25 great NHL teams that somehow didn't win the Stanley Cup

From 1950 to 1955, Detroit won four Stanley Cups to string together one brilliant dynasty. However, the '50-'51 squad might have been one of the most talented amid this franchise surge. Ted Lindsay, Gordie Howe, Sid Abel, and Red Kelly -- Detroit's star-studded cast of the time were all there that season, and the Red Wings earned a league-best 101 points. However, second-place Montreal proved too much for Detroit in the 1951 playoff opener, winning the first two games, but weren't stunned after losing Games 3 and 4. The Canadiens regrouped to win the next two, before losing to Toronto in the Stanley Cup Final.

Entering the 1970-71 season, Boston was the reigning Stanley Cup champion and potentially even better a year later. The 121 points the Bruins recorded in 1970-71 stood as a club record for more than 40 years. In the process, they totaled a whopping 399 goals (then an NHL record) and won 57 games behind legends Phil Esposito (then-NHL record 76 goals) and Bobby Orr (career-high 139 points), and an incredibly talented supporting cast that featured two more 100-point producers. However, when the playoffs rolled around, Montreal rookie Ken Dryden stepped up big in net as the Canadiens held Boston to five totals while winning Games 6 and 7 of their opening-round series to pull off the upset.

It had been 10 years since the Black Hawks (with the nickname spelled as two words) won their last Stanley Cup, and the 1970-71 squad appeared strong enough to deliver quite the anniversary present for the franchise. Led by Stan Mikita, Bobby Hull and Tony Esposito in goal, Chicago posted a West Division-best 107 points and 49 wins -- both franchise records at the time. The Black Hawks swept Philadelphia to open the 1971 playoffs, then outlasted the New York Rangers in seven games. Chicago was back in the Stanley Cup Final, against Montreal, which upset a 121-point Boston club en route. It proved to be a classic series, with the home team winning each of the first six games. The Black Hawks led 2-0 at home in Game 7, but the Canadiens tied it with two second-period goals, then won it on Henri Richard's tiebreaker with 2:34 remaining in regulation to hoist the Cup.

The 1975-76 Flyers entered the season aiming for a third consecutive Stanley Cup triumph. When the regular season ended, they seemed poised to accomplish that impressive feat after recording a league-best 118 points, which still stands as the most in the franchise history. The Flyers won 20 straight games at home during one stretch that season, and the legendary line of Bobby Clarke, Reggie Leach, and Bill Barber set an NHL record with 141 goals. Though it wasn't totally easy, Philadelphia reached the Stanley Cup Final, but unlike the previous two seasons, it did not hoist the Cup. Instead, it was stunned via a four-game sweep at the hands of Montreal.

Another strong candidate for the all-time best NHL team never to win the Stanley Cup. These Flyers own the longest unbeaten streak by a North American professional sports team at 35 consecutive games. The Flyers' 116 points from '79-'80 rank second in club history, while five players registered at least 30 goals -- with Reggie Leach scoring 50 and Bill Barber 40. During the Campbell Conference playoffs, Philadelphia lost just two games. However, the Cup final against the New York Islanders was a different story. The Flyers went 0-3 on the road, including a 5-4 overtime loss in the clinching Game 6, which featured the infamous no-offside call on the Isles' second goal of the night.

The Oilers' 1980s dynasty produced five Stanley Cups in seven seasons (1984-90). And, many NHL historians and fans believe the 1985-86 squad was more than capable of winning the franchise's third consecutive Cup. With names like Wayne Gretzky (who posted an NHL-best 215 points that season), Jari Kurri, Mark Messier, Paul Coffey and Glenn Anderson, these Oilers scored 426 goals (second-most in NHL history), won 56 games and posted a league-best 119 points -- which matched the franchise record. The Oilers swept Vancouver to open the 1986 playoffs, but immediately found themselves in a battle with their provincial rival in the Calgary Flames. No team won back-to-back games during that second-round series, but Edmonton had home ice for Game 7. However, in one of the most infamous moments in NHL playoff history, Oilers' defenseman Steve Smith inadvertently banked the puck in the net off his teammate and goaltender Grant Fuhr on a pass attempt early in the third period, giving Calgary a 3-2 lead. The advantage held up and the Flames pulled off the stunning upset.

In 1988-89, the Canadiens, who earned a Wales Conference-best 115 points, and the Calgary Flames, the Presidents' Trophy winners with 117, seemed on a destined course to battle for the Stanley Cup. They were two best teams in the league and did square off with the Cup on the line. Montreal went up 2-1 in the series, but the Flames won the next three games. While the Final will be remembered for Calgary legend Lanny McDonald scoring in the Game 6 clincher to hoist the Cup finally, the result provided some major disappointment for a highly successful Habs team.

Entering the 1992-93 season, Pittsburgh was aiming for a third consecutive Stanley Cup triumph. And, if that regular season was any indication, Mario Lemieux and Co. were going to accomplish that feat. The Penguins set club records with 56 wins and 119 points -- the latter good enough to win the franchise's only Presidents' Trophy. After beating New Jersey in five games to open the 1993 playoffs and holding a 3-2 series lead against the New York Islanders in the next round, the Penguins appeared on their way. However, the Isles scored three third-period goals to win 7-5 in Game 6 and David Volek's goal 5:16 in overtime of Game 7 gave the visitors a stunning 4-3 victory and series upset. 

During the 1990s, the Red Wings won two Stanley Cups and played for another. That "other" one came in 1994-95, when Detroit boasted an NHL-best 70 during the lockout-shortened campaign. Led by legendary veterans Steve Yzerman, Paul Coffey Dino Ciccarelli and budding superstar Sergei Fedorov, the Red Wings scored 54 times while going 12-2 against Dallas, San Jose and Chicago during the Western Conference playoffs. However, the Wings ran into a buzzsaw via the underdog New Jersey Devils, and their vaunted neutral-zone trap, in the Cup Final, totaling just seven goals while being swept in the series.

After falling short of hoisting the Cup in 1995, the Red Wings appeared poised to do so the next season. Detroit's 62 wins from '95-'96 were a record at the time, and its 131 points are the third-highest posted in the history of the league. Again with a "Who's Who" of NHL superstars (Steve Yzerman, Paul Coffey, Sergei Fedorov, Slava Kozlov, Igor Larionov, Mike Vernon, Chris Osgood), the Wings did have to work to reach the Western Conference finals -- notably beating St. Louis in seven games the round prior. However, against a Colorado club led by Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg and Patrick Roy, Detroit dropped Games 1 and 2 at home, never recovered and lost the series in six.

In one of the more interesting seasons for a franchise in NHL history, the Senators avoided the distraction of lingering off-ice problems to set franchise records for wins (52) and points (113) -- both would be matched in 2005-06 -- to win the Presidents' Trophy. Quite remarkable, considering the franchise filed for bankruptcy in January of that season and was essentially being kept afloat financially by the league. With Marian Hossa and Daniel Alfredsson at the forefront, Ottawa reached the Eastern Conference finals. That's where it fell into a 3-1 hole against New Jersey, but battled back to force a Game 7 on home ice. That contest appeared headed tor overtime, but the Devils' Jeff Friesen scored with a little more than 2 minutes to play in regulation for a 4-3 victory that broke the hearts of Senators fans.

Only six teams in the annals of NHL play have recorded more points than the 124 registered by the 2005-06 Red Wings. Paced by budding superstars in Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, plus Hall-of-Famer Brendan Shanahan, the Red Wings totaled a Western Conference-best 305 goals. Meanwhile, the No. 8 seed Edmonton Oilers finished 29 points back of the Red Wings that season. However, the Oilers held heavily-favored Detroit to just 17 goals while pulling off a stunning six-game upset in the opening round and beginning their improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Perhaps no franchise in the NHL, and its fan base, is hungrier for a Stanley Cup than the Sabres. Since breaking into the league in 1970, Buffalo has made just two Stanley Cup Final appearances. However, it can be argued that the best Sabres' squad of all time was this 2006-07 group, which set a franchise record for wins (53) and matched the club mark for points (113), while winning their first Presidents' Trophy. Buffalo scored a league-best 298 goals that season, and four players topped the 30 mark, highlighted by Thomas Vanek's 43. Buffalo reached the Eastern Conference finals, but managed just 10 while losing to Ottawa in five games.

With 116 points, the Bruins were the top team during the Eastern Conference regular season, and they won at least 50 games (53) for the first time since 1992-93. With six 20-goal scorers and stud goaltender Tim Thomas leading the way, Boston seemed poised to make a long playoff run after sweeping Montreal in the opening round. However, following a 4-1 win in Game 1 against Carolina in the next round, the Bruins were stymied by Hurricanes netminder Cam Ward and totaled three goals while losing the next three. Boston responded by winning Games 5 and 6 to force a Game 7, but Scott Walker's goal late in overtime sent Carolina to an upset series victory.

The 117 points these Sharks recorded still remain the most in the franchise history, as are the 53 victories posted by this 2008-09 group. Patrick Marleau and Devin Setoguchi each topped the 30-goal mark, Joe Thornton had a team-high 86 points, and Evgeni Nabokov won 41 games in the net during San Jose's Presidents' Trophy-winning regular season. Yet, when it was time to step up their game for the playoffs, the Sharks totaled just 10 goals and were shut out twice while losing their opening series to Anaheim in six games.

Since Alex Ovechkin arrived in D.C. in 2009-10, the Capitals have recorded at least 100 points 10 times. At the top of that heap is the 2009-10 campaign, where they won the Presidents' Trophy with a franchise-record 121 points. Paced by Ovechkin's 50 goals, seven Caps scored at least 21 or more. Meanwhile, the team posted a 2.72 goals-against average. When the playoffs rolled around, Washington jumped out to a 3-1 lead over Montreal in the opening series. However, netminder Jaroslav Halak and the Canadiens held the Caps to just a goal apiece in winning each of the final three games to pull off the upset. 

Arguably the greatest season in Canucks history ended in major disappointment -- and literally almost left the city of Vancouver in ruins. That 2010-11 Canucks posted a franchise-best 117 points to win the Presidents' Trophy and their 54 wins remain the most by a team that lost in the Stanley Cup Final. Armed with the Sedin twins and star netminder Roberto Luongo, Vancouver's quest for its first Cup got off to a good start when it beat visiting Boston in Games 1 and 2 of the Final. However, the Canucks lost all three road games, then returned home for Game 7, only to have Bruins' goaltender Tim Thomas stop all 37 shots he faced during a 4-0 loss. Following the defeat, a riot broke out on the streets of Vancouver, leaving a lasting stain on what should have been a special season.

The Penguins' 72 points were the most in the Eastern Conference during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 NHL season. Sidney Crosby and Co. didn't have too much trouble reaching the conference finals after scoring 47 goals in 11 games against the New York Islanders and Ottawa in the first two rounds. However, the Penguins' potency suddenly went cold against Boston. Led by Tuukka Rask in net, the Bruins held Pittsburgh to just two goals while sweeping the series to meet Chicago in the Stanley Cup Final.

At the time, the 117 points the Bruins generated in 2013-14 were then the second-most in club history. Boston had won the Presidents' Trophy and appeared in a position to return to the Stanley Cup Final and possibly get the job done after falling short against Chicago one season earlier. The Bruins dispatched of Detroit in five games to open the 2014 playoffs. But, even with the potency of 30-goal scorers Patrice Bergeron and Jarome Iginla, and defensive stalwart Zdeno Chara, Boston managed just 16 goals while losing to storied rival Montreal in seven games of the next round.

The first of back-to-back postseason misery for the Capitals. In '15-'16, Washington set a franchise record with 56 wins and nearly topped the aforementioned club mark for points while posting 120. The Capitals opened the playoffs with a six-game win over Philadelphia, then embarked on another installment of its bitter rivalry with Pittsburgh. After winning Game 1 at home, Washington suffered three straight one-goal defeats -- two coming in regulation to go down 3-1. The Caps managed to win Game 5 at home and overcame a 3-0 deficit in Game 6 to force overtime. However, Pittsburgh's Nick Bonino ended the series with a goal 6:32 into the extra session.

Stop if we've said this before. The Capitals enjoy a stellar regular season, in this case, posting 118 points to win the Presidents' Trophy for a second straight campaign. And, just like the season prior, Washington won its first-round playoff series, this time taking down Toronto in six games. But, once again, Pittsburgh was waiting for the Caps in the next phase of the Eastern Conference, and it was the defending Stanley Cup champion. In 2017, Washington lost Games 1 and 2 at home, but rallied from 3-1 down to even the series with back-to-back victories in Games 5 and 6. That set up the winner-take-all Game 7, and perhaps the most hyped contest in the history of this intense rivalry. Sadly for the Caps, disappointment resurfaced as the Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury made 29 saves during a 2-0 victory and series win in front of the Washington fans.

The Lightning have won two Stanley Cups since debuting in 1992-93. But, that still doesn't totally take the sting away from the eventual lost season of 2018-19. Tampa Bay won 62 games during that campaign, tied for the second-most in league history. Its 128 points are the fifth-highest total the NHL has ever seen and earned the club its first Presidents' Trophy. Nikita Kucherov posted 128 points that season for the Lightning, but he managed just two as they were outscored 19-8 during an absolutely stunning first-round sweep at the hands of the upstart Columbus Blue Jackets, who had never won a playoff series prior to that point. 

The 122 points Florida amassed during the '21-'22 season are the most in franchise history, and among the top 10 all-time in the NHL. That Presidents' Trophy-winning season for the Panthers featured 340 goals scored and four players posting 30 or more -- Aleksander Barkov (39), Sam Reinhart (33), Anthony Duclair (31) and Jonathan Huberdeau (30), however, after taking down Washington in six games during the opening series of the 2022 playoffs, that potent Panthers offense was held to just three goals while being swept by rival Tampa Bay in the next round.

Arguably, the greatest regular season in NHL history ended with perhaps the grandest shortcoming the league has ever witnessed. The 2022-23 Bruins set NHL records for wins (65) and points (135) and also won their first 14 home games. David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron were among the game's best, and it seemed a foregone conclusion the Bruins would win their first Cup since 2011. Things looked good when Boston opened the playoffs by jumping out to a 3-1 series lead versus Florida. But, the Panthers avoided elimination with a 4-3 overtime win in Game 5 and scored the final three goals of Game 6 for a 7-5 victory. That brought on a surprising Game 7, where Florida tied it at 3-3 via Brandon Montour's goal with 1 minute left in regulation. Then, 8:35 into overtime, Boston's special season ended, thanks to a goal from the Panthers' Carter Verhaeghe that stunned the Bruins, their faithful and the hockey world.

In the storied history of the New York Rangers, the franchise's greatest regular-season performance did not result in a Stanley Cup triumph. In 2023-24, New York set club records with 55 wins and 114 points to win the Presidents' Trophy. Artemi Panarin posted 120 points, Chris Kreider scored 39 goals and Igor Shesterkin capped a three-season run of 30-plus victories in net. The Rangers swept Washington to open the playoffs, then beat Carolina in six games. In the Eastern Conference finals versus Florida, the Rangers led 2-1 in the series, then never won again, suffering three consecutive one-goal losses to fall short at their first shot at the Cup since 1994.