1980s Islanders' dynasty remains blueprint for today’s Stanley Cup champions

The New York Islanders dynasty of the early 80s was the last true dynasty in the NHL. We could argue that the Edmonton Oilers’ five Stanley Cups in seven years counts as a dynasty. We could also claim that the Chicago Blackhawks’ three Cups in six years would also constitute a dynasty.

However, the NHL, and pro sports for that matter, has not seen a dynasty like the NY Islanders. That’s nearly five decades from the first time the Isles hoisted the Cup.

They were a scrappy but talented team that banked on its combination of skill and toughness. They were resilient and weren’t afraid to mix it up with the best of them.

As an '80s kid, the Islanders’ fingerprints were all over the NHL. Every team wanted to emulate the Isles. The only team that could beat them were the uber-talented Oilers. But as talented as they were, the Oilers had their butts handed to them in the 1983 Stanley Cup Final.

There’s a quote by Wayne Gretzky regarding their 1983 loss to the Islanders: "If it wasn't for the New York Islanders, we would have never won the Stanley Cup."

That thought encapsulated what the Islanders’ ethos was all about. It wasn’t until the Oilers embraced the grind that they could finally beat the vaunted Islanders’ club.

The 1984 Final saw the Oilers get revenge on the Isles. But it wasn’t easy for Edmonton. They faced a battle-hardened club that didn’t relinquish its crown easily. In the end, the Islanders set the tone for what every NHL team since has had to endure to become a champ.

Islanders' fingerprints all over 40-plus years of champions

It may seem implausible, but the Islanders of the early 80s remain the blueprint for today’s NHL champs.

Just look at the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers.

The Lightning won two Cups during the COVID playoffs. Yes, we could argue that the Lightning had a certain advantage given the unusual circumstances of the 2020 and 2021 playoffs. But they were right back in the thick of things in 2022. Unfortunately for the Bolts, they ran into a Colorado Avalanche team on a mission.

That was three Cup Finals in a row.

Ditto for the Panthers. Three Cup Finals in a row and back-to-back rings. Like the Lightning, the Panthers embraced an ethos of hard work, tight checking, and leveraging skill to its fullest.

When looking at the Lightning and Panthers, it’s like looking at that gritty Islanders team that just wouldn’t quit.

Perhaps it’s a case of my biased perception of the NHL hockey. Maybe I’m stuck in time. But over and over again, championship clubs since the Islanders have had the same traits in common. The Detroit Red Wings and New Jersey Devils of the 90s followed the same blueprint.

Even if the Florida Panthers three-peat this upcoming season, they will have a tough time surpassing what the Islanders achieved at the old Nassau Coliseum.