When the Toronto Maple Leafs drafted Auston Matthews, and then brought in Lou Lamoriello and Mike Babcock, I don’t think anyone would have bet against them winning a playoff series within five years.
In those five years, some pretty weird things happened with technology and politics that combined with a statistical revaluation in the entire sports world fractured the NHL along the lines of political parity.
I know I am not the first one to notice the NHL fans who are very interested in analytical analysis tend towards the left of the political spectrum, while those who resist change (in this case a sea change) naturally tend to be more conservative.