Each of these teams has an abundance of star power. The Lightning fit right in, led by Nikita Kucherov, who led the playoffs with 34 points last season and 32 this season. Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point and Victor Hedman are also elite players with the Lightning.
But of all the NHL dynasties, none can match Blake's Canadiens, winners of five straight championships between 1956-60. It likely would have been six in a row had Maurice "Rocket" Richard not been suspended for the entire 1955 postseason.
In any given game Blake could dispatch six future Hall of Famers for his starting lineup. He had Plante in goal, Doug Harvey and Tom Johnson on defense and the two Richards -- Maurice and Henri -- along with Dickie Moore on Montreal's top forward line.
The Canadiens' second line was just as scary. Jean Beliveau, who won the Stanley Cup 10 times, was the center for right wing Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion, inventor of the modern slap shot, and Bert Olmstead, who was without peer as a fearless, rugged forward.
"We had the greatest team that ever played hockey," Geoffrion said.
Those Canadiens, literally, helped change the game.
"There were times," Beliveau said, "when we could score two -- maybe even three -- goals on a single two-minute power play. Finally, the NHL said 'no-no' and the new rule limited us to one goal per man-advantage."
The Lightning power play may not be changing the sport, but it is very effective. With Kucherov leading the playoffs with 19 power-play points, and Hedman (13), Stamkos (12), Point (12) and Alex Killorn (eight) rounding out the top five, the Lightning were an impressive 22-for-68 (32.4 percent) on the man-advantage this postseason.
But when all is said and done, the difference between those dynasties and the Lightning, is that the Maple Leafs, Canadiens and Islanders did, in fact, win at least three championships in a row.
Now let's see if the Lightning can join them next season.