The Vancouver Canucks and 6 Other Teams That Could Win the Presidents' Trophy

Each season, the Presidents' Trophy is awarded to the NHL that accumulates the highest number of points over the course of the 82 game season. 

The trophy does not necessarily translate to postseason success, as only one of the last eight winners has gone on to become Stanley Cup Champions, but it does recognize a team's ability to be competitive over an extended period of time.

This coming season, the Vancouver Canucks will be responsible for defending the trophy from 29 other playoff-hungry teams.  Each team has a shot at the league's best record, but seven teams stand out as having the right stuff to look down upon the rest of the NHL at season's end.

Vancouver Canucks (2010-11: 117 Points)

Vancouver Canucks:  The Canucks of 2011-12 have a similar look to the Canucks of 2010-11 that won the Presidents' Trophy in decisive fashion, so there is little reason to argue that they cannot do it again. 

The defense that dealt with a truckload of injuries last year appears to be healthy, and the offense will again expect major contributions from Kesler, Burrows and the Sedins.  The regular season has rarely been an issue for Roberto Luongo, and Cory Schneider stills waits in the wings should his mentor falter.

Why they will:  For all the capabilities the Canucks have, their greatest strength rest in the hands of their closest opponents: The Northwest Division is arguably the least competitive in the NHL.  There is no reason the Canucks shouldn’t gain a five to 10 point cushion simply based on who they play most often, even if they struggle to find the chemistry and scoring that earned them the No. 1 seed last year.

Why they won’t:  The playoffs in the last three seasons have shown the league that Vancouver can be gotten to, and when they are, they fall apart.  For a team that plays as consistently well as the ‘Nucks do, they lack the confidence and composure of the NHL’s best. 

Last year looked to be their year, and their failure to win may weigh on the team mentally during this season.  At the risk of sounding cliché, the only team that can beat Vancouver is themselves… but that may be exactly what happens.

Anaheim Ducks: (2010-11: 99 Points)

Anaheim Ducks:  The Ducks made an early exit in the 2011 playoffs after running into the postseason’s hottest goaltender in the early rounds, Pekka Rinne. 

Their failure to move past the first round will probably make them a dark horse to win the President’s Trophy in the minds of many fans, but no team with this level of talent should ever be counted out.  A healthy Jonas Hiller will make the Ducks a serious contender for both the Pacific Division title and the Presidents' Trophy.

Why they will:  Anaheim’s top three forwards, captain Ryan Getzlaf, Olympic competitor Bobby Ryan and defending MVP Corey Perry are all under age 27 and have grown up on the Ducks together.  Coupled with a seemingly endless supply of veteran forwards and a defense that combines experience and youth, Anaheim may be among the league’s most perfect mixes of veteran leadership and young enthusiasm across the board. 

Why they won’t:  If the Ducks fail to win the Presidents' Trophy, it will be for one reason: the lack of a truly elite part of their game.  Their well-rounded roster will make them a dangerous team all year long, but the offense is not so elite that it cannot be shut down by the best defenses and goalies, and the defense is not so elite that it cannot be beaten by the top scorers in the league. 

The Ducks are built for a long playoff run, but as many teams in recent years have experienced, the teams that have the most success in the playoffs are not necessarily the team with the best regular-season record.

Washington Capitals (2010-11: 107 Points)

Washington Capitals:  The Caps seem to consistently be in the conversation for the Presidents' Trophy despite the fact that they have yet to reach a Conference Final under Bruce Boudreau.  Recent years have seen the team recognize that its offense-first approach is a liability in the long run, and the team now sports a number of capable defensemen who can help the team win as many low-scoring affairs as slugfests. 

Tomas Vokoun brings his Vezina-caliber abilities to net, provided his age doesn’t catch up with him right away.  The Caps may no longer be the end-all, be-all of offensive power, but they are solid on all parts of the ice.

Why they will:  The regular season seems to be no problem for Ovechkin and Co., and this Capitals team is every bit as good as the teams from the last three seasons.  Travel to Winnipeg may take its toll, but Washington will likely see that cost offset by the benefits of playing in a division with only one competitive team, Tampa Bay.  Carolina and Florida, while improved, are still years away from competing with the Caps.

Why they won’t:  With the stronger focus on defense and less attention being paid to firepower, the Capitals are a team better suited for the playoffs than they have been in years past.  This might pay dividends in April, but it could also result in the team playing more and more close games during the regular season, and that could cut into Washington’s win total. 

With Tampa Bay looking more like the Capitals of three years ago, the Caps may find themselves with some head-to-head competition in the Southeast.

Tampa Bay Lightning (2010-11: 103 Points)

Tampa Bay Lightning:  Tampa Bay proved they are a force to be reckoned with during the playoff run last season, winning three straight games against Pittsburgh to take the series in seven and sweeping their division rivals, Washington, in the second round. 

Offenses around the league will have trouble keeping up with Tampa this season, particularly if they continue to get contributions from players like Teddy Purcell and Steve Downie.  Tampa Bay will be explosive, dangerous and high-powered all season long, with their offense regularly making up for the lack of strength behind them.

Why they will:  The Capitals and Canucks have shown in years past that teams win the President’s Trophy by having that high-octane offense, regardless of how effective it is come playoff time.  Tampa Bay has enough depth on offense to remain a factor even if a key player goes down with an injury, and more often than not, it will be the forwards who are asked to win games for the Lightning, not the defensemen. 

Why they won’t:  Even though Tampa’s offense will mask their weaknesses on defense, these weaknesses are still the reason that Tampa may not be a truly elite team. 

Dwayne Roloson is only getting older in net, and Tampa’s blueliners, while big, are also exploitable by the quick offenses of the Eastern Conference contenders.  Tampa is certainly in for a successful season, but they may find themselves looking up at a more well-rounded team at season’s end.

Detroit Red Wings (2010-11: 104 Points)

Detroit Red Wings:  No Presidents' Trophy debate would be valid without mentioning the Red Wings, the most consistent and successful team of the last two decades. 

As one of the most cool, collected and well-coached squads in the entire NHL, the Wings are a dangerous team night in and night out, and they play in a relatively weak division.  The team is resilient, experienced and eager to avenge the premature playoff exits from the last two seasons.

Why they will:  Simply put, Detroit is the toughest team in the NHL to play against on a night-to-night basis.  Defenses are expected to shut down Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen and offenses are expected to find weaknesses in defenses that consist of Nicklas Lidstrom, Niklas Kronwall and Brad Stuart.  Only a team who is playing top-notch hockey on all parts of the ice can expect to compete with the Wings on any given night.

Why they won’t:  Despite being impossibly competitive game-to-game, questions do have to be raised about how the team will hold up over the course of the season.  Detroit’s key players listed above are all over 30, as are many other players on the roster, and their younger replacements don’t seem to have the same elite level of talent. 

It’s hard to remember an NHL where Detroit wasn’t the team to beat, but those days may be getting closer and closer.

Pittsburgh Penguins (2010-11: 106 Points)

Pittsburgh Penguins:  The Pens seemed poised to take down Atlantic Division winner Philadelphia all season until captain Sidney Crosby was sidelined with a concussion on January 5.  Playing the second half of the year without the contributions of Crosby or Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins’ depth players still managed to keep the team competitive and finished fourth in the Eastern Conference, tying the Flyers for the most points in the division. 

Signs seem to point to a full recovery for Crosby and Malkin, meaning that the Penguins should be among the most dangerous teams in the East all season.

Why they will:  When unhealthy, this team was dangerous; when healthy, they can be virtually unstoppable over the course of a season.  They play calm, collected hockey on offense and on the power play and have a reliable netminder to bail them out of tight spots.  The Atlantic Division is not an easy place to play, but a well-oiled Pittsburgh machine would appear to be the odds-on favorite to win the division and perhaps the conference.

Why they won’t:  Coach Dan Bylsma does not yet know how some of his young players like Mark Letestu and Dustin Jeffrey will react to their newer roles.  Getting Crosby and Malkin healthy is never a bad thing, but if the role players become complacent and lose their tenacity, Pittsburgh is merely a good team, not a great team.

Los Angeles Kings (2010-11: 98 Points)

Los Angeles Kings:  The Kings have been a team on the rise for years, and they may have catapulted themselves to the top of the league by acquiring Mike Richards from the Philadelphia Flyers this offseason.  LA’s roster consists of nine forwards between the ages of 26 and 29 and two goaltenders under 26 who are considered to have the potential to be among the league’s elite. 

Despite the young ages of their players, the Kings are hardly inexperienced; their two youngest players are Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar.

Why they will:  After years of building their roster, the Kings’ time has come.  Weakened rosters in San Jose, Dallas and Phoenix mean that LA’s only real divisional competition are the local rivals, the Ducks.  It is difficult to find a weak point in the Kings’ game, with the only real issues being Doughty’s contract situation and the continued development of Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Bernier. 

Why they won’t:  The team has a bit of a new look, and it may take a little time for the appropriate level of chemistry to develop between the core players who have been on the team for years and the new high-profile forwards who have been brought in.  No doubt Richards and Simon Gagne will find their place in the Kings lineup, but if another team in the league gets off to an explosive start, they may be difficult to catch. 

True playoff leadership is the one question mark for the Kings long-term, but the team’s high energy game will take them through a highly successful regular season campaign.