We rank the decades in NHL history:
1. 2010s (2010–2019) – “The Golden Age of Parity and Skill”
Elite talent peak: Crosby, Ovechkin, Kane, McDavid (late), Stamkos, Doughty, Price, Lundqvist.
Parity at its best: 9 different Cup Finalists, 6 different champions.
Back-to-back dynasties: Chicago Blackhawks (3 Cups), Pittsburgh Penguins (2 Cups), Kings (2 Cups).
Fast, skilled hockey with strong goaltending and tactical evolution.
NHL embraced global talent and analytics.
2. 1980s (1980–1989) – “The Offense Explosion Era”
Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Mike Bossy, Paul Coffey — offensive gods.
Teams like the Oilers and Islanders dominated with creativity and raw firepower.
Regular 8–6 games. Goalies wore tiny pads and got peppered nightly.
The birth of the modern superstar and NHL marketing boom.
Flaws: Defense and goaltending were often horrendous by today’s standards.
3. 2000s (2000–2009) – “Transition and Transformation”
The first half: clutch-and-grab, Dead Puck Era, low scoring.
The second half (post-2005 lockout): New rules, faster game, skill emphasis.
Sid vs. Ovi era begins.
Goaltending was elite: Brodeur, Hasek, Kiprusoff, Luongo, Giguère.
Salary cap was introduced in 2005, reshaping roster-building forever.
4. 1990s – “The Peak of Defensive Mastery and Goalie Greatness”
The rise of clutch defensive systems (Neutral zone trap, Jacques Lemaire’s Devils).
Goalie golden age: Roy, Hasek, Belfour, Richter, Joseph.
Yzerman, Sakic, Forsberg, Lindros, Jagr, Selanne were all in their primes.
NHL expands aggressively (Sharks, Senators, Ducks, Panthers).
Scoring dipped significantly by mid-decade.
5. 2020s (So Far) – “Speed and Skill to the Max”
Connor McDavid, Cale Makar, Auston Matthews redefining speed and edgework.
Offensive numbers are up, and goaltenders are more athletic than ever.
High parity: no true dynasty yet, but lots of Cup-worthy teams.
Still ongoing — lacks the same cultural cache or historical depth (yet).
6. 1970s – “The Decade of Violence and Expansion”
Broad Street Bullies, bench-clearing brawls, intimidating hockey.
Expansion from Original Six to 18 teams.
Bobby Orr revolutionized defense, Guy Lafleur soared.
Very inconsistent play quality outside a few elite teams.
7. 1960s – “Original Six Golden Age”
Greats like Howe, Beliveau, Hull, Sawchuk thrived.
Limited teams, so elite rosters were stacked.
Montreal Canadiens dynasty: 5 Cups in a row (1956–60), then again in ’65–’69.
Lack of league parity and smaller talent pool.
8. 1950s and earlier – “Foundational but Flawed”
Necessary for the sport’s development, but slower, less skilled, and less inclusive.
Goaltenders didn’t wear masks, passes were limited by archaic rules.
Important, but not competitive with modern decades in entertainment or skill.
