Well, in 97 we were 5 games under .500. Last year 17 games over .500 would not have made the playoffs. Heck 28 games over .500 was required just to be a top 3 in our division.
Of course no OT back then, but even if we had won 100% of those OT games in 97 it would have still left us far short of the playoffs last year in terms of record.
Plus the 97 team had a -8 goal differential, last year the number 8 team had a +30 goal differential.
Its an entirely different game from those ages.
Still.
Fast forward 2 years to the 99 team that got 103 points and won the division.
1) York - 35pts
2) redden - 29pts
3) kravchuk - 25 pts
4) salo - 19 pts
5) laukkanen - 12 pts
6) traverse - 10 pts
7) pitlick - 9 pts
So once again, you just need a good system.
We literary had no offense from the back end. 2 young guys in redden and salo. A bunch of journeymen.
Yes, I agree times have changed. Nowadays you need more mobile defense. Point does remain that systems can be a big difference. You can have teams like the islanders be 100+ point teams with no stars. Look at Vegas their first year. Almost all cast offs that didn't make other teams top 6 or top 4.
Systems can make a big difference and most people agree we might have the deepest offensive group we've ever had.
No reason we can't be an average team and squeek in.