Episode Description
Summary
Every Stanley Cup champion of the last ten years had depth. Not every one had a franchise star. So I put all ten champions, plus the Edmonton Oilers team that lost the 2025 Final, under the same rule: who scored, who was on the ice, and how much came from the stars versus everybody else.
What I found: Edmonton's stars played 23.1% of the playoff ice time, more than any champion in the study. They were in on 39% of the playoff points, higher than nine of the ten champions. Carolina won last spring with zero franchise players and the lowest star share of all 11 teams. And yes, 2020 Tampa Bay breaks the rule, and it's in here anyway.
It all starts with Edmonton and Vancouver going 6-5 and 9-7 to open the season. Great highlights. Not a team ready to win four rounds.
GET THE FREE DEPTH STUDY (all 11 teams, rosters, stars vs depth, the full chart): https://hot-garbage-sports.kit.com/53761e02b2
0:00 Every champion had depth
1:25 Edmonton vs Vancouver: two games, one pattern
3:52 Coach's board: where the depth broke down
7:38 How much did the stars carry?
8:57 Edmonton's receipt: 23% of the ice, 39% of the points
9:22 What that ice load does by June
10:07 How I picked the stars
12:32 Champions without a franchise player
15:55 The outlier: 2020 Tampa Bay
16:54 St. Louis and the depth blueprint
17:46 The podcast and supporting the channel
20:03 The Conn Smythe question
22:08 McDavid's clock
22:38 Now go yell at me
GET THE FREE DEPTH STUDY (all 11 teams, rosters, stars vs depth, the full chart):
https://hot-garbage-sports.kit.com/53761e02b2
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Stats: Hockey-Reference.com, 2016-17 through 2025-26 regular seasons and playoffs.
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