Best teams to never win the Cup

[HisIceness]

2008-09 Sharks and 2009-10 Capitals

San Jose had the absolute worst-case round 1 matchup in facing the Ducks. I'm confident they would have gotten to the Finals had they not had Anaheim in their path.

Washington got Halak'ed but man that was an extremely fun team to watch, probably the most entertaining overall in the Ovechkin-era. That said they lost some games down the stretch that made me think they could be upset-material.

 

[GMR]

2008-09 Sharks and 2009-10 Capitals

San Jose had the absolute worst-case round 1 matchup in facing the Ducks. I'm confident they would have gotten to the Finals had they not had Anaheim in their path.

Washington got Halak'ed but man that was an extremely fun team to watch, probably the most entertaining overall in the Ovechkin-era. That said they lost some games down the stretch that made me think they could be upset-material.

It's hard to say that any team which lost in the first round would have made it to the SCF had they won that one series. Especially, when you're talking about the perennial choker Sharks.

 

[Jim MacDonald]

Their 1999-2000 President's Trophy-winning team had a legitimate chance. Finished with 51 wins & 114 points. Pronger & MacInnis on the D-line and PP, Pavol Demitra (R.I.P.) and Pierre Turgeon leading the offense, a strong supporting cast of skaters, and Roman Turek with a career year in goal. Then along came San Jose, and The Curse continued.

It's been a while since I've seen this (and sorry to bring up bad memories of course), but the Owen Nolan red line blast that got by Turek, was that in a elimination game or in another game (and thought of as a turning point in the series)?

 

[VanIslander]

Best-performing franchise to never win the cup:

St. Louis Blues !

 

[scott clam]

1992 Blackhawks deserve a mention. One year removed from the presidents trophy they once again were the top seed in the campbell conference. Swept the wings and the oilers in the second and third rounds, only to be swept themselves by the pens in the final.

 

[The Panther]

I think the real answer here, at least since expansion in '67, has to be Edmonton in 1986. I mean, they'd just gone to the Finals three straight years and won two straight Cups (going 10-2 in the Finals). They'd just completed the 1985-86 season with 119 points, finishing 1st overall comfortably. Gretzky had 215 points. Coffey 138. Kurri led the NHL in goals and had 130 points. Messier was awesome. Anderson 54 goals. Fuhr and Moog in net. Team had a 19-4-1 record in the last 23 regular season games -- so it's not like they were slumping late in the season or anything -- and then rolled over Vancouver in three straight by a combined score of 17-5, with minimal effort expended. The next team they'd face -- Calgary -- they'd gone 12-2-2 against since their previous playoff meeting (which Edmonton had won).

I think if you polled any random 20 hockey pundits in early April 1986 and asked who was winning the Cup, 20 out of 20 would have said Edmonton.

And unlike Pittsburgh in 1993, Edmonton would then go on to win three of the next four Stanley Cups, meaning they were right in their primes. (Even Boston in '71 managed only one more Cup.)


And yet... no Stanley Cup in this photo (sigh...):

 

[Bluesguru]

It's been a while since I've seen this (and sorry to bring up bad memories of course), but the Owen Nolan red line blast that got by Turek, was that in a elimination game or in another game (and thought of as a turning point in the series)?

Yes, that was in an elimination game, Game 7. Brutal

 

[agentblack]

As much as it pains me to admit, Detroit was a dynasty that never was. They could have run the floor from 95 on to 98

 

[Normand Lacombe]

As much as it pains me to admit, Detroit was a dynasty that never was. They could have run the floor from 95 on to 98

If the Wings had Brendan Shanahan in 95 and 96, they may have won the Cup those years. I say may because New Jersey still would have proved to be a difficult match up for the Wings in 95. I do doubt that Scott Stevens would have been smiling and taunting Detroit's bench after his check on Kozlov if Shanahan was a Wing then. In 96, the series with Colorado maybe has a different outcome and Detroit dispatches Florida in the Final.

 

[GreatGonzo]

2008-09 Sharks and 2009-10 Capitals

San Jose had the absolute worst-case round 1 matchup in facing the Ducks. I'm confident they would have gotten to the Finals had they not had Anaheim in their path.

Washington got Halak'ed but man that was an extremely fun team to watch, probably the most entertaining overall in the Ovechkin-era. That said they lost some games down the stretch that made me think they could be upset-material.

San Jose did have a VERY dark horse in Anaheim for the first round, but I’m not sure I would call them a guarantee past Detroit. This is the same team who took Pitt to seven games.

The ‘09 Sharks were good, but they obviously lacked the playoff experience in the long run. Something the Ducks had plenty of. They were still maturing and it was their second year at the top of the stands.

 

[GreatGonzo]

If the Wings had Brendan Shanahan in 95 and 96, they may have won the Cup those years. I say may because New Jersey still would have proved to be a difficult match up for the Wings in 95. I do doubt that Scott Stevens would have been smiling and taunting Detroit's bench after his check on Kozlov if Shanahan was a Wing then. In 96, the series with Colorado maybe has a different outcome and Detroit dispatches Florida in the Final.

This is true. Shanahan added that “grit” that Detroit needed. Not that they were soft, but they didn’t have that competitiveness like NJ had. They grew a pair, and a BIG one at that with the Colorado brawl, especially after they eliminated them the year before.

 

[GMR]

If the Wings had Brendan Shanahan in 95 and 96, they may have won the Cup those years. I say may because New Jersey still would have proved to be a difficult match up for the Wings in 95. I do doubt that Scott Stevens would have been smiling and taunting Detroit's bench after his check on Kozlov if Shanahan was a Wing then. In 96, the series with Colorado maybe has a different outcome and Detroit dispatches Florida in the Final.

Well, they had Stu Grimson on that team, so it's not like they didn't have anyone who could destroy Stevens. In those days, enforcers would still play in the SCF.

 

[Jets4Life]

1985-86 Edmonton Oilers. Perhaps their best regular season ever. Coming off back-to-back Stanley Cups, winning the Division by 30 points, and the Presidents Trophy easily. Gretzky had an insane 163 assists and 215 points. Jari Kurri led the league with 68 goals. Paul Coffey broke Bobby Orr's goal record with 48. Grant Fuhr and Andy Moog played great.

56-17-7, and they could not knock off an inferior Flames team. One of the greatest upsets in hockey history.

 

[Reality Check]

2009 Red Wings for sure

A bit lackadaisical throughout the year and burned by injuries down the stretch. But I'll always believe they repeat if they faced any other Eastern Conference team than Pittsburgh for the second straight year.

'98 Dallas Stars is another team that comes to mind.

 

[Voight]

2009 Red Wings for sure

A bit lackadaisical throughout the year and burned by injuries down the stretch. But I'll always believe they repeat if they faced any other Eastern Conference team than Pittsburgh for the second straight year.

'98 Dallas Stars is another team that comes to mind.

They repeat with a healthy Datsyuk & Lidas.