NHL Stanley Cup: Which Franchise Is Hungriest for Their First Cup?

The Stanley Cup is the ultimate prize in the NHL, and many would argue that it is the most coveted prize in all of sports.

Many teams in the NHL have had the good fortune of winning the Stanley Cup and have had it brought to their city; some have even had it multiple times.

While some have enjoyed the honor of having their names placed on the Stanley Cup to be seen for years to come, plenty of teams have never had a championship to call their own.

While some have waited longer than others for their first chance to drink from Lord Stanley’s Cup, all franchises who are still waiting grow hungrier every year. Here are the top 10 hungriest franchises who are still waiting for their first Stanley Cup. 

Honorable Mention: Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers are a team that made it all the way to the conference finals in 1996 but fell short. Since making it to the finals, the team has only made it back to the playoffs twice and are currently on a 10-season playoff drought.

The team is starting to turn its fortunes around and the fans are responding.  Florida might not be the best hockey market in the country, but the fans in the Sunshine State do care about their team and have good turnouts for all of their games.

Hopefully, a team on the rise can get some success for the Florida faithful.

10. Phoenix Coyotes

With the current state of the Coyotes being a sad one, many people would not think that the franchise is thinking about the Stanley Cup. The Coyote fans that are left in the Phoenix area are still very passionate about their Desert Dogs and want to see them do well.

The Coyotes may not know what the future holds for their team, but they have made the playoffs the past two seasons and are looking to make it three in a row this year. If this is the year that the Coyotes can get their first Stanley Cup, the team might be able to secure its future in the desert. 

9. Nashville Predators

The Predators are a solid defensive team, and they win games from solid fundamental hockey and great coaching. The fanbase in Nashville has been growing and supporting the Predators, who are becoming a force in the Western Conference.

The Predators were able to make the playoffs last season and created a big stir in their home city. After last season’s taste of playoff success, the fanbase in Nashville is ready and waiting for more. 

8. St. Louis Blues

The Blues have been around the NHL for a long time, though, many might not realize it because they have had some down periods where they slip off the radar. While many current fans of the Blues might not remember their team making the NHL finals each of the first three seasons of their existence, the Blues have come very close to winning it all.

The Blues have been building a strong team over the past several seasons. Playing in a Central Division that is filled with strong teams makes it hard to have regular-season success, but this season the Blues seem to have something special going and might be able to get that illusive first Stanley Cup.

7. San Jose Sharks

The Sharks are a team that has become used to regular-season success. The Sharks have routinely finished high in the Western Conference and are usually the favorite in the Pacific Division. Over the years, the Sharks have developed a reputation as the team who is unable to ever make it out of the first round of the playoffs.

Without the success of a Stanley Cup, the fans still fill the Shark Tank every night to cheer their team to another win. Maybe someday soon the Sharks will be able to sort out their postseason problems. 

6. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings are a team that had early years filled with struggles to gain attention in the bright lights of Hollywood. When the Great One Wayne Gretzky was brought to Los Angeles, he was able to create a fanbase and excite a city about the Kings.

While Gretzky was not able to bring the Kings the Stanley Cup, he did bring attention to the team and create a winning attitude. In a city that is used to the winning and success of the Lakers and Hollywood, the Kings are working hard to add to the Los Angeles trophy case.

5. Winnipeg Jets (Both Eras)

The city of Winnipeg is a place with harsh, cold winters, and the people of Winnipeg rely on their hockey team to make the winters bearable. Due to a down Canadian economy and low attendance, Winnipeg lost their Jets in 1996, which left for not-so-greener pastures in Phoenix.

In 2011, Winnipeg got their Jets back by providing a good home for an Atlanta team with a lackluster fanbase. The Jets fans are more excited than ever and have sold out their arena for the next few seasons, hoping to will their team to Winnipeg’s first Stanley Cup.

4. Washington Capitals

The Washington Capitals are a younger franchise in the NHL, but during their existence they have seen their share of success and superstars.

The major reason that Capital fans believe that their team should have the Stanley Cup by now is because they have a team that is loaded with talent. The Capitals have a loaded roster with skill up front and on the blue line.

After having multiple years with regular-season dominance followed by a postseason disappointment, the fanbase is growing restless. 

3. Minnesota (Stars and Wild)

Minnesota is one of the greatest hockey areas in the United States. Minnesota is the home of the most competitive high school hockey in the country and has some of the best college hockey teams in the nation.  

The love of hockey is strong in Minnesota and during the early years with their North Stars, the people were never able to bring home the Cup. When the North Stars left in 1993, the fans of Minnesota had to sit and watch their former team win the Cup for Dallas in 1999.

In 2000, the Minnesota hockey faithful got another team to call their own. Now the Wild are trying to bring their first Stanley Cup to the Gopher State.

2. Buffalo Sabres

Buffalo New York is a working-class American city. The blue-collar workers of the Buffalo area have produced some great blue-collar hockey players over the years, but the Sabres have never given their blue-collar fans a Stanley Cup.

While the Sabres have only been to the finals twice in their existence, they are located in upstate New York, which has about as much snow and ice during a normal winter to rival many Canadian cities, so they naturally developed a love for hockey.

Every season, the people of Buffalo try to will their team to success, and with a new owner with a passion for the local area and the sport, success isn't too far away. 

1. Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks have been around since 1970, and over their existence they have made three appearances in the finals during that time. The Canucks fans are a passionate bunch—just look at the green men, who during the Canucks' last trip through the playoffs, had to be limited in how far they could take their antics.

With a fanbase that is as passionate as any in the NHL and a team who every season has the talent to be successful, each year the Canucks go without having the Stanley Cup to call their own they get even more anxious.