Winning the Stanley Cup is a tall activity for each staff, even the Presidents’ Trophy winner. In truth, typically it looks like the Presidents’ Trophy winners are cursed, and the Boston Bruins try to not develop into the following sufferer.
The Presidents’ Trophy was first awarded to the most effective common season staff in 1985-86, and within the years since, it has garnered an unsavory popularity. Prior to the 2022-23 season, the Presidents’ Trophy had been handed out 37 instances, and solely eight of these groups went on to win the Stanley Cup.
The legend of the Presidents’ Trophy curse hasn’t at all times been as prevalent as it’s right now. There have been runs of success for the winners up to now. Two of the primary 4 groups to earn the Presidents’ Trophy hoisted the Cup, and three of the 4 winners from 1998-99 to 2001-02 have been topped NHL champions.
In the award’s first 23 years of existence, seven winners went on to win the Stanley Cup, and two extra groups reached the Stanley Cup Final. That is not precisely curse-worthy given the parity within the NHL, however the current historical past of the Presidents’ Trophy has been fairly ugly.
Since the 2007-08 season, just one Presidents’ Trophy winner has gained the Cup, and only one extra staff reached the Cup Final. From 2008-2009 to 2011-2012, three of the 4 Presidents’ Trophy winners have been eradicated within the first spherical. The solely exception was the 2010-11 Vancouver Canucks, who misplaced to the Bruins within the Cup Final.
The 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks have been the final staff to beat a Presidents’ Trophy victory and win the Stanley Cup. Since then, the winners have all been tripped up on their path to glory, typically earlier than they even attain the convention finals.
Last 10 Presidents’ Trophy winners
The Bruins, who simply set the NHL report for wins and factors in an everyday season, are the Presidents’ Trophy winner to finish all Presidents’ Trophy winners. This Boston staff might be an fascinating take a look at case in simply how robust the alleged curse is.
The Bruins are at present in a first-round battle with the Florida Panthers via two video games. The sequence is tied 1-1 because it shifts to Sunrise, Florida, for Games 3 and 4, and Florida has appeared like the higher staff for a lot of the primary two video games.
To make issues worse, the Bruins are coping with some personnel points. Captain Patrice Bergeron bought injured within the final sport of the common season and has but to play within the sequence. It appears to be like like he may be on observe to play in Game 5, however that also leaves a significant void in Boston’s lineup for the following two video games.
Goaltender Linus Ullmark, who’s a favourite to win the Vezina Trophy, was coping with an sickness forward of Game 1 and might be a game-time choice for Game 3. The Bruins have a really succesful backup in Jeremy Swayman, however Ullmark has performed on one other degree this season.
The Bruins have the power to beat any form of curse or voodoo that comes with successful the Presidents’ Trophy, however as we have seen within the final 15 years, they’ve their work reduce out for them.