These 16 hockey teams were some of the best from the 2010s

The last decade has seen some amazing hockey teams take to the ice but there are a couple of franchises that stand head and shoulders above the rest in terms of the NHL’s finest. Here is a list of hockey’s 16 best teams from the 2010s. 

St. Louis had a truly amazing team a few years before they made their 2019 championship run. The Blues won 52 games and netted 111 points, putting them second in the Central Division. Unfortunately, their good seasons also pitted them against the experienced 2014 Chicago Blackhawks in the playoffs and they lost in an agonizing close series.

Nashville's 2018 performance showed why their Stanley Cup Finals appearance in the previous year wasn’t just a fluke. Led by forwards Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen, the Predators won 53 games to finish first in the Central Division. It was a shame when they lost to the Winnipeg Jets in the second round of the playoffs but they proved themselves to be an amazing team.  

The Jets not only finished just behind the Predators in the Central Division, but they also went on to beat them in the second round only to get crushed by the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals. It was a sad end for a team that won 52 games and played like a true Stanley Cup Finalist until they went up against Las Vegas. 

San Jose finished third in the Pacific Division with 46 wins but there was something about Joe Thorton and Patrick Marleau’s synergy that carried the team to new heights after so many years of missing the playoffs. The Sharks went all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2016 but lost a tough battle to the Pittsburgh Penguins, holding their own against an experienced veteran postseason team. 

One year after losing in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Los Angeles Kings, the Rangers proved why they should be considered one of the best teams of the era. New York finished with the league's best records and dominated their opponents in the 1st and 2nd rounds of the postseason before losing in Game 7 to Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

The Golden Knights joined the league in the 2017/2018 season and turned out to be one of the greatest teams of the decade. Being able to poach some of the best unprotected players from other teams certainly helped Las Vegas, but the team grew into itself and was able to make the playoffs and went all the way to the finals before the Washington Capitals stopped them.

The Capitals were one of the most dominant NHL teams during the 2010s and their 2018 team was probably the worst of their best years. Washington finished first in the Metropolitan Division and won a crazy back-to-back Game 6 and Game & win to advance past Tampa Bay to the Stanley Cup, where they won it handily. 

St. Louis didn’t look like they’d be a contender in 2019 because of some serious issues with their goaltending. But a midseason call-up of Jordan Binnington fixed the issue and propelled the team into the Stanley Cup Finals, where they won a close battle with the Boston Bruins. 

Some fans might not agree with this choice but the 2010 Flyers were certainly a team to be reckoned with at the time. They only finished third in the Atlantic Division but really dominated in the playoffs, only losing in the finals to Chicago—the undisputed best team that year. 

The Capitals started a major three-year tear in 2016. It's tough to say which year they were best because in 2017 and 2018 they played phenomenally. But 2016 was a particularly good year with 56 wins and 120 points earning them the President's Trophy, They missed out on the ultimate prize after losing to their longtime rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins in Round 2. 

The 2017 Penguins didn’t quite dominate the regular season but they certainly kicked things into high gear when they advanced to the postseason and were able to earn back-to-back Stanley Cup wins after a series of tough fights with Washington, Ottawa, and Nashville. 

Vancouver was coming off an extreme run from the previous year and dominated the Northwest Division in 2012, finishing first with 51 wins and 111 points. Unfortunately, even with the right team in place, the Canucks got crushed in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. But that doesn’t mean they weren’t one of the best teams in the league that year.

The 2013 Boston Bruins were one of the franchises best in recent memory. Both their offense and defense were on point with Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara running things. The only thing that stopped them from winning the Cup was the very experienced Chicago Blackhawks. 

The Kings began a three-year domination in 2012 that would last until 2014. In those years the team won two Stanley Cups. It’s tough to pick which year LA was best but 2012 stands out as a particularly good one considering how they trounced every opponent they faced in the playoffs. 

Tampa Bay was amazing in every respect during the 2018/ 2019 NHL season. They finished first in the Atlantic Division with 62 wins and were poised to go deep in the playoffs. Unfortunately, they got shut out by Columbus during the first round in one of the most disappointing playoff losses in recent memory…

The Chicago Blackhawks were at the height of their 2010s dynasty in 2013 and the stats reflect it. Chicago finished first in the Central Division and went on to claim the Stanley Cup. The team would go on to do well in the following two seasons but they would never truly reclaim the magic that was their 2012/ 2013 NHL regular and postseason performance.