When the Kings finish off the Devils, yet another franchise will win the Stanley Cup In my lifetime. You probably know where I'm going with this...
My Leafs haven't won the cup since 1967, but they also haven't played in a Stanley Cup final since 1967. So let's look at the list of teams that have played in a Stanley Cup final in the years since 1967. It's quite the long and depressing list.
- Ottawa Senators
- Tampa Bay Lightning
- Calgary Flames
- New Jersey Devils
- Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
- Detroit Red Wings
- Carolina Hurricanes
- Colorado Avalanche
- Dallas Stars
- Buffalo Sabres
- Washington Capitals
- Philadelphia Flyers
- Florida Panthers
- New York Rangers
- Vancouver Canucks
- Montreal Canadiens
- Los Angeles Kings
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Chicago Blackhawks
- Minnesota North Stars
- Edmonton Oilers
- Boston Bruins
- New York Islanders
- St. Louis Blues
Here are the active teams that haven't played in a Stanley Cup final since 1967.
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Winnipeg Jets (formerly Atlanta Thrashers)
- Columbus Blue Jackets
- Minnesota Wild
- Nashville Predators
- Phoenix Coyotes (formerly Winnipeg Jets)
- San Jose Sharks
If we move the Leafs aside for a moment, do you notice anything unique about the other six teams above? They're all pretty new franchises. The San Jose Sharks are the oldest team in the books having played their first season in 1991-92. If you're looking for the worst franchise drought outside of Toronto, you can look at the Coyotes who played their first NHL season in 1979-80. Still, this isn't quite the same thing and doesn't come close to our stretch of futility.
I'd like to watch my team play in a Stanley Cup final before I die. It might be nice to win one, too. Is that too much to ask?
