If the Lightning don't win the Stanley Cup this year, Will it be considered a choke?

[Conor Edwards]

Considering the Red Wings pulled the same forced march in 1996 and lost, and we Red Wings fans call it a choke, then we have to judge you the same way. You win like that in the regular season, and you can't finish in the playoffs? That's choking.

 

[easton117]

Lets forget about injuries then. If completely healthy, you wouldnt think this Tampa Team...say losing in the ECF or the 2nd rd...would be considered a choke?

The thing with hockey is you don’t have to be better than your opponent to win a series.

A good game plan and guys buying in have won lots of rounds for teams. Boston - Pitt a few years ago would be a good example.

Now if they got manhandled in 4 straight by someone. Say Washington runs them out of the building maybe you could say they were unprepared.

But the choke label is a tough one to pin down in any series.

 

[NYRKing]

The Tampa Bay Lightning are tearing up the League and have solidified themselves as the clear cut Stanley Cup Favorite.

In fact, I think they're so good and above everyone else...that they should win the Stanley Cup with ease.

With the season that they're having, would they be considered "Chokers"...if somehow they don't win it all this season?

I think it depends who they play. TOR and Washington ousting them wouldn’t be as bad imo. If they lose to anyone else in the east or in the west in the SCF, then yea they choked it Vancouver style.

 

[T REX]

The Tampa Bay Lightning are tearing up the League and have solidified themselves as the clear cut Stanley Cup Favorite.

In fact, I think they're so good and above everyone else...that they should win the Stanley Cup with ease.

With the season that they're having, would they be considered "Chokers"...if somehow they don't win it all this season?

Yes. Cooper's contract won't be renewed...this is his last year on his contract. My fellow fans give me hell but if he falters again, I doubt he comes back.

Give me Q.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

The Stanley Cup is the hardest trophy in sports to win. Hockey is statistically proven to be the most random and unpredictable sport and has the lowest correlation between regular season success and playoff success.

Will it be a choke? I don't know. I think it's always a safe bet to take the field over a specific team heading into the playoffs. Would it hurt real bad for them and their friends given how dominant they've been? For sure.

 

[22Brad Park]

Anything can happen yet .Injuries etc.Playoffs are a hard fought war .SO NO.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Regardless of Tampa fans dismissal of the thread, yes it would be. So much hype about this team right now and they are doing what few teams have done in the league. Individually the players get a ton of praise be it Kucherov, Stamkos, Hedman, etc or guys like Point / Cernak. They have the best offense in the league, a goalie many would call the best in the league, and a D core many call top 5 in the league.

They have experience having been there and done it all but win. They have all their players in their prime. There is a further divide between Tampa and 2nd and 2nd and the last playoff spot or there was not too long ago.

This is a team who has no holes and is head and shoulders better than everyone else. They should win the cup this year and anything less than the finals is a failure. If they lose in the first two rounds I expect coaching changes

 

[OVO16]

The canucks are considered chokers till this day...I would think the Lightning would be considered chokers as well if this season doesnt pan out. Doing all of this in the Regular season...and not going to the Finals would def be considered a choke.

I would reserve my judgment though, if they DID make the finals and lost

 

[Captain Mountain]

Maybe? Depends on how they go out. There's a lot of luck in hockey and all it takes is a few hot/cold runs (especially in net) to lose a series.

Tampa has the best team in the NHL. Doesn't mean they'll win. Especially since coming out of the Atlantic isn't going to be the easiest path to the cup.

 

[pezpunk]

winning the cup is hard.

signed,
a Caps fan

 

[acor]

NO. If its a team vs the field, odds are always in favour of the field...

 

[Peiskos]

No, there have been countless Presidents Trophy Winners that went on to win nothing, Presidents Trophy winners lose in the playoffs more often than they go on to become Stanley Cup Champions.

As of this current decade only 1 Presidents Trophy winner has managed to win the cup, the 2013 Blackhawks.

In the last 20 years only 5 Presidents Trophy winners went on to win the cup..

99' Stars
01' Avalanche
02' Red Wings
08' Red Wings
13' Blackhawks

Running away with #1 overall in the league standings is nice and all but history shows it shouldn't mean that you should be favourites to win the cup because of it...of note you can ask the 2009 Sharks, 2011 & 2012 Canucks, the 2014 Bruins, the 2015 Rangers, 2016 & 2017 Capitals and 2018 Predators.

 

[CupsOverCash]

Yes and all the Lightning fans should just quit being fans if they dont win the cup.

 

[tntkid]

Any team at playoff time with a goalie that heats up and the team goes on a hot streak can win the cup.

Presidents trophy is never a guarantee of a cup.

 

[Hockey Crazy]

I'd say that as good as they've been, they're about 3:1 to win a cup... so about 25%

People are always so sure of who is going to be in the finals until the first two games of the playoffs are done and everyone remembers what a crazy game hockey can be.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

If any year is their year it's this one. Anything but Stanley Cup Final would be a complete failure. Losing the Cup in the finals would still be a disappointment.

 

[Mez]

Yes, when your this stacked I would consider it a choke to not win.

 

[TBLightningFan]

Choking to me is a sudden/rapid crash and burn. Like blowing a large series lead or being blown out 4-0 or 4-1 in an early round.

Not winning the cup would be certainly failure, but not choking. The label is overused. I don’t think losing in 7 games to the champs count at all.

 

[These Are The Days]

Yes and all the Lightning fans should just quit being fans if they dont win the cup.

Shouldn't be that hard considering there's only like 9 of us

 

[Bmessy]

If they get bounced in the first round it's a choke but that's all. President's trophy winners aren't guaranteed cup winners.

 

[Riseonfire]

Are they not already chokers? I was under the impression they took that mantle from Washington.

 

[Hockey4Life91]

STOP WITH THIS CRAZY VODOO MAGIC THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO PUT ON TAMPA.

Your black magic isn’t welcome here.

PS. Toronto is obviously going to break its curse and win it all. Go TML! Absolutely unstoppable with Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Reilly and Anderson.

 

[Peiskos]

STOP WITH THIS CRAZY VODOO MAGIC THAT YOU ARE TRYING TO PUT ON TAMPA.

Your black magic isn’t welcome here.

PS. Toronto is obviously going to break its curse and win it all. Go TML! Absolutely unstoppable with Matthews, Marner, Tavares, Reilly and Anderson.

Toronto isn't cursed, just suffered decades of horrendous management that set the franchise back for multiple generations.

 

[Pi]

Nah. Regular season and the playoffs are two different beasts altogether. Even an 8th seeded team can easily upset you if you take them lightly.

I am sure the Lightning would be disappointed if they don't win but unless they get swept in the first round, can't really call it a choke as the team standings go out the window...whoever has the most players firing at the same time wins.

 

[LeafsLegendAkiBerg]

Oh C'mon. A disappointment sure, but not necessarily a choke. Wouldn't be the first time a run-away President's Trophy winner doesn't win the Cup.

This. Detroit went 62-13-7 in '95-96 and lost in the conference finals. They won the cup the next season and added 3 more in the 10 years after that.