The Columbus Blue Jackets waited seven years before finally making the playoffs for the first time in 2009.
The Atlanta Thrashers took six years, but only made the playoffs once in eleven years before moving to Winnipeg.
The Nashville Predators took six years to reach the playoffs, but twelve before winning a first round.
The Minnesota Wild had only two difficult years before reaching the semi-finals in 2003 thanks to the genius of Jacques Lemaire, but waited another two years before returning to the playoffs, and ten years before winning another round.
Gone are the days when new NHL teams went through a long wilderness before becoming competitive.
The Golden Knights reached the Stanley Cup Finals in their first year in 2017-18 and are making the playoffs for the fifth time in six years this spring after a 111-point season.
In their second year in the NHL, the Seattle Kraken rocked the defending champions Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of their first-round series before losing a close game Thursday, 3-2, despite a lead of two goals. Even if they were to suffer the elimination of their gigantic adversaries, they could shout mission accomplished.
The change in regulations over the decades has obviously benefited the Golden Knights and the Kraken.
Between 1998 and 2000, the birth years of Nashville, Atlanta, Columbus and Minnesota, clubs could still protect one goalie, nine forwards and five defensemen. Only fringe players were available.
But by allowing teams to protect only one goalkeeper, three defenders and seven attackers, or one goalkeeper and eight players, regardless of position, we make interesting players available. We are in the top four defensively and we can find solid third line players.
The Kraken was thus able to get their hands on important players, defender Vince Dunn of the Blues, 26, 64 points in 81 games, or Jared McCann, of the Penguins, also 26, the team’s top scorer with 70 points , including 40 goals, in 79 games. Surprising all the same that Pittsburgh preferred to protect Ted Blueger and not McCann, but tastes are not discussed…
We understand the NHL to have modified its rules to favor new clubs. The Blue Jackets and the Wild paid $80 million to get a team. The Golden Knights? 500 millionUS. The Kraken? 650 millionUS.
But beyond regulations, the salary cap is arguably an even greater ally. The Golden Knights have received an impressive amount of gifts to relieve some organizations stuck in the ceiling.
Thus, Nick Suzuki and Erik Brannstrom, both drafted in the top fifteen in 2017, allowed them to obtain Max Pacioretty and Mark Stone and maintain their level of excellence after their surprising run in the spring of 2018.
The Kraken were able to inherit quality players such as Jordan Eberle, 63 points this season, Yanni Gourde, essential to the third line, because their contract had become too heavy for the Islanders and the Lightning.
Oliver Bjorkstrand was traded to the Kraken last summer on third- and fourth-round picks after a 28-goal, 57-point season because the Blue Jackets needed to lower their payroll to accommodate Johnny Gaudreau.
And this same ceiling, binding for the majority of clubs, has allowed the Kraken to sign top players on the free agent market, Adam Larsson, Jaden Schwartz, Alex Wennberg and goalkeepers Philipp Grubauer and Martin Jones, among others. .
Add to that a second overall choice in 2021, Matthew Beniers, already a number one center at just 20 years old, a conductor behind the bench to get the most out of his players collectively, and you have an interesting club from its second year of existence.
There were some concerns in New York late in the season with Patrick Kane’s production. The former glory of the Chicago Blackhawks has amassed just 12 points, including five goals, in 19 games after its acquisition.
The New York Post columnist, Larry Brooks, begged for patience, and recalled the example of Martin St-Louis during the playoffs in 2014. The Canadiens coach had only eight points, including a goal, in 19 games after his arrived from Tampa, but distinguished himself in the playoffs with 15 points, including eight goals, in 25 games en route to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Kane was smoldering Thursday with three points, including two assists on goals by Chris Kreider, Rangers’ second and third, and he added the insurance goal in the third period. Rangers now lead their series 2-0 and will play their next two games at home. It’s up to him to write the rest of the story…