The 2016 Penguins Were The Best Team Of This Decade

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Created by: AnalyticsGeek

Team: 2019-20 Pittsburgh Penguins

Initial Creation Date: Apr. 9, 2020

Published: Apr. 9, 2020

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Description

In my opinion, the 2016 Pittsburgh Penguins were the best team of this past decade. Though they were perhaps not the most stacked team on paper, their on ice performance was truly an exceptional & dominant effort. Just look at the stats!

In the 2015-16 playoffs, the Penguins had a 52% Corsi, a 55% shot differential, a 57% goal differential, a 56% expected goal differential, a 53% scoring chance differential & a 55% high danger chance differential. The 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks did put up very close numbers, but they had a much lower scoring chance & high danger scoring chance differential.

I will concede that the Los Angeles Kings put up better numbers in terms of goal scores & expected goals while the possession & scoring chance numbers were similar, but I still think the Penguins have the edge because they had a more difficult road to win. While the Kings manhandled the Presidents trophy winners & defending Western champs Vancouver in the first round, they didn’t really face such elite teams afterward in St Louis, Phoenix & New Jersey. The Penguins had to get past the same Rangers team that made it to the finals in 2013-14 & won the Presidents trophy in 2014-15, the Presidents trophy winning Washington Capitals & the defending Eastern Champions in Tampa. I don’t understand why everyone says the Penguins had an easy road to the cup, they had just as tough of a road as the 2013 Blackhawks, if not more. So for these reasons, I think the 2016 Pens team was the best of this decade performance-wise.

Free Agent Signings

CREATED	YEARS	CAP HIT
Kunitz, Chris	2	$3,750,000
Cullen, Matt	1	$800,000
Fehr, Eric	3	$2,000,000
Lovejoy, Ben	1	$1,200,000

Trades

PIT

Kühnhackl, Tom

NYI

PIT

Hagelin, Carl

WSH

PIT

Bonino, Nick

NSH

PIT

Kessel, Phil

ARI

PIT

Määttä, Olli

CHI

PIT

Cole, Ian

COL

PIT

Daley, Trevor

DET

PIT

Fleury, Marc-André

VGK

Buried

Casey DeSmith: $175,000 ($1,250,000)

Draft	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7
2020
2021
2022

ROSTER

LONG-TERM OUTLOOK

EMBED

TEXT-EMBED

ROSTER SIZE	SALARY CAP	CAP HIT	OVERAGES	BONUSES	CAP SPACE
23	$81,500,000	$91,857,391	$132,500	$0	-$10,357,391

Left Wing	Centre	Right Wing
Sheary, Conor $3,000,000$3,000,000 LW, RW UFA - 1	Crosby, Sidney $8,700,000$8,700,000 C NMC UFA - 6	Hörnqvist, Patric $5,300,000$5,300,000 RW NTC UFA - 4
Kunitz, Chris $3,750,000$3,750,000	Malkin, Evgeni $9,500,000$9,500,000 C NMC UFA - 3	Rust, Bryan $3,500,000$3,500,000 RW, LW UFA - 3
Hagelin, Carl $2,750,000$2,750,000 LW UFA - 4	Bonino, Nick $4,100,000$4,100,000 C, LW UFA - 2	Kessel, Phil $6,800,000$6,800,000 RW M-NTC, NMC UFA - 3
Kühnhackl, Tom $850,000$850,000 RW UFA - 1	Cullen, Matt $800,000$800,000	Fehr, Eric $2,000,000$2,000,000

Left Defense	Right Defense	Goaltender
Dumoulin, Brian $4,100,000$4,100,000 LD M-NTC UFA - 4	Letang, Kris $7,250,000$7,250,000 RD M-NTC, NMC UFA - 3	Murray, Matt $3,750,000$3,750,000 G UFA - 1
Määttä, Olli $3,333,225$3,333,225 LD UFA - 3	Daley, Trevor $3,166,666$3,166,666 RD M-NTC UFA - 1
	Lovejoy, Ben $1,200,000$1,200,000	Fleury, Marc-André $3,500,000$3,500,000 G M-NTC UFA - 3
Cole, Ian $3,450,000$3,450,000 LD/RD UFA - 2

Scratches	Injured Reserve (IR)	Long Term IR (LTIR)
Guentzel, Jake $4,500,000$4,500,000 LW, RW UFA - 5		Tanev, Brandon $3,500,000$3,500,000 LW, RW M-NTC UFA - 6
Simon, Dominik $750,000$750,000 RW, LW UFA - 1		Ruhwedel, Chad $700,000$700,000 RD UFA - 2
Schultz, Justin $5,500,000$5,500,000 RD M-NTC UFA - 1		Riikola, Juuso $850,000$850,000 LD UFA - 1
		Pettersson, Marcus $874,125$874,125 LD UFA - 1
		Johnson, Jack $3,250,000$3,250,000 LD UFA - 4
		Marino, John $925,000$925,000 ($850,000$850K) RD UFA - 2
		Zucker, Jason $5,500,000$5,500,000 LW, RW M-NTC UFA - 4
		Bjugstad, Nick $2,050,000$2,050,000 C, RW UFA - 2
		McCann, Jared $1,250,000$1,250,000 C, LW UFA - 1
		Jarry, Tristan $675,000$675,000 G UFA - 1
		Rodrigues, Evan $2,000,000$2,000,000 LW, C UFA - 1
		Blueger, Teddy $750,000$750,000 C, LW UFA - 2
		Marleau, Patrick $700,000$700,000 LW, C UFA - 1
		Aston-Reese, Zach $1,000,000$1,000,000 LW, RW UFA - 2
		Lafferty, Sam $767,500$767,500 ($132,500$132K) RW, C, LW UFA - 1
		Angello, Anthony $833,750$833,750 C, RW UFA - 1

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:01 p.m.

AnalyticsGeek

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@Grusofsky96 @pharrow @CHUG @mhockey91 @Sidstick87 @MajesticWalrus @ChampEddy @Eugene_Meltsner @acj @Sebybbq @MTF @NoWah49 @Marcsnack @MitchMarnerElite @csick @ryandrisc @TabooPenguo @Jr_pens @claysbar

Do you believe this 2016 Penguins team was the best of the decade?

mhockey91, NoWah49, Pens3lieve and 1 other person liked this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:02 p.m.

BCAPP

Joined: May 2015

Posts: 9,382

Likes: 3,695

That defense is extremely mediocre for best of the decade.

Tampa last year choked but the team was better than this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:02 p.m.

csick

KFTW

Joined: Jul. 2018

Posts: 42,910

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Quoting: MitchMarnerElite

No the 2013 one with Neal, Iginla etc. That was a beast of a team, still can’t believe they got swept by Boston. That team had the best offence I’ve ever seen

Pens3lieve liked this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:08 p.m.

mhockey91

Joined: Jun. 2015

Posts: 15,921

Likes: 6,980

Quoting: csick

No the 2013 one with Neal, Iginla etc. That was a beast of a team, still can’t believe they got swept by Boston. That team had the best offence I’ve ever seen

Maybe on paper but the way this team played together was incredible. 2016 pens dominated and controlled possession their entire post season run.

csick and Pens3lieve liked this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:10 p.m.

mhockey91

Joined: Jun. 2015

Posts: 15,921

Likes: 6,980

Quoting: BCAPP

That defense is extremely mediocre for best of the decade.

Tampa last year choked but the team was better than this.

Maybe on paper it was better, but clearly, the 2016 Pens had incredible chemistry and had an incredible run in the 2016 playoffs. This team was legit

Pens3lieve liked this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:10 p.m.

hockeyfanatic05

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Quoting: BCAPP

That defense is extremely mediocre for best of the decade.

Tampa last year choked but the team was better than this.

That logic makes zero sense. You're saying a team that didnt win a single game was better than a team who outplayed every team they faced in the playoffs. Talent wise, yes Tampa had more talent, but that doesnt make them the best team

mhockey91 and Pens3lieve liked this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:15 p.m.

Yojimbo

Joined: Apr. 2018

Posts: 5,351

Likes: 1,535

Quoting: csick

No the 2013 one with Neal, Iginla etc. That was a beast of a team, still can’t believe they got swept by Boston. That team had the best offence I’ve ever seen

I still can'[t believe that the Pens had Iginla, and the clown-shoes of a coach played him off wing.

csick, mhockey91 and Pens3lieve liked this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:16 p.m.

BCAPP

Joined: May 2015

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Quoting: mhockey91

Maybe on paper it was better, but clearly, the 2016 Pens had incredible chemistry and had an incredible run in the 2016 playoffs. This team was legit

They clicked at the right time. There is no denying that, they won the cup. But you asked who the best team was. The Chicago team the year they went on like a 23 game win streak was also better.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:18 p.m.

BCAPP

Joined: May 2015

Posts: 9,382

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Quoting: hockeyfanatic05

What do you mean didn't win a single game? I presume you mean playoffs. That team dominated in the regular season. IIRC the Penguins team were out of playoff spot before they fired they're coach. People can add all the silly narratives they want, but in reality what both things show is any team can go hot and cold. This team clicked at the right time, thats why they won and thats why they deserve their cup. Doesn't make them the best team of the decade.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:21 p.m.

#10

hockeyfanatic05

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Quoting: BCAPP

I never said they were the best team. You brought up Tampa and said that last years team was better. It does not make sense how they are a better team after getting embarrassed in the playoffs. They had more talent, but not a better team

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:39 p.m.

#11

SlickWilly

Joined: Nov. 2017

Posts: 3,229

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Quoting: hockeyfanatic05

There was an article made at some point saying how the team that wins the cup isnt always the best team, and I think that is relevant here. You can run into a hot goalie, or a team that clicks at just the right time. Not to discount anything the Pens did that year, but Tampa last year was statistically the best team of the decade and its not particularly close.

BCAPP liked this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:43 p.m.

#12

AnalyticsGeek

Thread Starter

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Quoting: BCAPP

That defense is extremely mediocre for best of the decade.

Tampa last year choked but the team was better than this.

I said they were the best team performance-wise during the playoffs, not that they were the most stacked team on paper. You can have the most stacked team in the world, but if you can’t perform during playoff time, none of that matters. Just look at the 2016 Pens team’s possession, shot & scoring chance numbers. Even if they had the worst players in the league but still won with those through the roof stats, they would still be considered the best. People just don’t want to look at the facts.

mhockey91 liked this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:48 p.m.

#13

AnalyticsGeek

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Quoting: SlickWilly

Best stats in the regular season? Yes. But with no cups, there is zero chance the Bolts are the best team of the decade. Regardless if people think the cup champions are the best overall, if they dominate every team you face in the playoffs in terms of possession, shots & scoring chance by a wide margin & end up winning it all, then they are the best team. It doesn’t matter if you have a weak team on paper or just squeaked in at the end of the regular season.

mhockey91 liked this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 1:53 p.m.

#14

AnalyticsGeek

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Quoting: csick

No the 2013 one with Neal, Iginla etc. That was a beast of a team, still can’t believe they got swept by Boston. That team had the best offence I’ve ever seen

Quoting: mhockey91

Maybe on paper but the way this team played together was incredible. 2016 pens dominated and controlled possession their entire post season run.

When the Penguins got swept in 2013, I honestly cried. You rarely get an opportunity to have such a stacked team & they ended up wasting it. I don’t know if the moves were wrong, maybe they shouldn’t have gone after rentals but there were so many good players on that team. Perhaps they added too many new players? It seemed to be Bylsma’s egoistic coaching & Fleury’s monumental choke job that was the main reason.

mhockey91, csick and Pens3lieve liked this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 3:07 p.m.

#15

bhavikp27

Joined: Jun. 2016

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Quoting: csick

No the 2013 one with Neal, Iginla etc. That was a beast of a team, still can’t believe they got swept by Boston. That team had the best offence I’ve ever seen

That mistake Iginla made...

csick liked this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 3:30 p.m.

#16

leafs101

Joined: May 2019

Posts: 11,202

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1st or 2nd Chicago cup team imo

Apr. 9, 2020 at 3:47 p.m.

#17

AnalyticsGeek

Thread Starter

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Quoting: leafs101

1st or 2nd Chicago cup team imo

The 2nd Hawks team was very close to the 2016 Pens team in terms of generating possession, shots, scoring chances & goals but not nearly as good.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 4:31 p.m.

#18

Sidstick87

Hockey God Genius

Joined: Jun. 2015

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Quoting: BCAPP

That defense is extremely mediocre for best of the decade.

Tampa last year choked but the team was better than this.

Last years Tampa Team was a better team than the 16' Pens.... I just sharted a lil & my drink just came out my nose at the same time, while I "SWEPT " tears from my eyes bc I LOL, so hard

Apr. 9, 2020 at 4:39 p.m.

#19

Sidstick87

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Quoting: MitchMarnerElite

Easily Yes it was.... If Sid, Geno, & Letang could have all stayed healthy, they go down as the best Core ever in modern NHL (since 70's) - & They win at least 1 or 2 more Cups too.

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Apr. 9, 2020 at 4:46 p.m.

#20

AnalyticsGeek

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Quoting: Sidstick87

Easily Yes it was.... If Sid, Geno, & Letang could have all stayed healthy, they go down as the best Core ever in modern NHL (since 70's) - & They win at least 1 or 2 more Cups too.

Yes I agree.

Sidstick87 liked this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 5:09 p.m.

#21

hockeyfanatic05

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Quoting: SlickWilly

And what happened to Tampa when it started to matter? They had a great regular season. Once playoffs started, they didnt win a single playoff game. If they were eliminated against another great team, then it wouldn't matter as much, but they got swept against the Blue Jackets.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 6:06 p.m.

#22

ZPirtle

Go Preds

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Colton Sissons scored. That's all I have to say.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 6:36 p.m.

#23

BCAPP

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Quoting: SlickWilly

Thank you. That's my point.

There was also a Chicago team at some point that was crazy good. But yeah that Tampa team was stacked.

They choked hard. Doesn't change that they were the best

SlickWilly liked this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 6:39 p.m.

#24

BCAPP

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Quoting: MitchMarnerElite

That's not what the title says nor the first sentence.

Perhaps be clearer.

If you said they were the best performing playoff team of the decade I wouldn't have said a work.

They clicked. They had the HBK line. Murray was awesome. No arguments.

mhockey91 liked this.

Apr. 9, 2020 at 6:42 p.m.

#25

BCAPP

Joined: May 2015

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Quoting: Sidstick87

Last years Tampa Team was a better team than the 16' Pens.... I just sharted a lil & my drink just came out my nose at the same time, while I "SWEPT " tears from my eyes bc I LOL, so hard

They choked hard and the pens came together and succeeded. One won the cup and deserves it. But the other team was a better team. They just choked.

Sidstick87 liked this.

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