The 10 Most Tortured Hockey Franchises in Recent Memory

Scribe Written on June 25, 2009

Slide 1 of 13

DETROIT - JUNE 12: Brad Stuart #23, second from left, and Nicklas Lidstrom #5 of the Detroit Red Wings look on dejectedly after Game Seven of the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup Finals against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Joe Louis Arena on June 12, 2009 in Detroit,

Harry How/Getty Images

Another hockey season is in the books, and fans in Pittsburgh can rejoice after the Penguins brought Lord Stanley's Cup back to the Steel City after a 17-year absence.

Detroit came up one win short of giving the Red Wings fans the thrill of victory, but they succeeded just last year.

In any case, these two teams have recently rewarded their fan bases with a championship, something they should both be happy about.

At the other end of the spectrum are teams that have failed to produce such a reward for years and even decades. They include teams that have had chances in the finals but couldn't quite get over the final hurdle, and teams that haven't been anywhere near the last round of the playoffs. Here are 10 teams that have failed to satisfy the needs of their fans, and have downright tortured them as a result.

A couple ground rules before we begin:
1. I'm focusing roughly on a team's last 20 years, but occasionally will go back further if it's relevant and/or necessary. I've used some statistics but also other factors (fan support, management, etc.) in the rankings.

2. As such, I've excluded teams that haven't existed for more than 20 years, so while the Sharks have been atrocious in the playoffs the last few years, they still haven't experienced as much futility as any of the teams listed.

3. Accordingly, a team is not eligible for this list if they've won a championship in the last 20 years. Good news for Flames fans. You just missed the cut.

4. Of course these are just my opinions and I welcome your debates. Let's get to it...

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The 10 Most Tortured Hockey Franchises in Recent Memory

Steve Prudente

The 10 Most Tortured Hockey Franchises in Recent Memory

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