The 15 Greatest NHL Players of All Time Who've Never Touched the Stanley Cup

The players who are remembered throughout time are the ones who have won.

Names like Steve Yzerman, Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier are forever cemented in our memories and in history.

Why?

Not only because they were true NHL greats, but they became NHL legends when they all hoisted the NHL's ultimate prize—Lord Stanley's Cup.

Yet, there are still many elite NHL players who spent their entire careers playing and searching in their quest to reach the Stanley Cup finals and never won.

Players like Mats Sundin and Pat LaFonatine were great NHL players who had Hall of Fame careers, but have we heard of them?

If you're not a true blue NHL fanatic, you probably never have. But, you have heard of players like Phil Esposito and Messier.

How come players like Dale Hawerchuk and Marcel Dionne aren't household NHL names? They have almost identical statistics to Messier and Esposito; why aren't they remembered?

They never won a Stanley Cup. They never led or helped lead a team to a championship ring. Is having one's names etched into the Cup the difference between great and legendary?

That debate is up to you.

Here are the top 15 NHL players who have never won a Stanley Cup.

15. Darryl Sittler

Kicking off this infamous list is Darryl Sittler. A Toronto Maple Leaf legend, he amassed 1,100 career points in a little over 1,000 games.

He was unfortunately never awarded a Stanley Cup, though; he played most of his career for the dismal Maple Leafs.

On February 7, 1976, Sittler broke the record for most points in a single game. He notched six goals and four assists en route to a 10-point effort.

Sittler has 35 or more goals in nine of his 15 NHL seasons and also found time to log more than 1,000 minutes in penalties. 

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 1,096

Regular Season Goals: 484

Regular Season Assists: 637

Regular Season Points: 1,121

14. Phil Housley

Arguably the greatest American-born defenseman in NHL history next to Chris Chelios, Housley never touched the Stanley Cup. 

He totaled more than 1,200 career points. Yes, he did that playing defense.

Housley only made one trip to the Stanley Cup Final. In 1998, he and the Washington Capitals skated against the Detroit Red Wings and lost in four short games.

It's unfortunate that such a great NHL player only played in four, basically forgettable Final games. 

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 1,495

Regular Season Goals: 338

Regular Season Assists: 894

Regular Season Points: 1,232

13. Eric Lindros

One of the most anticipated young players to never make it huge, Eric Lindros also never won a Stanley Cup championship. He was the OHL's all-time leading scorer, passing Bobby Orr in the process.

Had Lindros not been hindered his entire career by concussion and injury problems, he might have been higher on the list. He also won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the league's most valuable player in 1995.

One of the toughest, most skilled power forwards throughout the '90s, Lindros only made it to the finals once.

In 1997, he captained the Philadelphia Flyers to the Cup finals, only to lose in four straight to Detroit. 

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 760

Regular Season Goals: 372

Regular Season Assists: 493

Regular Season Points: 865

12. Ron Hextall

Ron Hextall, the only goaltender in the top 15, was one of the greatest regular-season goalies of all time.

He won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1987. This trophy is awarded to the most valuable player throughout the playoffs, and he became the second player ever from the losing team to win the award.

He was the first ever goalie to score an NHL goal. He finished his career with three. 

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 608

Regular Season Wins: 296

Regular Season Losses: 214

Regular Season Ties: 69

Regular Season Shutouts: 23

Regular Season GAA: 2.97

11. Mats Sundin

Former Toronto Maple Leaf great Mats Sundin barely misses the top 10 of this list.

He has logged three more points than his career games total, amassing 1,349 points in 1,346 career games.

Arguably the greatest Maple Leaf of all time, Sundin never even played one game in the Stanley Cup Final. He leads the Maple Leaf organization in career goals and points. 

Although Sundin was not a flashy player and was never really a household name for many fans outside Toronto, Sundin was one of the most consistent players of his era.

He contributed at least 70 points in his career, save his rookie and his final seasons. 

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 1,346

Regular Season Goals: 564

Regular Season Assists: 785

Regular Season Points: 1,349

10. Pat LaFontaine

Let's kick off the top 10 with everyone's favorite American-born player, Pat LaFontaine!

Joining the New York Islanders in 1983, he was completely out of luck already. The Islanders just finished their supreme reign as the NHL's premiere dynasty, having won four Stanley Cups in a row.

Unfortunately, LaFontaine joined the team immediately after.

He played in one Stanley Cup Final, his rookie season, in which the Islanders were downed by the Edmonton Oilers in five short games. 

Much like Lindros, LaFontaine's career was much shorter than expected. His concussion issues hindered the amount of games he had played.

He played less than 900 career games. Yet, his uncanny abilities to shoot or pass the puck were never in question.

LaFontaine was inducted into hockey's hall of fame in 2003.  

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 865

Regular Season Goals: 468

Regular Season Assists: 545

Regular Season Points: 1,013

9. Norm Ullman

Unlike LaFonatine and Lindros, Ullman was regarded as one of the most durable and consistent players of his generation. 

He played over 1,400 games while logging over 1,200 career points.

Ullman most definitely had the unluckiest of careers, though, in regards to his Stanley Cup quest. He made five total trips—yes, five—without picking up the Cup.

In 21 career seasons as a Red Wing and Maple Leaf, he was just never in the right place at the right time.

Ullman is also popularly remembered for helping create the "give-and-go" play, one that is still used today by hundreds of players. 

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 1,410

Regular Season Goals: 490

Regular Season Assists: 739

Regular Season Points: 1,229

8. Mike Gartner

Mike Gartner is probably the single best NHL player that nobody knows about.

Why?

Well, he never won a single NHL award, ever. Sure, he played in the All-Star games, but he was never even a first-team or second-team All-Star.

Gartner amassed an amazing 708 career goals, which is fourth on the all-time goals list. That can be attributed to his amazing speed and blistering slap shot.

Because Gartner never won a Stanley Cup, he will be remembered as the only NHL Hall of Famer to never play in the finals, win any type of award or be elected to a postseason All-Pro team. 

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 1,432

Regular Season Goals: 708

Regular Season Assists: 627

Regular Season Points: 1,335

7. Jean Ratelle

Like Ullman, Ratelle was one of the more unlucky players. It's very unfortunate for Ratelle, who was also one of the most deserving players to never win a Cup.

A gentlemanly player, Ratelle never logged more than 25 penalty minutes in any of his 21 NHL seasons.

Ratelle was also one of the greatest playmakers of his era, completing amazing and graceful passes for goals for his teammates.

He could also score the timely goal, logging almost 500 career goals.

He skated in three Stanley Cup Finals, losing all three times. 

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 1,281

Regular Season Goals: 491

Regular Season Assists: 776

Regular Season Points: 1,267

6. Adam Oates

I can't quite put Adam Oates in the top five because of the low amount of goals he scored. But, there's no doubt as to his playmaking abilities.

He was, without discussion, one of the greatest playmakers not only to not win a Cup, but of all time.

His passing skills were only topped by one man, the great Wayne Gretzky. His 147 point campaign in 1993 with the Boston Bruins was his career best.

In that year, he scored 45 goals and logged 97 assists.

Oates made a single appearance in the Cup finals. In 1998, with fellow list member Phil Housley, Oates and the Washington Capitals were swept in four straight games against the Detroit Red Wings. 

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 1,337

Regular Season Goals: 341

Regular Season Assists: 1079

Regular Season Points: 1,420

5. Peter Stastny

Only one player had more points than Stastny during the 1980s. That player was the infallible Wayne Gretzky.

One of the greatest and purest Europeans to lace up in the NHL, Peter Stastny is the fifth-best NHL player to never win a Stanley Cup.

He became the first rookie ever to total at least 100 regular season points and went on to score 100 in seven of his first eight seasons.

Unfortunately, Stastny never played a single game in the Stanley Cup Finals. 

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 1,337

Regular Season Goals: 341

Regular Season Assists: 1,079

Regular Season Points: 1,420

4. Dale Hawerchuk

Like Sundin, Hawerchuk was very consistent throughout his entire career. 

He amassed at least 100 points and 40 or more goals in six of his first seven NHL seasons.

Unfortunately, Hawerchuk retired one year before his Philadelphia Flyers played in the Stanley Cup Final in 1997.

Maybe it was for the better, having played for so long without playing in a single Cup finals game. 

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 1,188

Regular Season Goals: 518

Regular Season Assists: 891

Regular Season Points: 1,409

3. Borje Salming

He's high on the list thanks to his European influence in the NHL. He is often labeled as the "godfather" of the European movement of players to the NHL. 

He played 15 of his 16 NHL seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, who respectfully retired his number after he hung up his skates.

He was an amazing all-around defenseman. He could score, defend and enforce. He also logged more than 100 penalty minutes for five straight seasons with the Maple Leafs.

Unfortunately, he never came close to kissing Lord Stanley's Cup. 

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 1,148 

Regular Season Goals: 150 

Regular Season Assists: 637 

Regular Season Points: 787

2. Brad Park

Although highly regarded as one of the NHL's greatest defensemen of all time, Brad Park's name is not cemented in history on the Cup.

Also, because he played during the Bobby Orr reign, he won the Norris Trophy as defensive MVP six consecutive seasons.

Park played 18 NHL seasons and made the playoffs each and every season of his career. Adding to the pain, he never won the Cup.

He made four unsuccessful trips to the Finals. 

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 1,113

Regular Season Goals: 213

Regular Season Assists: 683

Regular Season Points: 896

1. Marcel Dionne

No. 1 on this list is, without question, Marcel Dionne. He is easily and most definitely, without argument, the greatest NHL player to never win the Stanley Cup.

When Dionne retired, he ranked second on the all-time scoring list, only behind the great Gordie Howe.

Dionne was an incredible talent and scorer who played for fairly unsuccessful teams. He scored 40-plus goals 10 times in his career.

He played 19 career NHL seasons and never once played in the Stanley Cup Finals. 

Career Statistics

Regular Season Games: 1,348

Regular Season Goals: 731

Regular Season Assists: 1,040

Regular Season Points: 1,771