NHL's Top 5 Franchises Without Lord Stanley's Cup

The Stanley Cup is probably the most notable trophy in sports. It is also the most coveted trophy to the players and the fans of any sport.

There are teams like Montreal and Detroit who have won their fair share over the years. Then there are the teams that have never gotten the chance to hold the holy grail. 

5. Los Angeles Kings

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WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 12: Jarret Stoll #28 of the Los Angeles Kings talks with teammate Willie Mitchell #33 during a break in the game against the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center on February 12, 2011 in Washington, DC. The Kings won the ga

The Kings were a part of the NHL expansion and joined the league in 1967. The Kings have had a long history in the league and have never been able to get the job done, even with some good teams.

The Kings have played in 180 playoff games and are 69-111. That is not exactly a record to boast about.

The Kings acquired Gretzky and they became the buzz of Hollywood by gaining support and fans from around the league.

Gretzky helped the Kings to the Finals in 1993 but they lost in five to the Montreal Canadiens. That was the Kings' last and only Finals appearance.

The last memorable playoff series for L.A. was when they knocked out the Detroit Red Wings in 2001 playoffs in six games.  

4. Washington Capitals

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GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 14: Alex Ovechkin #8 of the Washington Capitals stretches on the ice during warm ups to the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on February 14, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Im

The Capitals were established in the 1974-1975 NHL season. The Capitals have made the playoffs 20 times in their 35-year history, which is not a bad stat at all. However their record overall in the playoffs is 79-95. 

The Capitals best playoff year is when they won the Eastern Conference Finals in 1998 to go on to face the Detroit Red Wings for hockey's ultimate prize.

It has been their only Finals appearance since the team was started. The series was short-lived for the Capitals as they would get swept by the back-to-back Stanley Cup Champion Red Wings.

3. Buffalo Sabres

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PITTSBURGH, PA - FEBRUARY 04: Jason Pominville #29 of the Buffalo Sabres crashes the net against Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins at Consol Energy Center on February 4, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Penguins defeated Buffalo 3-2.

The Sabres became a team in the 1970 season. They have had one of the most loyal fan bases and best attendance record in the league since then.

Unfortunately for that loyal fan base, they have not been able to see their Sabres hoist the Cup. The Sabres have made the post-season 27 times with a record of 119-124 in playoff games. 

The Sabres have made the Finals twice but losing both times. Once to the Philadelphia Flyers in 1975 and once to the Dallas Stars in 1999, which will go down as one of the most controversial endings in Stanley Cup and sports history.

The Sabres might not make the playoffs this year, and the fans and city of Buffalo may have to wait one more year. 

2. St. Louis Blues

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ST. LOUIS, MO - FEBRUARY 11: Nikita Nikitin #64 of the St. Louis Blues shoots the puck against the St. Louis Blues at the Scottrade Center on February 11, 2011 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Wild won 5-4 in a shootout. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Image

The Blues joined the expansion process of the NHL and formed in 1967. The Blues have always been a contender in the NHL, but have not really made a presence since the lockout happened in 2004.

They made the postseason just once in the "New NHL" and faced the Canucks but got swept in 2009. 

The Blues have made the post-season 34 times in their history and also a 25-consecutive-year playoff streak from 1979-2004.

The record for them in the playoffs is 129-152, which is a lot of playoff wins without winning a championship in any sport.

The Blues have made the Finals three times in their history in 1968, 1969 and 1970. The most famous final being the 1970 finals in which Bobby Orr scored his infamous overtime goal.

1. Vancouver Canucks

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VANCOUVER, CANADA - FEBRUARY 12: Brothers Daniel Sedin #22 and Henrik Sedin #33 of the Vancouver Canucks talk during a break in in NHL action against the Calgary Flames on February 12, 2011 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo

The Canucks joined the league in the 1970. They have had some of the most talented teams in the NHL ever since and been a dominant force in the league since the 2000s. The Canucks have made the post-season 22 times and have a playoff record of 79-98. 

The Canucks have made the finals twice in their history, making it in the years 1982 and 1994. In 1982 they got swept by the New York Islanders as that was their third of four straight Cups. In 1994, they lost to the New York Rangers in a intense seven-game series for which Ranger fans waited for 54 years. 

Other Teams Without a Stanley Cup

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BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 09: Milan Lucic #17,David Krejci #46 and Adam McQuaid #54 of the Boston Bruins celebrate a goal in the third period against the Montreal Canadiens on February 9, 2011 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins defeated th

Atlanta Thrashers, Florida Panthers, Ottawa Senators, Nashville Predators, Phoenix Coyotes, San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild, Columbus Blue Jackets.