Best Team to Never Win a Stanley Cup

[saillias]

In recent years the Capitals with Ovechkin at his peak along with Green/Backstrom/Semin. They never had anything close to playoff success

[Vinny01]

Originally Posted by Cole436

It's going to be unpopular, but the 2011 Canucks. They were one of the strongest teams I've ever seen watching hockey, from a 40 goal Kesler, Hart winning Sedins, to a Vezina caliber Luongo.
Watching that team fail was one of the happiest moments of my life.

Yup the Sedin/Luongo era of the Canucks will likely never win a cup. This is a team that has won 5 straight division titles and 7 of the last 9 NW titles. 2x President's trophey winners, 1 x Western conference winner, 3x making it to the 2nd round, 3x first round exit and 2 narrow playoff misses. Easily the best era of that team that certainly peaked in 10/11. Once they beat Chicago it appeared they were destined to go all the way, go up 2-0 on the Bruins and then start a horrible streak of 12 losses in 14 playoff games. The era is slowly dying and a rebuild seems inevitable in the next 1-3 years. So glad they didn't win but I was pretty sure 2011 was their year.

[jeffman]

The blues they came close a few times in the 60"s and they keep getting epic blue liners like macinnis pronger and now pietrangelo

[Caged Great]

The red wings from 94-96 were some of the best teams in NHL history and they didn't finally manage to win till 97 and 98

[WCW Nitro]

I'll say the Blackhawks from about 90-93. Roenick,Chelios, Belfour,etc all in their prime. Good support players in Suter, Larmer,Goulet. Good leadership and toughness with Graham, Smith,and others.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by saillias

In recent years the Capitals with Ovechkin at his peak along with Green/Backstrom/Semin. They never had anything close to playoff success

Because they weren't built for playoff success, and therefore aren't candidates for this thread.

[Jay Random]

1987-1993 Bruins.

They had Andy Moog, Cam Neely, Ken Linseman, the underrated Glen Wesley, and of course, the magnificent Ray Bourque. But the team wasn't about the stars; it was about the team. Sometimes it seemed like you could put Bruin jerseys on 20 scarecrows and they would go out and execute the game plan. Some nights it seemed like that was exactly what they were doing.

In those six years, they had three 100-point finishes (before there were pity points), made the conference finals four times and the Stanley Cup finals twice, but came up against white-hot Oiler teams in both finals.

[PlayfulGenius]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

1987-1993 Bruins.

They had Andy Moog, Cam Neely, Ken Linseman, the underrated Glen Wesley, and of course, the magnificent Ray Bourque. But the team wasn't about the stars; it was about the team. Sometimes it seemed like you could put Bruin jerseys on 20 scarecrows and they would go out and execute the game plan. Some nights it seemed like that was exactly what they were doing.

In those six years, they had three 100-point finishes (before there were pity points), made the conference finals four times and the Stanley Cup finals twice, but came up against white-hot Oiler teams in both finals.

Yep! Those years of the Bruins gets my vote as well

[Barca]

Originally Posted by Cole436

It's going to be unpopular, but the 2011 Canucks. They were one of the strongest teams I've ever seen watching hockey, from a 40 goal Kesler, Hart winning Sedins, to a Vezina caliber Luongo.
Watching that team fail was one of the happiest moments of my life.

The 2011 Canucks team was not just dominating, they were also fun to watch...so many exciting games that year.

It sucks that the team that dominated the whole season was just riddled with injuries in the finals but still managed to push the Bruins to game 7.

[calgarywinning]

I disagree with this 2011 Canuck team. I know a lot of friends who shared the sentiment that it was their year. They certainly cleaned up during the year and with the president's trophy.

However, there has always been something greater that gel's at playoff time. It is a moment where a team decides that they have the will to win, not they will win because of this or that. It doesn't mean they will go all the way, but it means they won't be put down. It's a coalescing moment to despite everything a team comes together in away deserving of a championship.

One such moment was when the Bruins came back to defeat TML this year. That showed me what Boston was all about. When the Kings won the cup, they weren't playing that well in the regular season. In fact, there was a horrible game where they eliminated Calgary that was almost unwatchable by both teams late in the season. I remember being at the dome wondering why I come to watch hockey.

When I saw the final they were a machine on a destiny. All cogs, gears and wheels performed in sync, perfectly because they believed they were going to win. Not too mention some diving and performance acting.

So my point is I've never felt this from this Vancouver team, except for 2007 maybe when they went the mile in OT. I was cheering for them, because it showed grit.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by calgarywinning

So my point is I've never felt this from this Vancouver team, except for 2007 maybe when they went the mile in OT. I was cheering for them, because it showed grit.

When they beat Dallas in the first round that year, never have I seen a team get so thoroughly outplayed all series when they still go on to win. That's back when Luongo was the best goalie on the planet, he absolutely stole that series. They had no business advancing.


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[gunnner]

A second vote for the Sens. Could never get their goaltending to steal a crucial game. Thought they had the devils in 2003.

[cowtown75]

Originally Posted by Daradon

Flesh it out, tell us who or what you liked about those teams. Why they should have made it, but didn't.

Another idea to think about is, could this team have won in a different year, they just couldn't in that specific year cause of a better team, our just dumb bad luck.

Maybe this concept was too difficult, lol.

Whats with you and "Fleshing it out" ? lol

[Żoso]

Yeah, the 02-03 Senators were a great team. Had they beat New Jersey in game 7 they probably would have beat the Mighty Ducks to win the Cup.

[kremb]

The Jets that were buried by the success of Edmonton and Calgary in the 80's were a PITA to deal with.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnipe...2.80.931996.29

I now some Winnipegers who loathe the 80s Oil as much as a Flames fan.

I guess the answer would be Calgary if we hadn't pulled it off in '89.

[4oh3]

san jose sharks for the last decade lol, definition of a playoff choke team

[SeeBass]

The mid 70's Winnipeg jets

[stignasty]

1990 Calgary Flames
http://articles.latimes.com/1990-04-...calgary-flames