Name your top 5 single-season teams that didn't win a Cup, in the last 20 years

[Big Phil]

Red Wings in 99 and 03 have to qualify. Both defending champions. Both roll through the regular season. 99 team acquires Chelios, Clark, and Ranford as an insurance. They have Avs on the ropes. Then Osgood is injured, and they suffer complete mental collapse.

In 03 they acquire Joseph and IIRC Schneider. Fedorov has (his last) great season, thoroughly outplaying the rest of his HOF teammates. Some rookie named Zetterberg joins the Two Kids and a Goat line. Then Giguerre happens. Sad.

Thought of the 1999 Wings. They were probably everyone's pick to threepeat. Basically if you've won two in a row you are the favourite until someone says you aren't (similar to Pittsburgh this year). That being said, they were 7th in points in the regular season. They didn't exactly light up the league that year, or even their otherwise mediocre division. They lost a ton of games that year - 32. No doubt they could have turned it up in the playoffs, but to be on this list you have to impress a lot in the regular season.

I'll agree the 2000 Stars and 2001 Devils can be teams easily on this list. It is a hard list to crack but I think there could have been room for the Devils.

 

[Big Phil]

based on what? they steam rolled everybody except the wings who like i mentioned is a popular choice for best team post lockout

I like that team in 2008, but as someone said already they were pretty green. I like the 2009 team better, not just because they won, but they were more seasoned. Even so, in the regular season hard as it is to believe they finished 2nd in the East to the Montreal Canadiens. Hard to believe they got outpointed by the Habs, but they did.

It's hard to even pick one Sharks team that choked. That particular team lost in the first round, albeit to an underrated Ducks team. The Sharks had a decade of underachieving. They're like the Capitals, except they got less media attention from playing on the West coast.

I couldn't find time for the Sharks on this list. I don't think there was ever a time people thought the Sharks were winning the Cup was there? Even in 2009 you knew quite well they were losing to someone in the West. In 2016 they were underdogs against the Pens in the finals.

 

[Thenameless]

The teams that stick out in my mind are the hard luck Sabres and Canucks - two teams that came into the NHL in the same season. I would pick both of these teams to win the Cup if it hadn't been for some untimely playoff injuries. The Sabres of the mid 2000's I think it was that lost to Carolina, and the Canucks when they lost to Boston.

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

The other teams on your list were proven winners and were better rounded teams. That Pens team wasn't and was still learning how to win.

learning how to win? i'm pretty sure those guys knew how to win, detroit was just better that year

better rounded? same was said in 2009 and 2017, they "weren't" well rounded yet somehow they proved to be better than everybody else

you don't need a norris winner to be the best team

 

[Kyle McMahon]

I like that team in 2008, but as someone said already they were pretty green. I like the 2009 team better, not just because they won, but they were more seasoned. Even so, in the regular season hard as it is to believe they finished 2nd in the East to the Montreal Canadiens. Hard to believe they got outpointed by the Habs, but they did.



I couldn't find time for the Sharks on this list. I don't think there was ever a time people thought the Sharks were winning the Cup was there? Even in 2009 you knew quite well they were losing to someone in the West. In 2016 they were underdogs against the Pens in the finals.

I would say every year from 2006-2011 the Sharks were no worse than the 2nd-most popular pick to come out of the West. People absolutely thought they were a Cup contender. I don't remember for sure, but they were probably favoured to win the Cup at the outset of the 2009 playoffs, or at least a co-favorite. That loss in the first round to Anaheim was shocking, especially considering the Ducks basically sold at the trade deadline before unexpectedly surging in March and grabbing the last playoff spot.

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

I like that team in 2008, but as someone said already they were pretty green. I like the 2009 team better, not just because they won, but they were more seasoned. Even so, in the regular season hard as it is to believe they finished 2nd in the East to the Montreal Canadiens. Hard to believe they got outpointed by the Habs, but they did.



I couldn't find time for the Sharks on this list. I don't think there was ever a time people thought the Sharks were winning the Cup was there? Even in 2009 you knew quite well they were losing to someone in the West. In 2016 they were underdogs against the Pens in the finals.

i think 08 team was better as they had hossa and ryan malone was having a career year, i take those guys over bill guerin and ruslan fedotenko, hossa was amazing with crosby, fleury had his best playoff year

the sharks were underdogs in vegas in 2016 but the "experts" in the media and on this forum were mostly picking the sharks

Sharks will win first Stanley Cup title, experts say

Sharks vs. Penguins: Expert Predictions for 2016 Stanley Cup Final

 

[IslesFan2017]

Good calls. A lot of teams listed here were great in the regular season and choked in the first or second round of the playoffs. 2001 Devils and 2000 Stars each won their division in the regular season, won the Conference in the playoffs, each was the defending champion, and each lost a close finals series to another great team.

I don't think a lot of people realize the 2000-01 Devils were the highest scoring team of the entire dead puck era. 295 goals to 2nd place Pittsburgh's 281. Only team between 1995-96 (3 teams) and 2005-06 (2 teams) to break 290 goals in the regular season.

With 295 goals for (1st by a good margin) and 195 goals against (tied for 4th), the 2000-01 Devils easily had the best goal differential in the NHL, won the Eastern Conference, and were behind only Colorado for the President's Trophy. (Detroit was tied with NJ in regular season points).

How did I forget the 2000-01 Devils? I think that they should replace my #5 pick in the 2017 Capitals because of what you said, they were the defending champions and also won another Cup in 2003 as well. I wasn't a huge hockey fan until 2005 so I didn't watch the Devils during their heyday, but when fans of other teams accuse the Devils of being boring and employing the neutral zone trap, I always think of this team which led the league in goals as a counterexample to that.

 

[bathdog]

While not being anywhere near actually winning the cup, Preds 07 looked really good during the regular season but was quite disappointing getting knocked out in the first round.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Good calls. A lot of teams listed here were great in the regular season and choked in the first or second round of the playoffs. 2001 Devils and 2000 Stars each won their division in the regular season, won the Conference in the playoffs, each was the defending champion, and each lost a close finals series to another great team.

I don't think a lot of people realize the 2000-01 Devils were the highest scoring team of the entire dead puck era. 295 goals to 2nd place Pittsburgh's 281. Only team between 1995-96 (3 teams) and 2005-06 (2 teams) to break 290 goals in the regular season.

With 295 goals for (1st by a good margin) and 195 goals against (tied for 4th), the 2000-01 Devils easily had the best goal differential in the NHL, won the Eastern Conference, and were behind only Colorado for the President's Trophy. (Detroit was tied with NJ in regular season points).

the 2000 team had a few more big(gish) names but would you say that the 2001 team was better than the one that won the cup? elias and sykora a year older, gomez and mogilny clicking and being an established unit so holik could play the role he is best suited to, as a 2b center.

that was my take at the time, anyway.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

the 2000 team had a few more big(gish) names but would you say that the 2001 team was better than the one that won the cup? elias and sykora a year older, gomez and mogilny clicking and being an established unit so holik could play the role he is best suited to, as a 2b center.

that was my take at the time, anyway.

The 2000-01 regular season team was better, largely because the 1999-00 team underwent so many changes, and as you said, Gomez and Mogilny were clicking.

But the team was never better than the team from the 2000 playoffs, which has to be one of the deepest teams in NHL history, albeit for just those few months they were together. As poster @Brodeur said, the losses of Claude Lemieux and Vladimir Malakhov rendered the 4th line a lot less dangerous and made the 3rd pairing a typical "bang the puck off the boards" bottom pairing. 2000 had 4 lines that could score and 3 pairings that could keep the puck in the other team's zone

 

[CharlestownChiefsESC]

Why 20 years? It is simple. Everyone is going to have the 1996 Red Wings on here, that's a given. Plus the 1993 Pens, 1986 Oilers, 1971 Bruins, etc. We all know this, but let's make it more recent and a little harder to think about.

What teams starting in 1997 are the best to never win a Cup. The top 5.

#2 2010 Capitals - Ovechkin in perhaps his greatest season, Mike Green in a Norris caliber year and a team that just powered it's way offensively all year. 121 points as well. Backstrom, Semin, not to mention good depth up front. It almost seemed as if it didn't matter what Theodore or Varlamov did in net. This team scored 318 goals, the most since the 1996 Penguins. It's funny, because even though Montreal beat them by the skin of their teeth, it still doesn't feel like they even lost to them that year. How do you lose a series when in the last two games you outshot your opponent 54-21 and 41-14?

.

Its funny I was messing around on whatifsports the other day and if the RANGERS beat the Flyers in the final game. The Caps get NYR in the 1st round. The actually won that series in 6 and march all the way to the cup knocking off,Boston ,and getting revenge on Pitt in the process. They eventually bet the Hawks in 7 extending their drought. i remember when the caps went down early in 2010 saying to a friend at work that it's Chicago's cup to lose now. Boy was I right.

 

[GMR]

The 2000-01 regular season team was better, largely because the 1999-00 team underwent so many changes, and as you said, Gomez and Mogilny were clicking.

But the team was never better than the team from the 2000 playoffs, which has to be one of the deepest teams in NHL history, albeit for just those few months they were together. As poster @Brodeur said, the losses of Claude Lemieux and Vladimir Malakhov rendered the 4th line a lot less dangerous and made the 3rd pairing a typical "bang the puck off the boards" bottom pairing. 2000 had 4 lines that could score and 3 pairings that could keep the puck in the other team's zone

Too many commies on the 2000 team.

 

[Big Phil]

I would say every year from 2006-2011 the Sharks were no worse than the 2nd-most popular pick to come out of the West. People absolutely thought they were a Cup contender. I don't remember for sure, but they were probably favoured to win the Cup at the outset of the 2009 playoffs, or at least a co-favorite. That loss in the first round to Anaheim was shocking, especially considering the Ducks basically sold at the trade deadline before unexpectedly surging in March and grabbing the last playoff spot.

I will say this, there were times I was sure the Capitals were going to win. Which I was wrong of course. But I just never got that feeling with the Sharks. Most of that was because of Thornton. He just simply never changed year after year. I don't know what he should have done, but if one thing isn't working do it differently. Shoot more? Who knows. But he was always just mediocre in the postseason and until he showed us any different I never had faith in the Sharks.

i think 08 team was better as they had hossa and ryan malone was having a career year, i take those guys over bill guerin and ruslan fedotenko, hossa was amazing with crosby, fleury had his best playoff year

the sharks were underdogs in vegas in 2016 but the "experts" in the media and on this forum were mostly picking the sharks

Sharks will win first Stanley Cup title, experts say

Sharks vs. Penguins: Expert Predictions for 2016 Stanley Cup Final

Really? Man, I had the Pens winning 2016 for sure right from the drop of the puck in the final.

 

[Big Phil]

Its funny I was messing around on whatifsports the other day and if the RANGERS beat the Flyers in the final game. The Caps get NYR in the 1st round. The actually won that series in 6 and march all the way to the cup knocking off,Boston ,and getting revenge on Pitt in the process. They eventually bet the Hawks in 7 extending their drought. i remember when the caps went down early in 2010 saying to a friend at work that it's Chicago's cup to lose now. Boy was I right.

You didn't think it was Pittsburgh's to lose once Washington went down? As far as I am concerned you may as well given them the keys to represent the East in the Cup final at that time. Chicago was on my list to come out of the west though. Who knew Halak would stand on his head and upset both superstars' teams.

 

[GordieHowsUrBreath]

I will say this, there were times I was sure the Capitals were going to win. Which I was wrong of course. But I just never got that feeling with the Sharks. Most of that was because of Thornton. He just simply never changed year after year. I don't know what he should have done, but if one thing isn't working do it differently. Shoot more? Who knows. But he was always just mediocre in the postseason and until he showed us any different I never had faith in the Sharks.



Really? Man, I had the Pens winning 2016 for sure right from the drop of the puck in the final.

you were in the minority heck that one guy in the link i posted had the pens as the 4th best playoff team the sharks would face

that's how bad the "west is best" mentality was back then it was like people thought the east was the AHL

 

[ESH]

#2 2010 Capitals - Ovechkin in perhaps his greatest season, Mike Green in a Norris caliber year and a team that just powered it's way offensively all year. 121 points as well. Backstrom, Semin, not to mention good depth up front. It almost seemed as if it didn't matter what Theodore or Varlamov did in net. This team scored 318 goals, the most since the 1996 Penguins. It's funny, because even though Montreal beat them by the skin of their teeth, it still doesn't feel like they even lost to them that year. How do you lose a series when in the last two games you outshot your opponent 54-21 and 41-14?

I think you have to take the 2017 or 2016 Capitals ahead of the 2010 team. Maybe you don't get prime Ovechkin, but you get an EXTREMELY better defense group and an elite goalie. The only thing stopping the Capitals these past couple seasons were the Cup Champions. Those second round series were the real finals.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

I will say this, there were times I was sure the Capitals were going to win. Which I was wrong of course. But I just never got that feeling with the Sharks. Most of that was because of Thornton. He just simply never changed year after year. I don't know what he should have done, but if one thing isn't working do it differently. Shoot more? Who knows. But he was always just mediocre in the postseason and until he showed us any different I never had faith in the Sharks.



Really? Man, I had the Pens winning 2016 for sure right from the drop of the puck in the final.

Fair take on San Jose. Looks like you viewed the Sharks the same way I viewed the Capitals. Until 2016 and 2017, I never saw the Capitals as a serious threat to win the Cup, even in 2010. I got fooled by the Sharks year after year though.

Re: Penguins in 2016. I think a lot of people had the Sharks just because the West had been so much better than the East for the last decade. The roles are reversed now, and that Final was the turning point.

 

[HisIceness]

2010 Capitals: Of all the Ovechkin-era Caps teams that I thought were sure-bets for the Cup, this one stands out more than the rest. They were a juggernaut, and every time I saw them on tv they dominated. That NBC-televised game in Feburary before the Olympics against Pittsburgh, the one where Ovechkin had the hat trick and broke the goal camera on a breakaway, that game I thought for sure was their "coming out" moment that season, the kind of game everyone watches and they can just tell something amazing is on the way. Montreal had other ideas though.

2009 Sharks: I knew Anaheim would be a tough test for them, but with the regular season they had I didn't see them bowing out in round 1. Didn't watch them a lot but thought at the very least they'd make it to the conference finals.

2004 Avalanche: All those acquisitions that summer and they couldn't win the division. Granted I kind of stopped paying attention the league at a certain point that season but was still surprised they couldn't get by what I felt at that time was an underwhelming Sharks team in round 2.

2007 Sabres: They looked poised that season. They had a nationally-televised game against a good opponent that season (don't remember who) in which they embarrassed the opposition. I couldn't believe Ottawa beat them in 5 in the conference finals. Mind you I kind of flamed out that year when Carolina didn't qualify but was still surprised they didn't win the East.

Not sure who to put for a 5th. 2012 Canucks or 2013 Penguins maybe?

 

[KoozNetsOff 92]

I think you have to take the 2017 or 2016 Capitals ahead of the 2010 team. Maybe you don't get prime Ovechkin, but you get an EXTREMELY better defense group and an elite goalie. The only thing stopping the Capitals these past couple seasons were the Cup Champions. Those second round series were the real finals.

I agree. Caps D was pathetic in 09/10, goaltending wasn't much better either. No legit 2C either, but 16 & 17 had the 1A/1B with Backstrom and Kuznetsov. Much better overall team.

 

[c9777666]

You didn't think it was Pittsburgh's to lose once Washington went down? As far as I am concerned you may as well given them the keys to represent the East in the Cup final at that time. Chicago was on my list to come out of the west though. Who knew Halak would stand on his head and upset both superstars' teams.

Pittsburgh had been the only top 4 East seed to survive Round 1 (not just Washington, but the 2 and 3 seeds, Buffalo and New Jersey, also lost), so everything seemed pointed in their direction.

Kind of ironic that Jacques Martin, who had flopped as a favorite for years coaching Ottawa, was able to thrive as an underdog.

Two other things looking back when it comes to 2010 that should be noted are:

1. Montreal ONLY was able to clinch a playoff spot because they had gotten a point after 60 minutes in game 82, which they lost to Toronto. If they lose in regulation, they’re out ala 2007.

2. Montreal actually would have not faced the Capitals if the Rangers won that famous game 82 shootout in Philadelphia. That would have moved them up into a 2-7 matchup with the Devils. Who knows if we still get the Halak playoff run had they faced New Jersey instead of Washington.

 

[CharlestownChiefsESC]

You didn't think it was Pittsburgh's to lose once Washington went down? As far as I am concerned you may as well given them the keys to represent the East in the Cup final at that time. Chicago was on my list to come out of the west though. Who knew Halak would stand on his head and upset both superstars' teams.

As good as Pitt was I thought they lacked the fire that Chicago had. I remember watching the Hawks those playoffs and they were hell bent on ending the cup drought in Chicago. Pitt was good but idk they just seemed underwhelming to me. I just didn't think they were gonna repeat.

Pittsburgh had been the only top 4 East seed to survive Round 1 (not just Washington, but the 2 and 3 seeds, Buffalo and New Jersey, also lost), so everything seemed pointed in their direction.

Kind of ironic that Jacques Martin, who had flopped as a favorite for years coaching Ottawa, was able to thrive as an underdog.

Two other things looking back when it comes to 2010 that should be noted are:

1. Montreal ONLY was able to clinch a playoff spot because they had gotten a point after 60 minutes in game 82, which they lost to Toronto. If they lose in regulation, they’re out ala 2007.

2. Montreal actually would have not faced the Capitals if the Rangers won that famous game 82 shootout in Philadelphia. That would have moved them up into a 2-7 matchup with the Devils. Who knows if we still get the Halak playoff run had they faced New Jersey instead of Washington.

I simmed this series too. The Devils would have beaten Montreal

 

[quoipourquoi]

Something like...

2000-01 New Jersey Devils
1999-00 Dallas Stars
1999-00 Colorado Avalanche (after the trade; before that, they were rubbish)
2010-11 Vancouver Canucks
1997-98 Dallas Stars
1998-99 Colorado Avalanche
2013-14 Chicago Blackhawks
1998-99 Detroit Red Wings
2006-07 Ottawa Senators
2006-07 Buffalo Sabres

 

[besser]

Damn that 2011 Canucks team was so so so good, I was amazed every time they played , are they the last team that had 2 -40 goal scorers in one season ?

 

[Kyle McMahon]

I think the 2013 Bruins deserve a little more mention. Beat a Penguins team that finished with a pro-rated (to 82 games) 123 points in a one-sided sweep. Then had Chicago (pro-rated 131 points) on the ropes up 2-1, before losing three tight games. Won the President's Trophy the next season. How they almost lost to Toronto in the first round after going up 3-1 in games, I'll never know. I think this team was better than the 2011 team that won the Cup. Bergeron, Krejci, Horton, and Lucic were probably all at their peak. Chara was still one of the very best players in the game. Rask was excellent. Not to mention Marchand, Seguin, and an old but still useful Jagr. Very deep up front.

 

[JackSlater]

Honestly all of my five would be late 90s, early 2000s Detroit/Dallas/Colorado/New Jersey. Hard to say which versions specifically I guess outside of 2001 New Jersey. Detroit 2009 and Vancouver 2011 would be the next to get consideration.