Recipe For Success

Coming In Hot with Wallace, York & Nichols · Jul 30, 2026 · 1h 3m

For 21 seasons in the salary-cap era, we've heard the same debates: You need elite goaltending. You need a 40-goal scorer. You need a Norris-calibre defenceman.

But what does the data actually say?

Today we're taking a look at The Stanley Cup Blueprint.

We dug through every Stanley Cup winner since 2005-06 to uncover the trends that separate champions from everyone else. Which stats matter most? Is goal differential the biggest predictor of success? How often do Cup winners have a 90-point player, a Selke finalist, or a Vezina-calibre goalie? And how do the Ottawa Senators compare heading…