The 10 greatest CWHL and NWHL groups of the previous decade

On any record of best groups, there’ll inevitably be an argument made that the groups that win titles – and solely these groups – are those that ought to seem. If that’s what you’re anticipating to see right here on this record of the perfect girls’s groups of the previous 10 years, you’re in for a world of disappointment.
You see, the idea round these components is that there’s extra to the nice North American girls’s groups of the last decade than Clarkson Cup or Isobel Cup victories. There’s a matter of manufacturing, defensive capacity, goaltending, star energy and, in a few uncommon instances, a gaggle that’s far better than the sum of its components. And every of these features had been weighed when piecing collectively this, ahem, definitive and not-at-all subjective record of the best CWHL and NWHL squads of the last decade that was.
Admittedly, this record is CWHL heavy, however that’s largely as a result of the mixed CWHL campaigns outnumber the NWHL campaigns considerably. Additionally, to followers of the European girls’s recreation, apologies. No groups seem on this record. It wouldn’t be truthful to try to blindly rank these squads towards these we’ve been in a position to hold a a lot nearer eye on over the previous decade.
That stated, listed here are the 10 greatest CWHL and NWHL groups of the previous decade:
10. Boston Delight (NWHL) – 2019-20By the point the subsequent decade is thru, there’s potential for this Delight squad’s efficiency within the 2020 portion of the marketing campaign to land them atop the record simply as their first-half efficiency has put them into 10th spot. Really, this is without doubt one of the most dominant NWHL golf equipment in league historical past. Not as soon as of their 13 video games have the Delight suffered a defeat and so they already boast a plus-47 objective differential. They’re on tempo to attain almost 140 objectives and publish a plus-90 differential. Something lower than an Isobel Cup will likely be beautiful.
9. Calgary Inferno (CWHL) – 2018-19Possibly placing the ultimate Clarkson Cup champions – spoiler alert – decrease on this record than the staff they defeated goes to ruffle some feathers. However ruffle feathers, I shall. The Inferno had been an incredible staff, however didn’t produce offensively or stifle defensively fairly just like the 2018-19 Les Canadiennes. And when weighting these issues in an try to rank single-season performances, Calgary got here in just a few spots behind Montreal. The Inferno had been a star-studded outfit, nevertheless, and have the excellence of being the ultimate staff to hoist the Clarkson Cup.
eight. Metropolitan Riveters (NWHL) – 2017-18Frankly, each single staff that seems on this record is likely to be extra star-studded than the 2017-18 Riveters. That’s the results of the quadrennial coming to an in depth and quite a few notable gamers being swept up by pre-Olympic centralization. However regardless of the dearth of star energy, so to talk, this Riveters squad was completely deadly. Alexa Gruschow had her breakout, league mainstay and one of many highest scorers of all-time, Madison Packer, shot out the lights and goaltender Katie Fitzgerald was excellent within the post-season because the renamed New York outfit captured its first – and up to now, solely – Isobel Cup.
7. Montreal Canadiennes (CWHL) – 2018-19What places the 2018-19 Les Canadiennes forward of the 2018-19 Inferno, who received the Clarkson Cup? Effectively, Montreal was among the many greatest defensive groups of all-time in both league, permitting simply 1.61 objectives towards per recreation, had the sixth-best common objective differential per recreation (2.61) and completed with a plus-73 total differential. Plus, the roster was completely stacked. Marie-Philip Poulin posted the fourth-highest single-season level whole of the last decade and Ann-Sophie Bettez completed solely two factors behind her linemate.
6. Montreal Canadiennes (CWHL) – 2016-17The second of back-to-back Canadiennes groups on this record – and the second of 4 Montreal squads, for these questioning – wasn’t fairly as high-scoring because the Calgary membership it beat within the closing, nor was Montreal as dominant within the common season. However the kicker right here is the Clarkson Cup closing victory and the person accomplishments. Poulin and Bettez completed second and third in league scoring, Charline Labonte was the goaltender of the yr and Les Canadiennes downed the Clarkson Cup-favorite Inferno within the closing.
5. Kunlun Crimson Star (CWHL) – 2017-18Statistically talking, this isn’t the perfect squad on this record. Not even shut. And it’s not prefer it was a top-to-bottom all-star squad, both. However the growth Crimson Star franchise knew the place its bread was buttered – with its import gamers – and rode them to a season that rivalled that of the Vegas Golden Knights’ growth marketing campaign. Noora Raty completely stole the present within the Chinese language staff’s crease and virtually single-handedly handed the Clarkson Cup to Crimson Star. Sadly, the membership fell quick within the closing, dropping in time beyond regulation to the stunning Markham Thunder.
four. Boston Delight (NWHL) – 2016-17The 2016-17 Delight are usually not all that a lot not like the NFL’s 2007 New England Patriots: a dominant membership who ran roughshod over all opponents within the common season – OK, the Delight misplaced as soon as, however you get the concept – solely to indicate a crack on the worst doable second. That the 2 groups share a house state solely helps the metaphor observe. Boston completed 16-1 within the common season, was stacked to the gills with the likes of Brianna Decker, Hilary Knight, Meghan Duggan, Kacey Bellamy and Gigi Marvin and posted a plus-44 objective differential. No different staff that season posted a objective differential higher than minus-three. Regardless of the Isobel Cup closing loss, Three-2 by the hands of the Buffalo Beauts, that Delight staff stays among the many most distinctive in NWHL historical past.
Three. Montreal Canadiennes (CWHL) – 2015-16That this roster fell in need of the Clarkson Cup remains to be one of many extra mind-boggling leads to CWHL historical past. Contemplate the expertise on the roster. Poulin and Bettez completed one-two in scoring, Caroline Oullette was one in every of three 15-goal scorers, Lauriane Rougeau patrolled the blueline, all-time CWHL main objective scorer Noemie Marin chipped in and, although she missed a while, Group USA icon Julie Chu helped spherical out the assault. The cherry on high was netminder Labonte, who led the best way for all goaltenders. But it surely was all for naught when Montreal bumped into the…
2. Calgary Inferno (CWHL) – 2015-16The common season efficiency wasn’t fairly as stellar as that of the staff the Inferno beat within the Clarkson Cup closing – Calgary completed with 4 fewer wins – however the two sides had been almost an identical in any other case. Each had 114 objectives within the common season, each completed with plus-78 objective differentials. However what makes this roster further particular is that it gave legend and Corridor of Famer Hayley Wickenheiser the prospect to have her final on-ice hurrah. She notched 16 factors within the common season and added one other objective and three factors in three post-season video games.
1. Montreal Stars (CWHL) – 2011-12The precursor to Les Canadiennes, the Stars had been virtually cartoonishly dominant at some point of the 2011-12 marketing campaign. Montreal suffered solely 4 regulation losses all through the whole common season and a mere 5 whole defeats and completed the marketing campaign with a ridiculous plus-94 objective differential. To place that into context, the next-best objective differential was plus-46, which is lower than half of the Stars’ whole. Including to the greatness of the 2011-12 Montreal squad is that the duo of Meghan Agosta and Caroline Ouellette completed with the 2 greatest single-season totals in CWHL historical past. The previous’s 86 factors in 31 whole video games is a dozen factors greater than some other participant scoring in a single season, whereas the latter posted 74 factors, tying her mark for second-highest total whole in league historical past.
Over the subsequent two weeks, The Hockey Information will likely be wrapping up the 2010s with a glance again at the perfect – and worst – of the last decade. Discover extra right here.
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Tags: girls’s hockey, lists, 2010sConnect: In regards to the AuthorJared ClintonJared Clinton is a author and net editor with The Hockey Information. He is been with the staff since 2014. He was born, raised and resides in Winnipeg, the place he could be discovered lacking the web on outside rinks throughout city.