As the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs continue, only three of the twelve NHL teams that have never hoisted the coveted trophy remain in contention: the Vegas Golden Knights, the Florida Panthers, and the Seattle Kraken.
Here’s a closer look at the histories of these twelve teams and their pursuit of the ultimate prize in professional ice hockey.
- Vancouver Canucks: Despite their fair share of success, the Canucks have never managed to win a Stanley Cup. They have made three finals appearances, most recently in 2011 when they lost to the Boston Bruins in Game 7. Their championship drought has led to a “close but no cigar” reputation.
- Florida Panthers: The 1996 Stanley Cup Final was the closest the Panthers have come to winning a championship, but the Colorado Avalanche ultimately defeated them after an overtime goal by defenseman Uwe Krupp. Since then, the Panthers have struggled to replicate that level of success.
- Seattle Kraken: Following in the footsteps of the Golden Knights, the Kraken look set to make their first playoff run just one season after their NHL debut. They’ve already knocked out the defending champion Colorado Avalanche and are a series away from a birth in the Western Conference Finals.
- Ottawa Senators: The Senators have had some close calls, with their most painful defeat coming in the 2007 Stanley Cup Final against the Anaheim Ducks. They also narrowly missed making their second finals appearance in 2017, losing to the eventual champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final.
- San Jose Sharks: Despite a long-lasting and dominant regular-season presence led by Joe Thornton, the San Jose Sharks have often underperformed in the postseason. Their sole trip to the Stanley Cup Final came in 2016, where they lost in six games to the Penguins.
- Nashville Predators: Although the Nashville Predators have consistently been a strong regular-season team, their playoff success has been limited. Their only Western Conference Championship came in 2017, but they ultimately fell to the Penguins in the Stanley Cup Final.
- Vegas Golden Knights: The Golden Knights made history in their inaugural season, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2018. However, their fairy tale run ended in defeat by Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals.
- Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers: The Winnipeg Jets franchise originated as the Atlanta Thrashers and has not had much playoff success in either city. The team has only reached the conference final once since joining the league in the 1999-2000 season.
- Columbus Blue Jackets: With just six playoff berths in 22 seasons, the Columbus Blue Jackets have had limited success in the NHL. A Stanley Cup Championship remains elusive for this franchise.
- Minnesota Wild: Despite Minnesota’s reputation as a great hockey state, the Minnesota Wild have not been able to achieve significant playoff success. They have never made it past the Western Conference Final and have failed to advance beyond the second round since the 2002-03 season.
- Arizona Coyotes: Arizona holds the unfortunate distinction of being the longest-tenured franchise that has neither won a Stanley Cup nor made a finals appearance.
- Buffalo Sabres: The Sabres, who joined the NHL in 1970, have twice reached the Stanley Cup Final (in 1975 and 1999) but have yet to secure the coveted trophy and currently have the longest active post-season appearance drought at 12 seasons.
As the playoffs continue, fans of the Florida Panthers and Minnesota Wild hold onto hope that their team will finally break through and capture their first-ever Stanley Cup. The other ten franchises must wait for their next opportunity to end their championship droughts.
