Super 16 in expansion era Stanley Cup winners updated (Part 1)

The NHL season has been postponed since March due to concerns surrounding the spread of coronavirus, so to steam up the heat this week let’s look at the history of the game – to be specific, top 16 Stanley Cup championship teams from 1967 to the present day, the NHL expansion era.

The 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens were voted first by 10 of the 13 participating staff members to end up as the No. 1 team.

The ’76-77 Canadiens had nine future Hall of Fame athletes. They went 12-2 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including the NHL record for most points in a regular season with 132 in 80 games (60-8-12 (ties)).

They were also the only team to be voted by all 13 staff members.

Forty-four of the past 51 Stanley Cup championships got at least three voting points. It was so close that the 1980-81 New York Islanders and 1993-94 New York Rangers each failed to get in the Super 16 by less than one voting point.

The Edmonton Oilers are honored four times and the Canadiens are honored three times. The Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks and Bruins each have two teams in the list.

To create the Super 16, each of the 13 staff members must put together version of what they think it should look like.

The first championship team was given 16 points, second got 15, third 14 and went down to No. 16, which got one point. 

Here is the Super 16, best Stanley Cup winning teams from 1967 to present day:

1. 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens

Total: 199 points

They scored average 4.84 goals per game and allowed average 2.14 per game. Their plus-216 goal differential is an outstanding NHL record. Hall of Fame forward Guy Lafleur stood out in the League with 136 points (56 goals, 80 assists) in the regular season and 26 points (17 assists and nine goals) in 14 playoff games. Hall of Fame goalie Ken Dryden got 41-6 with eight ties. He had a 2.14 goals-against average amd 10 shutouts in the regular season and allowing 22 goals and four shutouts in the playoffs.