Ranking the Best Teams That Fell Short of the Stanley Cup

The Washington Capitals have the Presidents' Trophy locked up for 2015-16 and are having an impressive regular season thanks to great production up and down the lineup. They may rank as one of the best teams in NHL history in terms of depth and talent.

But what's talent without a title?

Ultimately, one without the other leads to nothing but disappointment. Just ask members of teams like the 1989 Montreal Canadiens, 1975 Buffalo Sabres, 2009 San Jose Sharks and 2003 Ottawa Senators, to name just a few that nearly made the cut for this slideshow. They all had tremendous ability and strong regular-season performances without the ultimate payoff—the Stanley Cup.

Regardless of what happens to the Capitals in the coming weeks, there are plenty of examples throughout history of great teams falling short of their goal. Of all the great teams who have had a shot at the NHL's most prized silver chalice, we are picking 10 that rank as the best to miss out on sipping from the Stanley Cup's bowl.

They are ranked based on the talent and chemistry they displayed, their regular-season performances and finishes and in an imaginary head-to-head battle against each other played out in one writer's head.

Click ahead to see where your favorite team throughout NHL history might rank among the best teams to fall short of the Stanley Cup.

10. 1985 Philadelphia Flyers

Fred Jewell/Associated Press

The roster

The 1985 Philadelphia Flyers weren't flashy, but they were a balanced team bolstered by the best goaltender in the NHL in Pelle Lindbergh, who won the Vezina Trophy after leading the league in wins and finishing second in save percentage and third in goals-against average.

Tim Kerr, David Poulin, Brian Popp and Peter Zezel led the way offensively, but the team also had Rick Tocchet, Ron and Rich Sutter and defensemen Brad McCrimmon and Mark Howe.

The run

The Flyers were the best regular-season team with 53 wins and 113 points, including just four regulation losses at home. They scored the fourth-most in the league and were third-best in goals against. They started and finished strong, opening with 16 wins in their first 24 games (16-4-4) and ending with a 24-4-0 record after Feb. 9 to claim the Patrick Division by 12 points over the challenging Washington Capitals.

Things were looking good for the Flyers en route to the Stanley Cup Final. They swept the New York Rangers in the first round and lost just three times in the next two series against the New York Islanders and Quebec Nordiques, setting up a championship matchup against the powerful Edmonton Oilers. 

The result

The defending Stanley Cup champs wouldn't allow the Flyers to add the playoff title to their regular-season victory, beating them in five games thanks to Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier and company. The Flyers were great, but that Oilers team was better. The Flyers lost Lindbergh in a car crash the following fall.

9. 1971 Boston Bruins

Sal Veder/Associated Press

The roster

Bobby Orr headlined the 1971 Boston Bruins, winning both the Hart and Vezina Trophies for his dominance from the blue line. Phil Esposito had 76 goals and 152 points to lead the NHL in both categories that season. Orr led the league in assists. And both Johnny Bucyk and Ken Hodge had 100-point seasons to give the Bruins the only group of four to hit that mark.

The run

The defending Stanley Cup champs scored the most goals (399) in the league and allowed the third-fewest in '71, going 54-14-7 to rack up a whopping 121 points in the standings and run away with the league's best record. By comparison, the New York Rangers were second in the league with 109 points. They set an NHL record at the time with 10 players hitting the 20-goal mark.

One of the best regular-season squads in history, the Bruins set themselves up for a first-round matchup against the Montreal Canadiens, an Original Six rival that had some nice players but missed the playoffs the previous season and finished 1970-71 with 97 points.

The result

Thanks to the stellar goaltending of rookie goalie Ken Dryden, the Habs knocked the heavily favored Bruins out in seven games in the opening round. The Canadiens went on to win the Cup. The Bruins stole it back the next season, but fans still lament what could have been in '71.

8. 2006 Detroit Red Wings

PAUL SANCYA/Associated Press

The roster

The Detroit Red Wings had one of the most balanced lineups of any NHL team in history in 2006. Leading scorer Pavel Datsyuk finished with 87 points, but the team had 11 skaters with at least 30 and eight who hit the 50-point mark. Perennial Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom, who won that honor for the fourth time in '06, anchored the back end. Manny Legace was great in net with Chris Osgood hurt in the preseason.

Steve Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan, Henrik Zetterberg, Robert Lang, Tomas Holmstrom, Mathieu Schneider and Chris Chelios were a few more of the more notable names on this stellar group.

The run

The Presidents' Trophy was handed to the Wings after a 124-point season during which they scored the second-most goals (301) and allowed the third-fewest goals against (206). They were not shut out a single time in the regular-season but were second in the league with nine shutouts of their own, thanks to Legace's development. 

An easy first-round matchup awaited them with the Edmonton Oilers on tap.

The result

The eighth-seeded Oilers stunned the Red Wings with an opening-round upset in six games. Legace couldn't follow up his regular season with any consistency in the playoffs, and it cost this fantastic club a shot at a fourth Cup in nine seasons. 

7. 1984 New York Islanders

BILL KOSTROUN/Associated Press

The roster

The New York Islanders had an NHL dynasty going with legends Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, Denis Potvin, Greg Gilbert and Billy Smith supplying plenty of top talent and toughness. Duane and Brent Sutter, Bob Nystrom, Clark Gillies and Pat Flatley are just a few of the names providing marquee depth.

The run

Bossy and Trottier both cracked the 100-point mark and each scored at least 40 goals in the regular season. Potvin finished as one of the league’s top defensemen with 85 points in 78 games. The Isles looked ready to go for a fifth straight Stanley Cup, winning the Patrick Division while finishing in the top five in both goals scored (357) and goals against (269).

They beat their crosstown rival New York Rangers in Game 5 of a best-of-five opening round, then beat the Washington Capitals in five games in a best-of-seven series. Lastly, they dispatched the Montreal Canadiens in six games to set up a showdown with the Edmonton Oilers.

The result

After basically dominating the Eastern Conference portion of the playoffs to earn the title of conference champs for the fifth straight time, the Isles officially passed the NHL dynasty torch to the Oilers, who earned Cup victories in five of seven seasons, starting with the five-game defeat of the Islanders.

6. 2001 New Jersey Devils

FRED JEWELL/Associated Press

The roster

Selke Trophy winner John Madden and offensive slicksters Patrik Elias, Alexander Mogilny, Petr Sykora, Scott Gomez and Jason Arnott were part of a dynamic group of players up front. The defense was a list of future Hall of Famers in Scott Stevens, Brian Rafalski and Scott Niedermayer. And of course, in goal you had the legendary Martin Brodeur.

Just as important were role players like Ken Daneyko and Bobby Holik. This was an incredible team capable of beating just about any throughout history in any style of play. 

The run

Leading the league in goals scored and tied for fifth in fewest allowed, the defending Stanley Cup champs were a good bet to repeat after a 48-19-12-3 record in the regular season to take top spot in the Eastern Conference.

They beat the Carolina Hurricanes in six games in the first round, took out the Toronto Maple Leafs in seven in the second and then claimed the Prince of Wales Trophy for beating the Pittsburgh Penguins in five games to head into the Stanley Cup Final rested and ready for the Colorado Avalanche. 

The result

In fairness, the Colorado Avalanche did win the Presidents' Trophy in 2001 and had defenseman of fate Ray Bourque looking for his first Stanley Cup before retirement. And Patrick Roy vs. Brodeur as the best goalie in NHL history is likely a debate that will never end.

But the Devils made sure the win wasn't easy for the Avs, taking them to seven games before falling short in a 3-1 loss in Denver—with Roy claiming Conn Smythe honors.

5. 1993 Pittsburgh Penguins

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

The roster

Mario Lemieux at his best. Ron Francis. Kevin Stevens. Rick Tocchet. Hall of Fame defenseman Larry Murphy. A young Jaromir Jagr. These guys are all still household names as owners, coaches or general managers. Oh, and Jagr is so good at 43 that he's still playing—and playing well.

The run

Lemieux had a 160-point season to lead the NHL, finishing third in goals and fourth in assists despite playing just 60 games because he underwent treatment for cancer in January and February that year. And despite the loss of their captain, the Pens put together a more impressive regular season than the previous two years—which they capped off with back-to-back Cup wins.

The Penguins won the Presidents' Trophy in 1993 with 119 points, scoring the second-most goals in the league and allowing the third-fewest with Tom Barrasso and Ken Wregget in net. Kevin Stevens and Tocchet both cracked the 100-point mark, and Jagr had 94 in his breakout third NHL season.

They blew past the New Jersey Devils in five games in the first-round series but were pushed to seven games against the New York Islanders in the Patrick Division final.

The result

The Penguins had a 3-2 lead in the series against the Isles but couldn't close it out against Pierre Turgeon and company. The quest for a three-peat ended, and the Pens wouldn't win again until the Sidney Crosby era.

4. 2011 Vancouver Canucks

Christine Cotter/Associated Press

The roster

The Vancouver Canucks had two of the top four scorers in the NHL in twins Daniel and Henrik Sedin in 2010-11, with all-star goaltender Roberto Luongo playing behind a strong group of puck-moving defensemen in Alexander Edler, Christian Ehrhoff, and Sami Salo and defensive stalwarts Kevin Bieksa and Dan Hamhuis. Center Ryan Kesler had his best season to that point of his career, establishing himself as one of the best two-way players in the game. 

The run

The Canucks claimed their fifth Northwest Division title, third conference championship and their first-ever Presidents' Trophy with a 117-point year—a full 10 ahead of the second-place Washington Capitals. Vancouver finished first in goals for and fewest goals against to become the first team since the 1978 Montreal Canadiens to accomplish that feat.

They stormed out to a 3-0 lead against the Chicago Blackhawks in the opening round but needed a Game 7 win to move on. They beat the Nashville Predators in six games in the second round and then the San Jose Sharks in five to set up a Cup Final against the Boston Bruins.

The result

The Canucks had a 3-2 lead over Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup series but suffered a total collapse of confidence in the final two games, losing 5-2 and 4-0 in Games 6 and 7, respectively, to lose the franchise's most recent chance for a Stanley Cup. It led to the eventual breakup of the team minus the Sedin twins, including the controversial departure of Luongo. 

3. 2010 Washington Capitals

Jim R. Bounds/Associated Press

The roster

Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Semin headlined a dynamic offense, with Norris Trophy finalist Mike Green the anchor on defense. Depth players Brendan Morrison, Tomas Fleischmann, Eric Fehr, Brooks Laich and Mike Knuble provided plenty of secondary scoring and the ability to roll four lines.

The run

The Capitals were hot heading into the playoffs. They won the Presidents' Trophy with a dominant 121-point season that made them the first non Original-Six team to hit the 120 mark. Seven members of the team had 20 or more goals and the team led the league in scoring with the 313 tallies the most for a team since the 1995-96 season.

Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom both netted more than 100 points. Green had 19 goals and 76 points to earn the Norris finalist nod. Semin finished with 84 points as well and the team looked unstoppable as favorites to win it all as they faced the eighth-seeded Montreal Canadiens in the first round.

The result

The Habs barely made it into the postseason but an out-of-nowhere goaltending performance by the Canadiens’ Jaroslav Halak propelled the underdogs past the Capitals in a seven-game series that, at one point, was sitting 3-1 in favor of the Caps. It was a huge upset and contributed to the Caps' reputation they are still trying to shake.

2. 1996 Detroit Red Wings

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

Sergei Fedorov

The roster

The 1996 Detroit Red Wings were a powerhouse, loaded with skill at every position. Sergei Fedorov was the team’s leader with 107 points on the season—the only Red Wing that year to crack that century mark. Steve Yzerman came close with 95, defenseman Paul Coffey played at nearly a point-per-game pace and Vyacheslav Kozlov, Igor Larionov and Nicklas Lidstrom were each close behind.

The team was so deep, 10 players—including three defensemen—finished with at least 40 points. And Osgood had a great season between the pipes for the Red Wings.

The run

The Wings dominated the regular season, scoring the third-most goals and allowing the fewest against in the NHL while racking up the highest full-season point percentage of any team since 1985. They broke an NHL record with 62 wins, finishing with 131 points and a 27-point lead over the next-best Colorado Avalanche. They had a remarkable plus-144 goal differential.

The playoffs were a struggle for the Wings, though. They beat the Winnipeg Jets, 4-2, in the opening round and went seven against the St. Louis Blues in the second. The Red Wings then went head-to-head with the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference final.

The result

Goaltender Roy of the Colorado Avalanche spoiled the Red Wings’ potential celebration early by taking them out in six games. The Wings team was so solid, it would win the next two Stanley Cup tournaments, then lose to the Avs twice more in the following two playoff campaigns.   

1. 1986 Edmonton Oilers

STF/Associated Press

The roster

Stacked doesn't even begin to describe the 1986 Edmonton Oilers squad that was looking for a third straight Stanley Cup at the time. The Oilers had legends Gretzky and Messier at center, wingers Jari Kurri and Glenn Anderson and the smooth-skating Paul Coffey leading the defense. With Grant Fuhr in goal, the team appeared unstoppable in its quest. 

The run

The Oilers had four 100-point players—Gretzky (215), Coffey (138), Kurri (131) and Anderson (102). They were the only team in the league to do that, and Gretzky's mark was clearly the best in the NHL that season. To this date, Coffey's 138 points have only been bested by the Boston Bruins' Bobby Orr.

Winning the Presidents' Trophy with 117 points, the Oilers tied the franchise mark set two years earlier. Their Smythe Division crown was a fifth straight. They dispatched the Vancouver Canucks quickly in the first round of the playoffs, sweeping them in the best-of-five series to advance against the Calgary Flames in the second round.

The result

The Oilers struggled against the Flames but had home-ice advantage for Game 7 in the best-of-seven series. Fate, however, was not on their side. An infamous own goal by Oilers defenseman Steve Smith—whose pass attempt from behind the net bounced in off Fuhr—snapped a 2-2 tie in the third period, and the team couldn't recover.

They'd win the next two titles, so that loss in 1986 kept them from five in a row. 

All stats via NHL.com.