It’s often been said that the Stanley Cup is the most difficult championship to win. With the addition of the Seattle Kraken, there are now 32 teams in the league. If you go by the math, it is now more difficult than ever. That said, even in easier times, championships came late to some, and were elusive to others.
Legends like Teemu Selanne, Ray Bourque, Rod Brind’Amour, Chris Pronger, and Dave Andreychuk, were fortunate enough to win championships during the final years of their careers. For others, even cup-chasing in their last few years didn’t work out, meaning there are a number of great players that ended their career without lifting the Stanley Cup.
Here are five players in the last 10 years who have chased championships but come up short.
1. Joe Thornton
Joe Thornton just concluded his 22nd season in the NHL. The 42-year-old recently skated with the Toronto Maple Leafs and admitted in multiple interviews that the primary motivation behind this move was to win a title.
The center, the 1st overall draft pick in the 1997 NHL Draft has scored 425 goals and has compiled 1,104 assists for 1,529 points in 1,680 career NHL games. It remains to be seen if he will continue his career as he remains unsigned at the time of this writing.
Thornton played in the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals with the San Jose Sharks, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 6 games.
2. Patrick Marleau
Like his old teammate, Patrick Marleau is not planning on retirement just yet. Should Marleau play next season, it would be his 24th in the NHL. He’s said he wants to rebound from what he felt was a disappointing year from both a personal and team standpoint.
“I feel I still have a lot to give, a lot more than what happened this year for myself personally, points-wise,” the 41-year-old center said. “It was a tough, tough season, with everything, with COVID. I was not happy with my play or with the results I got this year. There were some pretty sleepless nights with that, but I’m looking forward to a rebound season next year.”
This past season Marleau passed Gordie Howe for first in NHL games played on April 19, 2021. The second overall selection by San Jose in the 1997 NHL Draft, Marleau has tallied 1,197 points (566 goals and 631 assists) in 1,779 NHL regular-season games with the Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Marleau has played the most regular-season games in NHL history without winning a Stanley Cup, has scored 127 points (72 goals and 55 assists) in 195 playoff games. It remains to be seen if he can find a role with a contender this season.
3. Jarome Iginla
Longtime Calgary Flames captain Jarome Iginla did everything during his 20-year Hall of Fame-caliber career except win a Stanley Cup, getting close in 2004 with the Flames, and making runs at a title with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2013 and Boston Bruins in 2014.
The Alberta native did manage to win multiple titles at the junior and international levels, but couldn’t get over the hump despite playing in 1554 games and scoring 1300 points (625 goals and 675 assists).
5. Henrik Lundqvist
Rangers netminder is the only NHL goalie to win 30 or more games in each of his first seven NHL seasons and to record eleven 30-win seasons in his first twelve seasons. The five-time Vezina Trophy finalist, Lundqvist played his entire career with the New York. We are including him here because he chose to stay with competitive Rangers teams towards the end of his career.
Lundqvist played in one Stanley Cup Finals, losing to the Los Angeles Kings in 2014 despite playing spectacularly throughout the playoffs.
4. Jason Spezza
With the announcement that the Toronto Maple Leafs have signed Jason Spezza to a one-year contract extension, the 38-year old is poised to make another run at a title with a team that is expected to compete.
Spezza has played in 54 regular-season games with the Leafs during the 2020-21 season, recording 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists). Originally selected by the Ottawa Senators in the first round (second overall) of the 2001 NHL Draft, the Ontario native has accumulated 970 points (351 goals and 619 assists) in 1,177 games and 75 points (28 goals and 47 assists) in 92 playoff games for the Senators, Dallas Stars and, Maple Leafs.
Spezza has played in one Stanley Cup final with the Senators, losing in 2007 to the Anaheim Ducks in one of the most lopsided finals in the last 25 years.
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