Last night the Boston Bruins set an NHL Record with their 63rd Regukar season game. That is more than any other NHL team has ever won in a regular season. What’s even more impressive is they reach 63 in their 80th game, which allows them to truly have this record without an asterisk attached since many of the other top teams came from the era of 80 games.
The Lightning and Red Wings each had 62 wins in 82 games, but it is the incredible run of te Montreal Canadiens from 1975-76 through 77-78 in an 80 game schedule who won 58,59, and 60 games.
Last year’s Panthers won 58 games in 82. The great Oilers teams of the 80s won 57 games twice in 80 games.
The Bruins goal differential through 80 games of +123 is incredible in the 82 game era, built lets look at this Habs teams…
The 1976-77 Canadiens goal differential? +216. 1977-78? +179, 1975-76? 161
The great Oilers teams? They averaged right around *120
The second most wins of all time, The 95-96 Red Wings won 62 in 82 and was a +144
In my opinion its hard to go against those ate 70s Canadiens teams. They were a force and they were the team Thant broke through an NHL that was the roughest of any in its history…Remember, the Flyers/Broad Street Bullies, had won the Cup in 74 and 75…
But the Canadiens broke through that era….and they did so by being tough (Larry Robinson) but truly they broke through by being too skilled to goon it up against..You simply couldn’t catch them…
The whole era shift was encapsulated by the 1975-76 Cup Finals, where the Canadiens swept the Flyers in 4 games.
The other great teams of the late 1900s. The Islanders, Penguins, Devils, etc are all up for debate as well…..
But for me….the Canadiens from 75-78 was the best team ever.
Back after the podcast today with tonight’s picks and updated projected standings.
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