The Boston Bruins are battered and bruised in the worst way imaginable this NHL season. Their playoff hopes have crumbled, leaving the Bruins’ faithful heartbroken between a rock and a hard place. The heartbreak feels like one of the darkest chapters in the team’s history. Brad Marchand‘s departure left a void that seems to have drained the lifeblood from the roster. Yet, despite standing on the brink of a complete rebuild, there remains a faint glimmer of hope — the resolute faith of their loyal fanbase, holding on through thick and thin.

Meanwhile, the NHL’s official X handle has been stirring conversation with a survey on the league’s Quarter-Century Team, highlighting the most successful teams since the dawn of this century, the year 2000. The results? They’ve left us perplexed. Despite their current struggles, the Bruins’ fanbase continues to hold out a candle for their team, refusing to let go of past glory. And it seems that glory is well-deserved. Leading the board with the most wins in the past 25 years, the Boston Bruins stand tall at the top spot with 1,027 victories, closely followed by the Washington Capitals with 1,003.

“Racking up the wins… 📈 Voting ends April 1. Vote on X by using #NHLQCTeam and a player’s full name or handle! 🗳️”–NHL posted on their official X handle. As the voting deadline nears, this initiative has taken social media by storm, with fans just passionately waiting for their teams to create history. The Bruins’ dominance seemed pretty accurate, but the Capitals aren’t going down too soon without a fight.

“Our goal was to make the playoffs this year. It’s hard. Every game, it’s hard, especially at the end because every team is fighting,” said the captain, Alex Ovechkin, after scoring his 888th career goal! And they did! The Capitals are the first team to have secured a position in the playoffs this season. “That’s why in the beginning of the year and the middle of the year it’s very important to (be) collecting the points and feel comfortable at the end. Last year it took us 82 games to clinch it and since 20 games left last year, it was playoffs for us already. We take it and move on,” Ovechkin further stated. Emphasize securing more points throughout the season, and viola–avoid the last-minute pressure!

The Capitals haven’t just survived, they thrived, redefining their trajectory in just a single season, which brings us back to the votes. Now with the Quarter-Century Team campaign nearing its end, the battle between the Bruins and Capitals for the top spot in total wins has intensified. This makes it a fan-driven competition with more thrill and excitement! But wait, it isn’t only the Bruins or the Capitals. There are eight other teams defining their strength and proving their legacies too. But who?

While the Boston Bruins leads, the rest chase! 

Though the Bruins and the Washington Capitals stole the spotlight in the NHL Quarter-Century Team fan vote, the Dallas Stars are currently at No. 3 with 999 votes! Much deserved as the Stars have been putting up an impressive season too. And the Colorado Avalanche holds the fourth place with 990 votes? trailing the Stars by just 9 votes. Talk about a close margin. This is just a testament to their dominance over the years. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Penguins defined their success by holding the fifth spot with 986 votes.

Well, in the words of Stu from the show ‘The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh’, Sidney Crosby is our saviour! Moving down the list, the St. Louis Blues secured 983 votes, with the Detroit Red Wings coming just beneath at 972. And then comes the New York Rangers, with eighth position and 957 votes, as they continue to battle through their highs and lows this season. “It didn’t mean there wasn’t an effort, it didn’t mean that they didn’t work hard. I thought we did a really good job of playing that game, but we walk away with nothing,” Peter Laviolette, the head coach summed up after a hard-fought win against the Los Angeles Kings.

Proving consistency and record in the NHL is the Tampa Bay Lightning with 961 votes and the Nashville Predators with 956. Both teams have held their ground! The list just portrays the fierce competitions of all time in the league, but this time just for the clear—Bruins stand at the top, but their struggles have a completely different tale to tell.

Now, with the fan voting open until April 1, the rush for the Quarter-Century fan-favorite spot is far from over. After all, this ranking reflects on  the struggles and efforts displayed by teams of the league and to the extent of which is visible to their respective fan base. While the dominant forces of the league desperately cling to their past glory, newer and upcoming teams like the Capitals and Stars are becoming an increasing threat to topple the marbles.