Every year the NHL presents the Presidents' Trophy for the team with the most points accumulated in the regular season. That was the practice since the 1985-86 season. It doesn't mean, however, that the winner would have a better chance to win the Stanley Cup, as evidenced by six Presidents' Trophy-winning teams that failed to even win a series in the playoffs.
1990-91 Chicago Blackhawks
49-23-8 (106)
lost 4-2 to the Minnesota North Stars
The Blackhawks had talent all over. The team led by Jeremy Roenick, Chris Chelios, Steve Larmer and goalie Ed Belfour, and coached by the legendary Mike Keenan were a defensive menace all year, allowing just 211 goals. However, their success didn't translate to the playoffs, where they fell to the North Stars team that peaked in time for their run to the Stanley Cup Finals. One year later, the Blackhawks made up for their early exit by winning 11 straight en route to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they were swept by the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Both Larmer and Keenan went on to win the Stanley Cup with the 1993-94 New York Rangers, also Presidents' Trophy winners, while Belfour won the Cup with the now-relocated Dallas Stars in 1999.
1999-2000 St. Louis Blues
51-19-11-1 (114)
lost 4-3 to the San Jose Sharks
Over a decade before the Blues returned to prominence, the millennium edition of the Blues tanked at the most opportune time, losing to the San Jose Sharks in the first round. Like this year's Blues, the 1999-2000 team was built as a defensive machine, allowing only 165 goals that year. The team was coached by Joel Quenneville, and was captained by Chris Pronger, with efficient goaltending from Roman Turek and scoring from Pavol Demitra and Pierre Turgeon. The following year, the Blues made up for it by defeating the aforementioned Sharks in six games en route to the conference finals, losing to the eventual Cup winners Colorado Avalanche in five games. Quenneville later won the Cup with the 2010 Blackhawks.
2005-06 Detroit Red Wings
58-16-8 (124)
lost 4-2 to the Edmonton Oilers
Two years before winning the Stanley Cup, the Red Wings were sent home packing earlier than expected by the Edmonton Oilers, who went on to make the Stanley Cup Finals. The Red Wings were strong on both ends, finishing 2nd on both goals scored (305) and goals allowed (209). The core of the team would remain together two years later, as they won the Presidents' Trophy for the sixth time, and then redeemed themselves by winning their 11th Cup. The team, which was coached by Mike Babcock, were led by the aging Steve Yzerman, and the aforementioned core of Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Tomas Holmstrom and Kris Draper. Manny Legace and Chris Osgood manned the pipes.
2008-09 San Jose Sharks
53-18-11 (117)
lost 4-2 to the Anaheim Ducks
The Sharks of recent years have been Cup contenders, anchored by Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, and Joe Pavelski, whose offensive prowess can't be overlooked. However, the 2008-09 team may be the most disappointing of them all. Despite earning 117 points, the Sharks were unexpectedly ousted by their cross-state rivals Anaheim Ducks, who were two years removed from a Stanley Cup win. And how about this: Jeremy Roenick was a part of another Presidents' Trophy winner that didn't even advance farther than expected. Roenick then retired after the season, without a Cup ring to show for. As for the Sharks, they made up for it by advancing to the conference finals the next two years, losing to Chicago and Vancouver, respectively. But this year's team, led by the aforementioned Thornton line, underachieved and finished only seventh, and were easily ousted by the Blues in the first round.
2009-10 Washington Capitals
54-15-13 (121)
lost 4-3 to the Montreal Canadiens
The Washington Capitals were an offensive juggernaut in the 2009-10 season, anchored by the top line of Alex Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, and Nicklas Backstrom. But they couldn't pour it on when it mattered the most, losing to the Habs in a heart-breaking Game 7 at Verizon Center. The Capitals led 3-1 in the series, but they went 0 for 3 in closing out the Habs, mostly due to Jaroslav Halak outplaying the inexperienced Semyon Varlamov. Things did improve a bit for the Caps, reaching the second round the next year before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning. But after a 7-0 start in the 2011-12 season, they slumped so bad that they fired coach Bruce Boudreau and hired Caps legend Dale Hunter, who somehow led them to the playoffs. Hunter, himself a hard-hitting player back in the day, instilled a more physical, hitting approach to his Capitals and it showed during this year's playoff series with the Boston Bruins.
2011-12 Vancouver Canucks
51-22-9 (111)
lost 4-1 to the Los Angeles Kings
They won the Presidents' Trophy the year before, and came just one game short of their first Stanley Cup. They came back wiser and more motivated, and won the trophy a second time. However, after just five games, their Stanley Cup dream was crashed by the Los Angeles Kings, who lost on the final day of the season to earn a playoff date with the Canucks. Twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin anchored the top line, along with Alexandre Burrows, while Roberto Luongo and a much-improved Cory Schneider manned the pipes. However, a late-season concussion to Daniel Sedin, as well as coach Alain Vigneault's questionable decision to start Luongo instead of Schneider (who was overmatched in last year's Stanley Cup Finals) hastened their downfall. The Canucks now face an offseason of uncertainty, as they attempt to solve 'what went wrong'.
The Presidents' Trophy is indeed a big prize won by the best regular season team. But the Stanley Cup is the real deal, for any hope of winning the Cup hinges on sustained excellence, something which doesn't happen too often.
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