely did seem to care about that with all the times you stated "at least we had an overtime goal" but you didn't really include that in your metrics. I would have thought 2009 or 2013 would have won #1, both of them had unbelievably iconic endings. 2010 had an ending that was memorable but kind of quirky and odd too. I did not recall the 2010 series as a whole to be truly riveting like 09 or 13 either but perhaps I'm not the best judge of that. I also think what would have been cool would be if you had gone back to 2006 and stopped at 2021. Then you could say this was about the Cup Finals during the NHL on NBC/Doc Emrick era. Before 2006 there was a strike that eliminated a full season, before that the playoffs/finals was on ESPN/ABC and occasionally FOX, and the game looked and felt different. Significant rule changes were made in between. My point is, it serves as a very clear dividing line between 2 different eras of hockey. So I tend to group Cup together the Cup Finals of the 1990s and early 2000s right through 2004 as one era and all the ones from 2006 on as another era. Hockey in the 90s felt louder, bigger, more important. The Sports Illustrated cover in 1994 said "Why the NHL is hot and the NBA is not" right as the Finals of both sports was going on. Nike and Fox really got the word out to the masses and everyone with their rollerblades and their makeshift hockey nets in the streets seemed to care more about it. The star players were larger than life on par with the star power athletes of any of the other sports. Even when it had 4 consecutive years of 4 game sweeps. Hockey post 2005 had added some fun gimmicks like removing the 2-line pass for better action and the shoot-out for regular season tied games, but the background noise was quieted as the sport struggled to find footing, ratings, identity it once had. Cup Finals games that didn't air on NBC were broadcast on the obscure OLN, which rebranded to Versus, which rebranded to NBC Sports Network which was eventually trashed. This video was a review of hockey in that quieter era for those of us who still care to watch. And as your video shows, it was still worth watching. I think the poetic nature of the prose in your video is rubbing off on me here so I'll quit while I'm ahead.
Not surprised at all that the Habs v Lightning series was last place, and that pains me to say as a Habs fan, but if these stats were run on the Leafs or Vegas series that year, I'm sure they'd stack up pretty well with other round 1s and 3s. We had no hope in hell of winning the cup, but that run was so fun to watch anyway.
Man do I have to be at least the thousandth person to reiterate it: Jon Bois rehashed! You've earned a subscriber from this video man well freakin done!
It would be awesome to see a video like this, but ranking the runs that the team that won the cup made along the way, using similar math. This video was awesome. Hope your channel grows a lot!
Issue with this ranking is it's purely numbers based. Series like 2008, 2011, and 2019 should be higher just because of the intensity of the series and how every game was must-watch hockey just because of how heated the series got and how entertaining they were
It’s funny to me that game 6 of 2012 is close to the worst ranked game because despite that, it’s incredibly memorable for Bernier’s 5 minute major. Which I guess is also why the stat line was so one sided. LA ran over the devils for 5 straight minutes and the devils just had no fight left after those demoralizing 3 goals
This is great. Here's an idea: Greatest NON-final playoff series of the past 15 years. Some of them were more thrilling than the final itself during certain years.
I love this idea ! The only catch is that I'd have to do all the math for about 225 series, and doing the math for just these 15 took ages. I may narrow it down by around to start with. Thanks for the comment! :)
I still remember game 6 of that 2013 Stanley cup finals, I just remember since that game was in Boston, the whole stadium just went quiet so fast after the final goal
This was so good,, I watched the entire thing before my ADHD meds kicked in lol so thats quite the compliment if I do say so myself :) now im gonna go binge the channel ttyl also also: my first guess was that 2009 pitt & 2010 chicago would be high... was pleasantly surprised that my fav (&first fully watched) cup series(es?) were top two LOL 2009 championship film was the first documentary type movie I had every watched at my ripe age of like 7 (only because sid was POPPIN in elementary n I HAD to know wtf was up lol -- anyways, so I have a personal attachment to that series so imagine my pride & ego knowing that my fav cup series is one of the best (objectively) woohooo
As a chicago fan those series were electric when I was younger, and it is kinda cool to see that by these metrics they were some of the best of the best
the longer this video goes on (I'm writing this while listening to the 2019 section) and the longer I don't see the caps the more surprised and pleased I am edit: ah, a fellow caps fan!
I could not be happier you didn't mention the "totally not a trip" in Game 5 of the 2019, or else i would've gone down that rabbit hole of incredulousness again lmaooo
Glad to see a Caps fan on here. They are rare as commentators. I always remember it as I went to the only game in the Finals that we lost, but damn, that game was exciting and seeing it here makes me feel even better to have seen it in T-Mobile.
Biased as a Blues fan, but 2019 should definitely be ahead of 2018. 7 game series will always trump a 5 game series. I'd also argue the Blues/Bruins storyline was as big in its own right. Blues dead last in January, fired the coach earlier in the year, bringing up the backup AHL goalie, St. Louis native Pat Maroon trying to win the first cup for his hometown team, former Blues captain David Backes playing for the Bruins. To me, the 2019 final simply had a little bit of everything. Moments of great offense, stellar defense and goaltending, close games, one blowout, an OT game, a little controversy, nastiness (Krug's big hit on Thomas in game 1, 2 Blues players suspended during the series) Your metrics are sound, I just don't think by the eye test it does it justice. Really every game was neck and neck and came down to the 3rd period except game 3. Game 1 was tied in the 3rd. Game 2 OT Game 4 was tied in the 3rd, Game 5 was a one goal game, Game 6 was 1-0 in the 3rd before the wheels came off and even in Game 7 though the Blues were up 2-0 in the 3rd, they only had 10 shots on goal, and Binnington had to make a huge save before the Blues scored 2 more to put it away. Again probably some bias from me, but Blues/Bruins is a top 3/4 series over the last 15, certainly should be higher than 7. That being said, you did a great job on this, good stuff, you should do more!
IDK if you watched the methodology section, but as a 7-game series, 2019 (164 points) got a massive leg-up over the 5-game 2018 (104 points). So it says a lot if 2018 made up that ground with consistently good hockey that can actually be quantified. I hear you about the storyline, but the score of 4 is being carried entirely by the Blues. The 5 score is reserved for series where *both* teams have an awesome story, and/or one that the entire hockey world could appreciate. I don't think a near-50 year old rematch cuts it for the B's to get that extra point in either respect. As for the points in your third paragraph, every Finals has most of those things. The "problem" with 2019 is that it's inconsistent. Despite close scores, you could sense that one team was going to win Games 1, 2, 4, and 5 (but that's more forgivable if the score is close). Games 3 and 7 were over halfway in. Game 6 was really good until the Bruins put it away. But it wasn't a consistently well-rounded series like 2018. It adds up. But keep in mind, removing the xGF weight puts 2019 as the #1 series, so...your points are perfectly valid in a certain context. But that context isn't the main angle of the video.
It's funny as an LA fan because our playoff runs were both insane in their own right, but the cup finals were very lackluster by comparison. As noted in LA Chicago in 2014 felt like the cup finals and the series against the rangers following it up felt more like a formality unfortunately.
Cups will never have asterisks 2020 was every team at peak health playing with a shit ton of rest in an environment where all they could do is be focused on hockey without even having fans. In an essence 2020 was the absolute purest form of straight hockey probably ever.
I know im partial to the kings, but pound for pound the kings v hawks 2013 western conference finals was the best series i have ever watched. I wouldn't mind seeing you rank the best series not just finals.
Gotta admit I feel pretty damn smug as a Hawks fan right now lol. I remember when games were blacked out on TV, tickets were eight bucks, and the United Center was so empty that my friends and I used to play "Find where the people on the Jumbotron are sitting". It was so cathartic to finally *finally* be good after being so terrible for so long, and we all knew at the time that the Flyers series was something magical. Pronger is still persona non grata here for throwing the Cup winning puck in the trash lol. I do agree that the 2015 series feels like it should be lower. The games were close but really Tampa's defense was so stifling that it wound up just being kinda boring to watch. My memory actually tells me that they generally outplayed the Hawks most of the time but never got the lucky breaks they needed to get past Crawford, who was absolutely on fire that year (I think he split the Jennings with Price that year? I can't remember and don't care enough to look it up). Favorite memory of the 2013 Finals: I was at work on the night of Game 6, and got off with about five minutes to go in the 3rd. I was listening on the radio and got caught behind a huge tractor trailer at a notoriously slow railroad crossing,, so my radio cut out for a few minutes. I have never had a more potent mix of incredulous excitement and profound disappointment than when my signal finally came back in and suddenly we were seconds away from winning. Eternally kinda bummed that I missed experiencing it as it happened but WOW was that an early birthday present when I could finally hear the game again! Excellent work my dude! It's refreshing to finally see a Boisalike that focuses on hockey.
Great video, love the channel. That being said, I have a major quibble with a stamens of yours. Your praise of Pronger. Did you watch game 5? Happen to see. Byfuglien lay waste to Pronger?
I figured 2008 would be pretty low, I was more surprised it ended up above Pens/Preds. 08 was by far Fleury's best playoff performance, and the finals was no exception. The team in front performed at the 3rd worst rate in his playoff career with a sub 50 xGF%, but he ended the year with his 4th highest playoff GF% at 59%. People remember Fleury carrying VGK in their 1st year, but he was a much bigger part of the 08 run than even that year. Most people won't remember it that way though because goaltending was their downfall for the early 2010s. Pens may not have deserved 08 Fleury, but Fleury got what _he_ deserved in 09.
Well said, his performance in game 5 that series is still one of the biggest carry performances I’ve seen by a goalie. I still think the 08 finals was underrated because of how awesome that game was.
Fleury played as well as he possibly could in that 08 series, and absolutely stole game 5 to get the Penguins back into it. However he also gave up some bad bad goals such as Brad Stuart in game 2, Jiri Hudler in game 4, and Val Filp in game 6. The most memorable being Zetterberg’s GWG which may have been more bad luck than anything but still probably shouldn’t have gotten through
The "Folly" of this endeavor (not meant as offense, but as the weird framing conflict) is ranking statistically and "objectively" what is responded to emotionally and fandom-ly. 2019 can never accurately be weighted because of the "history" of a long-suffering franchise and a rematch. It does not account for the penalties called and uncalled. It does not account for sick hits that became instant viral references (Krug driving Thomas into next month) ("Settle Down Buffalo Head") (Chara's Glass and yet IRON Jaw) It probably is middle of the pack by the stats; but for the fandoms involved, that will seldom come into play. For the sports writers and broadcasters, they seek stories and emotions, and until statheads become the norm, they will continue to cater to the base level. TL:DR keep up the good work!
I find it hard to come to reconcile this obviously very good analysis with my eye test for the 11th, especially in regards to three lightning series and the one with Colorado not leading the others. Because of my inherent Avs bias I need some other’s perspectives, having viewed the 22,21, and 20 cups, which was actually the most dramatic and enticing to watch? Was the series better than 10th, 9th, 8th 7th as well? Im not fishing for favoritism im just trying to see how people not fans of either team would have placed if before placing it through this statistical filter.
wow this video is amazing. the production value is so high, it is criminal that this doesn’t have more views
It’s criminal that you have rights
@@CLoudy215planetwhat😭
Gotta wonder where Chicago/LA 2014 would rank here. I know it’s not the final, but people at the time were saying it might as well have been. That series was absolutely insane.
I may calculate that on my own. If I do, I'll let you know how it calculates out!
@@PinholesGraham I appreciate you and all of the hard work you did for this video dude!
@@ZiggyValentine check the pinned comment :>
@@PinholesGraham That was fast! Thank you dude!
Everyone knew whoever won that series was gonna be the cup winner rags were never and never will be champs
2011 still hurts to think about. My respect for Bergeron is sky-high to this day.
The Jon Bois is strong with this one, excellent job and looking forward to your other content! :D
The last ~2 minutes of the 2020 final felt so surreal. At that point the Stars felt like there wasn't a chance, and seeing the close ups of their bench without any noise from a crowd drove home how final it felt. I'm really glad they're having a resurgence this year because, man, that felt like the end of an era.
that series was so stressful i lost like 5 pounds over the course of the series LMAO
It just felt like “thank god we can move on from the bubble”, because god knows what those players felt in there.
The Stars played on like 21 plus injuries. We were on a technical third string goalie that needed hand surgery after the series because he had no feeling in three of his fingers. Our captain needed three surgeries to repair everything from hip to shoulder injuries sustained throughout the playoffs. Tyler Seguin needed knee surgery and missed the first half of 2021. Roope Hintz fractured his ankle in the semis and then hurt his hip in the finals. Miro had hip issues, Klinger and Lindell had shoulder and hand injuries respectively, Blake Comeu had a separated shoulder, and Radek Faksa broke his wrist.
We had no chance to beat Tampa. Our entire first, second, and third lines were almost all broken. We have a valiant effort and after the final whistle blew, I was absolutely floored. When news broke about just how many players we had injured, I was beyond upset lol
Two things.
1) If you ever make merch, you need to put the phrase “At least we got an overtime goal” on a shirt.
2) The way you used music in this one is excellent. Well done!
Can’t imagine how intense it was watching that 2009 Game 7 live, especially for Pittsburgh 👀
Even though we lost game 1, that 2018 finals opener is one of my favorite games I’ve watched in recent times and really got me hyped that year. Really enjoyed the Jon Bois style and content you have on your channel, keep up the great work man!
I agree on Game 1, it was amazing. But if we *had* won it, it would've been a sweep and people would respect the series even less than they do now :')
Reflections on my casual sports fandom:
I read your comment, and am surprised to see this compared to Jomboy, who is more comedic while analytic, assuming a speak to text typo.
I then search the John Boy sounding name to find that "Jon Bois" is yet another distinct sportscaster of the internet.
Today I Learned...!
I've had multiple requests to run the numbers for the 2014 West Final between the Kings and Blackhawks, soooo....
GP: 7
SC/G: 51.428
xGF% diff/G: 6.436
xGF% diff (lower): 48.6
2+ score diff/G: 14.918
3+ score diff/G: 5.693
LC/G: 1
Goals/Game: 7.286
Matchup/Story: 4
Game 1 (CHI 3-1): 137.7
Game 2 (LAK 6-2): 114.8
Game 3 (LAK 4-3): 147.0
Game 4 (LAK 5-2): 15.3 (oof)
Game 5: (CHI 5-4 2OT): 188.0
Game 6 (CHI 4-3): 227.9
Game 7 (LAK 5-4 OT): 265.0 (#1 out of all games in this video...and it is also the only game I've ever seen where the xGF were exactly dead even: 2.74-2.74)
No length bonus: *4th*
No xGF modifier: *1st*
No score penalty: *2nd*
Overall ranking: *1st*
that 2014 WCF was seriously the best hockey ive ever seen. That series WAS the Finals. Everyone knew whoever came out of it, was winning the Cup. Even as a Hawks fan, that series is probably my favorite ever, although its hard to beat out the 3 series that you end up winning the Cup in.
Also, for 2015, i think the Story Score should be given an extra point because that series was the one that would decide if the Blackhawks were gonna be a Modern Day Dynasty. By winning it, they cemented their Dynasty, but in the dust, showed what would be what we know as the current day Lightning that have been to 3 Finals with 2 Cups.
@@madiganyt Man do I miss the days when our teams were battling for the cup. You guys had a longer run, but it was fun while it lasted. Never have I been more nervous as a fan than I was during the playoffs at the Madhouse, that place was going nuts at all moments. Super intimidating, then you had to hear that goal song to rub it in after every Blackhawks goal.
@@ZiggyValentine CHELSEA CHELSEA I BELIEVE THAT WHEN YOURE DANCING SLOWLY SUCKING YOUR SLEEVE, THE BOYS GET LONELY AFTER YOU LEAVE, ITS ONE FOR THE DAGGER, ANOTHER FOR THE ONE YOUR BELIEVE!
CHI-LAK rivalry was just peak hockey and was almost the best match up. A never miss series for them.
@@madiganyt I think because it was built on respect more than hatred. As a Kings fan, I don’t remember being particularly annoyed by Hawks fans. We all knew we were witnessing something special.
@@ZiggyValentine same, i definitely wasnt a fan after 2014 though lmao. But i have so much respect for guys like Quick and Kopitar and Doughty. Theyre all amazing players and made our 3 Cup journey just that much more special
I actually do believe that the best finals for a first time fan to watch would of been the 2018 finals. An understandable and heart thrilling story with ovi and the knights, and an outcome that was unanimously celebrated. The best cup lift of all time, the save, too much excitement every game. Nothing else to say. We all have our own personal favorites, mine will always be 2018.
It is a great cup lift, but I think 1994 Mark Messier has a little something to say about that.
I was happy for Ovi but I started the series rooting for the expansion Golden Knights to do the impossible. I was a bit disappointed to see them go out in 5 games like that. But it was still great hockey.
Never forget that women by the boards 👏🏼 loved watching that series as well
I hear you, but 2019 had a similar story. A team left for dead mid season, an unbelievable run to make the playoffs, then 4 tough series all culminating in a team that had waited longer than any other in the league's history getting their first cup.
If 2018 didn't hook you in, 2019 sure as hell would have.
Totally agree on 2017, I remember that series feeling a lot more interesting and exciting than it actually was.
The instant nashville lost game 1, it was over. Pittsburgh was in the drivers seat the entire time.
First off, you need to send this video out to SB Nation or another Sports Media company because this is so high quality and I think it is on par with something that would be made by any of those companies.
Secondly, while the Avs vs Lightning series ranks low it will always be memorable to me for a very specific reason. The Avs head coach, Jared Bednar, once played for the ECHL's Huntington Blizzard back before I was born. Huntington has not had hockey in over 20 years, and the fact that one of its former players was able to win hockey's most coveted trophy still fills me with joy that a small city in West Virginia contributed to hockey history in a small way.
The Jon Bois influence is real I love this
I appreciate this, because I bet if you made a video on the best series just from memory, historical context, big moments et cetera, it would come out different. It’s interesting to see such a relatively objective analysis.
Edit: also, not a Pens fan?
Nvm. I have my answer 😂
Finally, someone understands!
The '08 and '09 finals were peak hockey, haven't seen a final that good since. '04 still my favorite.
The amount of effort that was put into this is absolutely incredible. This deserves so so much more praise than it's gotten
Wow the production value here is insane! I'm subscribing for this alone, but small edit, The Wings swept Columbus, Pittsburgh swept Carolina in 2009
For those wondering where this year's Stanley Cup Finals would rank, these are the stats (assuming that my calculations are correct lol) and their ranking since 2008. (If the rankings seem too low, remember this is the ranking after already adding all of the 5 games from this year to the list, so the series is out of 16, and the games is out of 95)
Games: 5 (T-13th)
Goals/G: 7.60 (2nd)
Lead Changes/G: 0.60 (6th)
Scoring Chances/G: 62.40 (3rd)
xGF %diff./G: 9.69 (11th)
xGF %diff. cumulative: 42.61 (12th)
Time 2+ diff./G: 20.56 (12th)
Time 3+ diff./G: 14.33 (15th)
Story: 4 (T-3rd)
Game 1: 151.1 (33rd)
Game 2: 31.4 (88th)
Game 3: 281.6 (1st) (!)
Game 4: 104.2 (60th)
Game 5: 17.0 (91st)
Series overall: 54.6 (14th)
Well, at least we got an overtime goal
Brilliant! My calculations are a touch different though...they rank the 2023 SCF as worse than MTL/TBL...16th.
Funny how the only great game according to the model was the one the Panthers won :)
@@PinholesGraham Thank you for this! I figured with the general lopsidedness in Vegas’ favour, this was gonna be a lower ranking series- but that game 3?!? That’s BIZARRE. But, such is hockey.
@@PinholesGrahamSimilar to 2021 actually. The only really exciting game was the one that Montreal won. Games 2 and 5 were okay as well though. The panthers got blown out three different times which made it pretty un exiting.
@@politicalbandwagon4989Montreal actually outshot Tampa in game 2
@@chrisuncleahmad As a habs fan believe me I remember lol. Not just outshot, completely dominated. They probably had double the zone time as Tampa. But Vlasilefsky was an absolute wall the entire game and just two little mistakes by the Montreal d-men managed to turn into goals. I don’t think I’ve ever been saltier than after that game.
The script writing and narration of the 2020 finals was beautiful
As a fellow Caps fan, I can’t thank you enough for ending this sweet video with our goal
Holy shit. It’s a Jon Bois video about hockey. I can die happy. (I kid, though honestly it’s the highest praise I could give.) excellent work!
Great video I can tell this took alot of time and effort. Don't agree with every pick but that's ignoring stats and talking about actual excitement I can't argue the stats lol. You should make a video about the 15 best playoff series (not finals exclusive) in the last 15 years that would be really cool too.
Can't argue with the math but I'm surprised we were this high. You touched on it a little bit. I think a lot of people, myself included just thought those games in Washington were such a wash for the Caps that they tend to dismiss them. Still so happy we finally got a Cup.
Model seems really quite good, at least for my tastes. When you started explaining, I decided to write down my top 3 and bot 3 based on my personal memory/feelings to compare at the end.
(Un)luckily, my team has not been in the final in the past 15 years, so I was free-ish from personal bias.
For best I had:
1)PIT-DET rematch
2) BOS-VAN
3) CHI-PHI
For worst I had
13th) LA-NYR
14th) LA-NJ
15th) TB-MTL
Great video, really enjoyed your explanation.
I remember this vid a while back, and just recently rewatched it. What a treat
and then it turns out that this video has a whole bonus channel with more essay videos!
time to binge
I’ll never forget the energy that was going around in St. Louis when they finally brought a Cup home in 2019. It was like a movie, the atmosphere inside of Ballpark Village for the game 7 watch party was like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
Never seen your videos, but bro.
This is incredible. Not just the result, but the way that you 'showed your work' and then laid it all out earns a sub from me 💪
Thanks, Myklow! Glad you enjoyed it so much :)
@@PinholesGraham hell yeah man keep it up!
Fantastically done video. Not enough love given to these types of video essays, they are hard to make and even harder to write. Well done
Thanks so much, Brady! Glad you enjoyed it so much :)
I appreciate the work that went into this video and the mathematical angle means you looked at these series from a very unique perspective.
For me, the thing that makes a game or a series great is simply "Did it have a dramatic finish?" That to me is the golden snitch so to speak. It decides whether or not a game will be remembered for a long time. A close, evenly played, fast-paced matchup can be fun and exciting but without that trademark moment, there's nothing to burn it into your brain for a long time. And you definitely did seem to care about that with all the times you stated "at least we had an overtime goal" but you didn't really include that in your metrics. I would have thought 2009 or 2013 would have won #1, both of them had unbelievably iconic endings. 2010 had an ending that was memorable but kind of quirky and odd too. I did not recall the 2010 series as a whole to be truly riveting like 09 or 13 either but perhaps I'm not the best judge of that.
I also think what would have been cool would be if you had gone back to 2006 and stopped at 2021. Then you could say this was about the Cup Finals during the NHL on NBC/Doc Emrick era. Before 2006 there was a strike that eliminated a full season, before that the playoffs/finals was on ESPN/ABC and occasionally FOX, and the game looked and felt different. Significant rule changes were made in between. My point is, it serves as a very clear dividing line between 2 different eras of hockey. So I tend to group Cup together the Cup Finals of the 1990s and early 2000s right through 2004 as one era and all the ones from 2006 on as another era. Hockey in the 90s felt louder, bigger, more important. The Sports Illustrated cover in 1994 said "Why the NHL is hot and the NBA is not" right as the Finals of both sports was going on. Nike and Fox really got the word out to the masses and everyone with their rollerblades and their makeshift hockey nets in the streets seemed to care more about it. The star players were larger than life on par with the star power athletes of any of the other sports. Even when it had 4 consecutive years of 4 game sweeps. Hockey post 2005 had added some fun gimmicks like removing the 2-line pass for better action and the shoot-out for regular season tied games, but the background noise was quieted as the sport struggled to find footing, ratings, identity it once had. Cup Finals games that didn't air on NBC were broadcast on the obscure OLN, which rebranded to Versus, which rebranded to NBC Sports Network which was eventually trashed. This video was a review of hockey in that quieter era for those of us who still care to watch. And as your video shows, it was still worth watching.
I think the poetic nature of the prose in your video is rubbing off on me here so I'll quit while I'm ahead.
This video reminds me of a Jon Bois video. And that is a massive compliment. Excellent work.
This could've been a chart party video. Good stuff
This is the best hockey video I’ve ever seen
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it :)
This video is top notch. Getting an entertaining deep dive into these series is such a pleasure
Not surprised at all that the Habs v Lightning series was last place, and that pains me to say as a Habs fan, but if these stats were run on the Leafs or Vegas series that year, I'm sure they'd stack up pretty well with other round 1s and 3s.
We had no hope in hell of winning the cup, but that run was so fun to watch anyway.
25:23-25:40 I’d love to see a “Playoffs Past” episode for this series.
Bruh this production is insane for a small channel. Subbed and you deserve more
Man do I have to be at least the thousandth person to reiterate it: Jon Bois rehashed! You've earned a subscriber from this video man well freakin done!
Can't wait to come back in a few months and see your view counts in the 6 digits, keep up the great work!
Fingers crossed! Thanks for watching :)
It would be awesome to see a video like this, but ranking the runs that the team that won the cup made along the way, using similar math. This video was awesome. Hope your channel grows a lot!
That's an idea...hmmm...😉
@@PinholesGrahamI'd love to hear how the Avs/Lightning rankings change factoring in how many league/franchise records the Avs set last season
Issue with this ranking is it's purely numbers based. Series like 2008, 2011, and 2019 should be higher just because of the intensity of the series and how every game was must-watch hockey just because of how heated the series got and how entertaining they were
This deserves more views. Phenomenal job
It’s funny to me that game 6 of 2012 is close to the worst ranked game because despite that, it’s incredibly memorable for Bernier’s 5 minute major. Which I guess is also why the stat line was so one sided. LA ran over the devils for 5 straight minutes and the devils just had no fight left after those demoralizing 3 goals
This is great. Here's an idea: Greatest NON-final playoff series of the past 15 years. Some of them were more thrilling than the final itself during certain years.
I love this idea ! The only catch is that I'd have to do all the math for about 225 series, and doing the math for just these 15 took ages. I may narrow it down by around to start with. Thanks for the comment! :)
@@PinholesGraham Maybe conference finals? The Avs/Wings series, obviously, would rank high.
@@PinholesGraham ducks Blackhawks 2015 has to be up there
I still remember game 6 of that 2013 Stanley cup finals, I just remember since that game was in Boston, the whole stadium just went quiet so fast after the final goal
Man this is an incredible video, so refreshing to see hockey content like this
This was so good,, I watched the entire thing before my ADHD meds kicked in lol so thats quite the compliment if I do say so myself :)
now im gonna go binge the channel ttyl
also also:
my first guess was that 2009 pitt & 2010 chicago would be high... was pleasantly surprised that my fav (&first fully watched) cup series(es?) were top two LOL
2009 championship film was the first documentary type movie I had every watched at my ripe age of like 7 (only because sid was POPPIN in elementary n I HAD to know wtf was up lol -- anyways, so I have a personal attachment to that series so imagine my pride & ego knowing that my fav cup series is one of the best (objectively) woohooo
Why does this not have more views? great job man
22:57 let’s go caps! This series was deflated the moment Holtby stopped that shot. It was when you knew Vegas was done
Damn the editing is solid
Well made
Also, 29:48 I remember watching that game live on tv when I was 7
Good times
As a chicago fan those series were electric when I was younger, and it is kinda cool to see that by these metrics they were some of the best of the best
This video is straight gold in every way
Thanks, Aiden! :)
the longer this video goes on (I'm writing this while listening to the 2019 section) and the longer I don't see the caps the more surprised and pleased I am
edit: ah, a fellow caps fan!
Tremendous work ! Masterclass. Would be awesome to get the exercise further and analyse previous finals too 👍👍👍
Let's say, the Original Six Era (1942-1967). Much less series/matches to study. Should be manageable/captivating
I'd love for you to do the same thing for best series. Wonder how Ottawa vs Pittsburgh in 2017 panned out
This is fantastic. Well done!!! Keep it up Pinhole Graham!!
I could not be happier you didn't mention the "totally not a trip" in Game 5 of the 2019, or else i would've gone down that rabbit hole of incredulousness again lmaooo
While I don’t agree with the metrics, great idea, fun video
Interesting! What rankings would you change?
Great video man! You just earned a sub 🙏 keep it up youre gonna be huge one day 🔥
Fastest sub I’ve ever subbed. You are incredible, I cannot wait for you to blow up. Maybe you’ll get hired by Secret Base someday
Absolutely incredible video! You nail the storytelling along with the stats. So glad I found this channel!
Glad to see a Caps fan on here. They are rare as commentators.
I always remember it as I went to the only game in the Finals that we lost, but damn, that game was exciting and seeing it here makes me feel even better to have seen it in T-Mobile.
Biased as a Blues fan, but 2019 should definitely be ahead of 2018. 7 game series will always trump a 5 game series. I'd also argue the Blues/Bruins storyline was as big in its own right.
Blues dead last in January, fired the coach earlier in the year, bringing up the backup AHL goalie, St. Louis native Pat Maroon trying to win the first cup for his hometown team, former Blues captain David Backes playing for the Bruins.
To me, the 2019 final simply had a little bit of everything. Moments of great offense, stellar defense and goaltending, close games, one blowout, an OT game, a little controversy, nastiness (Krug's big hit on Thomas in game 1, 2 Blues players suspended during the series)
Your metrics are sound, I just don't think by the eye test it does it justice. Really every game was neck and neck and came down to the 3rd period except game 3. Game 1 was tied in the 3rd. Game 2 OT Game 4 was tied in the 3rd, Game 5 was a one goal game, Game 6 was 1-0 in the 3rd before the wheels came off and even in Game 7 though the Blues were up 2-0 in the 3rd, they only had 10 shots on goal, and Binnington had to make a huge save before the Blues scored 2 more to put it away.
Again probably some bias from me, but Blues/Bruins is a top 3/4 series over the last 15, certainly should be higher than 7.
That being said, you did a great job on this, good stuff, you should do more!
IDK if you watched the methodology section, but as a 7-game series, 2019 (164 points) got a massive leg-up over the 5-game 2018 (104 points). So it says a lot if 2018 made up that ground with consistently good hockey that can actually be quantified.
I hear you about the storyline, but the score of 4 is being carried entirely by the Blues. The 5 score is reserved for series where *both* teams have an awesome story, and/or one that the entire hockey world could appreciate. I don't think a near-50 year old rematch cuts it for the B's to get that extra point in either respect.
As for the points in your third paragraph, every Finals has most of those things.
The "problem" with 2019 is that it's inconsistent. Despite close scores, you could sense that one team was going to win Games 1, 2, 4, and 5 (but that's more forgivable if the score is close). Games 3 and 7 were over halfway in. Game 6 was really good until the Bruins put it away. But it wasn't a consistently well-rounded series like 2018. It adds up.
But keep in mind, removing the xGF weight puts 2019 as the #1 series, so...your points are perfectly valid in a certain context. But that context isn't the main angle of the video.
Rangers Kings was such a slept on final, most games went to OT
How the Canadiens beat vegas is truly insane. Carey pryce had one last gasp before stammer took his head off
Absolutely incredible video, so well executed and thought out - thank you so much for making this!!
If you're talking about story, the blues made an absolute historic run. Everything about that series started what 45 ago when STL and BOS met.
Your content is underrated
Even though I'm pretty new to hockey, I really enjoy your videos
Glad I could help introduce you to the best sport on earth! :) Stick around for more!
It's funny as an LA fan because our playoff runs were both insane in their own right, but the cup finals were very lackluster by comparison. As noted in LA Chicago in 2014 felt like the cup finals and the series against the rangers following it up felt more like a formality unfortunately.
2019 was the last cup to feel competitive. Tampa and Colorado was GOOD, but we all knew the Avalanche were going to win. 2019 was a great series.
Being a Sharks fan, 2016 still hurts but hey, we made your top 10 at least 😅
amazing video jesus i cannot say how much i love it
Sick vid man needs more views
Amazing video
Awesome video! You should do this type of video about NHL rivalries!
I’m older, but my favorite finals I watched was Dallas and Buffalo in 1999 and Oilers/Canes in 2006.
I didnt know Jon Bois had a son!
Amazing work. Enjoyed watching from start to finish
At least we got some overtime goals
2017 was so fun to watch in my opinion. Just the raw emotion and absolute savage put on the ice should have brought it up.
I recognize that Civ 3 music at 17:35
Cups will never have asterisks 2020 was every team at peak health playing with a shit ton of rest in an environment where all they could do is be focused on hockey without even having fans. In an essence 2020 was the absolute purest form of straight hockey probably ever.
I love the video. So much time and effort went into this I love it. Also… pens own the caps 🤐
There's one thing all these series have in common that I thought was worth mentioning. Doc Emrick's legendary voice and commentary.
A great hockey voice, up there with the Thorne/Clement duo!
I know im partial to the kings, but pound for pound the kings v hawks 2013 western conference finals was the best series i have ever watched. I wouldn't mind seeing you rank the best series not just finals.
The outro reminded me of how much I miss Emrick :(
I think one of the great things about the 2019 championship was that the Blues switched goalies to a rookie in early January.
"At least we got overtime."
Gotta admit I feel pretty damn smug as a Hawks fan right now lol. I remember when games were blacked out on TV, tickets were eight bucks, and the United Center was so empty that my friends and I used to play "Find where the people on the Jumbotron are sitting". It was so cathartic to finally *finally* be good after being so terrible for so long, and we all knew at the time that the Flyers series was something magical. Pronger is still persona non grata here for throwing the Cup winning puck in the trash lol.
I do agree that the 2015 series feels like it should be lower. The games were close but really Tampa's defense was so stifling that it wound up just being kinda boring to watch. My memory actually tells me that they generally outplayed the Hawks most of the time but never got the lucky breaks they needed to get past Crawford, who was absolutely on fire that year (I think he split the Jennings with Price that year? I can't remember and don't care enough to look it up).
Favorite memory of the 2013 Finals: I was at work on the night of Game 6, and got off with about five minutes to go in the 3rd. I was listening on the radio and got caught behind a huge tractor trailer at a notoriously slow railroad crossing,, so my radio cut out for a few minutes. I have never had a more potent mix of incredulous excitement and profound disappointment than when my signal finally came back in and suddenly we were seconds away from winning. Eternally kinda bummed that I missed experiencing it as it happened but WOW was that an early birthday present when I could finally hear the game again!
Excellent work my dude! It's refreshing to finally see a Boisalike that focuses on hockey.
Great video, love the channel. That being said, I have a major quibble with a stamens of yours. Your praise of Pronger. Did you watch game 5? Happen to see. Byfuglien lay waste to Pronger?
great stuff bro, really enjoyed the vid
How the heck do you not have more subs?
I love the SBNation feel
I figured 2008 would be pretty low, I was more surprised it ended up above Pens/Preds. 08 was by far Fleury's best playoff performance, and the finals was no exception. The team in front performed at the 3rd worst rate in his playoff career with a sub 50 xGF%, but he ended the year with his 4th highest playoff GF% at 59%. People remember Fleury carrying VGK in their 1st year, but he was a much bigger part of the 08 run than even that year. Most people won't remember it that way though because goaltending was their downfall for the early 2010s. Pens may not have deserved 08 Fleury, but Fleury got what _he_ deserved in 09.
Well said, his performance in game 5 that series is still one of the biggest carry performances I’ve seen by a goalie. I still think the 08 finals was underrated because of how awesome that game was.
Fleury played as well as he possibly could in that 08 series, and absolutely stole game 5 to get the Penguins back into it. However he also gave up some bad bad goals such as Brad Stuart in game 2, Jiri Hudler in game 4, and Val Filp in game 6. The most memorable being Zetterberg’s GWG which may have been more bad luck than anything but still probably shouldn’t have gotten through
my man u gotta throw some ads on these, wouldn't even complain, because you've got such good quality. you've earned a new sub & hopefully many more!!
are your videos jon bois inspired? to me its a familiar yet different vibe and i like it.
As a Flyers fan... pain.
It’s like Chart Party but for hockey
The "Folly" of this endeavor (not meant as offense, but as the weird framing conflict) is ranking statistically and "objectively" what is responded to emotionally and fandom-ly.
2019 can never accurately be weighted because of the "history" of a long-suffering franchise and a rematch.
It does not account for the penalties called and uncalled.
It does not account for sick hits that became instant viral references (Krug driving Thomas into next month) ("Settle Down Buffalo Head") (Chara's Glass and yet IRON Jaw)
It probably is middle of the pack by the stats; but for the fandoms involved, that will seldom come into play.
For the sports writers and broadcasters, they seek stories and emotions, and until statheads become the norm, they will continue to cater to the base level.
TL:DR keep up the good work!
I find it hard to come to reconcile this obviously very good analysis with my eye test for the 11th, especially in regards to three lightning series and the one with Colorado not leading the others.
Because of my inherent Avs bias I need some other’s perspectives, having viewed the 22,21, and 20 cups, which was actually the most dramatic and enticing to watch? Was the series better than 10th, 9th, 8th 7th as well? Im not fishing for favoritism im just trying to see how people not fans of either team would have placed if before placing it through this statistical filter.
34:33 They actually swept the Jackets