By the end of the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs, there were legitimate questions about the state of the Pittsburgh Penguins and whether or not Sidney Crosby and Co. would ever win another championship.
Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2009, the Penguins had a postseason derailed by injuries (2011), multiple years where they looked like one of the favorites but didn’t get close (2012 and 2013) and one that ended with a shocking collapse (2014).
It’s not exactly apples to apples, but a lot of that sure sounds familiar for the present-day Colorado Avalanche. Just like the Penguins in 2009, when the Avs won the Stanley Cup in 2022, it appeared a burgeoning dynasty had announced its arrival.