Which gamers are most deserving of successful the Stanley Cup?

One after the other, the Florida Panthers skated with the Stanley Cup after successful Recreation 7 of final 12 months’s Remaining. It was a well-recognized feeling for a few of those that had lifted it earlier than, comparable to Carter Verhaeghe. However for almost all of the roster, this was their first time touching the chalice.

Considered one of them was Kyle Okposo. “I nearly retired, and so they’re a giant motive why I did not,” he mentioned of his teammates. “I needed to have another crack at it, and I simply needed to place myself in the most effective place to do that.”

So after 17 seasons, 1,051 regular-season video games and 41 extra within the postseason, the 37-year-old lastly achieved his NHL dream.

Because the Panthers pushed for the championship, Okposo had change into the playoffs’ quintessential “Previous Man With no Cup” whom followers rallied round. However merely having a piece historical past and a long-ago draft 12 months does not at all times portend Stanley Cup worthiness. There are different components to think about, from how these gamers carried out in postseasons previous to how shut they’ve come to elevating the Cup.

We take every thing under consideration in our Cup Worthiness Rankings (CWR), which search to outline the veteran and in-their-prime gamers most deserving of elevating Stanley.

We started by taking energetic skaters whose groups are nonetheless within the playoffs with the best variety of regular-season video games performed with out having gained the Stanley Cup, with 850 because the cutoff. There have been 21 in whole at the beginning, and we reverse-ranked them to award factors; i.e., Ryan Suter performed essentially the most video games (1,526) with out successful a Cup, so he obtained 21 factors.

We did the identical for profession playoff video games and playoff factors. We then added the variety of years they have been within the league to that rating — one thing that additionally served as a tiebreaker between gamers with the identical rating.

It was Alfred, Lord Tennyson who wrote: “‘Tis higher to have cherished and misplaced than by no means to have cherished in any respect.” That love may also be bitter. Therefore, we’re factoring into the CWR how shut a participant has come to ingesting from the chalice.

If a participant reached the convention ultimate, they obtained 5 factors for every look. In the event that they reached the Stanley Cup Remaining, that was an extra 10 factors. In the event that they have been traded by an eventual Stanley Cup-winning group (inside the subsequent two seasons) that was value 5 factors. (Please notice that Claude Giroux’s resolution to depart the Panthers as a free agent earlier than they gained the Cup doesn’t depend.)

We needed to issue within the status of a participant in our rankings. Let’s face it, there’s extra stress on a star participant to spherical out their “legacy” with a championship than there may be for the rank and file. It was a problem for gamers comparable to Alex Ovechkin and Nathan MacKinnon earlier than it wasn’t anymore. Gamers like Connor McDavid are actually experiencing the load of that expectation. So, to that finish, we added 5 factors to the rating if that participant ever gained an NHL award, utilizing that as a mark of stardom.

We additionally gave 10 factors to any participant who gained the Conn Smythe for playoff MVP in a dropping effort within the Stanley Cup Remaining. Might you think about how heartbreaking that may be?

With that, listed here are the highest 10 most deserving veteran gamers (minimal 850 video games) nonetheless within the 2025 postseason primarily based on their CWR.

Age: 34
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 53

For a point-per-game participant, Duchene has been well-traveled in his profession, seeing playoff motion with the Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators and the Dallas Stars. (His time in Ottawa, not a lot).

The 16-year veteran could be greater on this rating have been it not for his lack of postseason motion (56 video games) and having had just one journey to the convention finals, final 12 months with Dallas.

Age: 34
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 57

Historical past will choose Tavares’ resolution to depart the New York Islanders for his beloved childhood group in Toronto again in 2018, and what that did to his proximity to the Stanley Cup. In any case, the Islanders made the playoffs’ second-to-last spherical twice after Tavares left, whereas he hasn’t gotten out of the second spherical with the Leafs. However he had the fifth-most video games performed amongst these on this rating over a 16-year NHL profession.

Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 70

Few gamers on this rating have had the postseason second Henrique had within the 2012 Japanese Convention finals, scoring an time beyond regulation objective to ship the New Jersey Devils to the Stanley Cup Remaining in a win over the archrival Rangers. The Devils didn’t win the Cup that season.

Henrique would get his second likelihood on the chalice with the Oilers in 2024, solely to lose in Recreation 7 regardless of the group’s rally from down 0-3. Think about 993 regular-season video games, and it has been an extended await Henrique to have his title etched.

Age: 33
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 72

He may nonetheless look 23 in some photographs, however Coyle has 950 regular-season video games to his credit score. He performed within the convention finals and Stanley Cup Remaining for the Boston Bruins in 2019, dropping the latter sequence to the St. Louis Blues in seven painful video games. He would play 75 playoff video games with the Bruins, rating him fourth among the many gamers on this listing.

Age: 33
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 72

There is no denying Kane has put within the time (930 regular-season video games in 15 seasons) and has been inside attain of the chalice a number of instances: three journeys to the convention finals with the San Jose Sharks and Oilers, and final season’s Stanley Cup Remaining journey with Edmonton.

Age: 32
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 75

The Nuge is one other participant who appears extra like he was simply drafted moderately than being a 14-year veteran who ought to break 1,000 video games subsequent season (959 to date). The Edmonton lifer watched as his franchise struggled to search out its method earlier than Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl began dragging the Oilers into championship rivalry.

The do-everything ahead is strictly the form of participant who deserves to boost the Cup: one whom followers love and the remainder of us barely underappreciate.

Age: 36
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 78

Because of quite a lot of accidents, Pacioretty has performed solely 939 regular-season video games over the course of 17 NHL seasons. However his ranking was bolstered by three journeys to the penultimate spherical of the playoffs with Montreal (2014) and Vegas (2020, 2021).

However most significantly, he earned the uncommon “traded away earlier than his group gained a championship” bonus factors, because the Golden Knights shipped him to Carolina in July 2022 after which lifted the Stanley Cup the next June.

Age: 40
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 83

The energetic chief in video games performed (1,526, which is nineteenth all time), Suter really is not within the prime 15 in playoff video games for energetic gamers. His groups — Nashville, Minnesota and Dallas — did not get out of the primary spherical in 9 of the 15 seasons through which the golf equipment certified for the playoffs.

That mentioned, he has performed extra postseason video games than anybody else on this rating (135) and made two journeys to the convention finals with the Dallas Stars over the previous two seasons.

Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 102

The Stars captain brings a win-at-all-costs physicality to the postseason, laying his physique on the road — and laying out others — throughout some prolonged postseason runs on this profession. Benn has performed 1,192 regular-season video games and one other 107 within the playoffs.

He has made three treks to the convention finals, one in all which ended within the Stanley Cup Remaining. Cherished by his teammates and loathed by opposing followers, he could be the primary to hoist the Cup ought to the Stars win it throughout his captaincy — and he’ll be a more-than-deserving recipient.

Age: 40
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 110

There is no one else within the NHL fairly like Brent Burns. He has performed 21 seasons, making the transition from ahead to protection after which excelling on the blue line. He is the present chief amongst energetic defensemen in factors (910 in 1,497 video games) through the common season, and fourth within the playoffs (77).

He has been to the convention finals 3 times, and the Stanley Cup Remaining as soon as. He has a year-round playoff beard and carries round a big bag crammed with many mysterious objects.

If he wins the Stanley Cup, it will be a second to stay out a hockey dream. And extra importantly, it means he can introduce the Stanley Cup to the menagerie of animals at his 420-acre Texas ranch.

So these have been the older guys seeking to raise the Cup for the primary time. What concerning the ones of their prime so far as video games performed who’ve but to skate with Stanley?

Listed here are the highest 5 gamers who’re energetic within the playoffs, have appeared in below 850 profession regular-season video games and are searching for their first Cup win:

Age: 31
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 51

The Vegas ahead’s 791 video games have been essentially the most among the many gamers in his rating, amassing most of them throughout 11 seasons with the San Jose Sharks. He made two convention finals and the 2016 Stanley Cup Remaining with the Sharks, a franchise nonetheless in search of its first Cup win.

Holding him again a bit of in his Cup Worthiness Ranking: He has solely 48 factors in 74 playoff video games (0.64), which is a decrease points-per-game common than in his regular-season profession (0.69).

Age: 25
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 53

The Stars’ defenseman was the beneficiary of some deep Dallas playoff runs, having made the convention finals 3 times and the Stanley Cup Remaining in 2020. So it is much less about his time within the league — 475 video games over seven seasons — and extra about how shut he has come to a title in his comparatively brief profession.

Age: 34
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 58

An under-the-radar participant so far as Cup droughts go, however one whose profession has had its share of heartbreak.

Schmidt has performed 741 regular-season video games with the Capitals, Golden Knights, Jets and now the Panthers. He made the convention finals twice and the Stanley Cup Remaining as soon as in 81 profession playoff video games.

However Schmidt earned invaluable bonus factors by being jettisoned by his group proper earlier than they gained the Stanley Cup: The Capitals left him uncovered within the 2017 growth draft and he was chosen by Vegas … whom Washington would then defeat for the Cup the following season. Ouch! He additionally was traded by Vegas earlier than it gained the Cup, however that was out of vary for consideration in our scoring.

Age: 29
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 66

When the Oilers falter within the playoffs, it is by no means due to Draisaitl. The 11-year NHL veteran is second in postseason targets (44) behind Nathan MacKinnon (51) since 2017, which was Draisaitl’s first playoff 12 months. Few gamers can say they have been higher than a point-per-game tempo in each playoff season they’ve had, however Draisaitl can. Plus, he has earned the repute for gutting by means of accidents within the playoffs and nonetheless excelling.

He obtained a factors enhance for final season’s journey to the Stanley Cup Remaining and his Hart Trophy win. He is worthy … however another person he is aware of is a little more worthy.

Age: 28
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 74

Heavy is the pinnacle that wears the crown. McDavid is taken into account to be the most effective hockey participant on the planet. He has a number of scoring titles and MVP awards. However he does not have a Cup.

In order that places McDavid within the precarious place that Alex Ovechkin and MacKinnon most not too long ago discovered themselves in: legendary gamers whose lack of group success threatens to place a asterisk on their seemingly Corridor of Fame careers.

McDavid made the convention finals in 2022 after which made the leap to the Stanley Cup Remaining final season, rallying his group from trailing 3-0 to almost taking the championship. He has extra postseason factors than anybody on this rating (127 in 79 video games). We even needed to create a particular class to underscore his frustration, awarding 5 factors to the one energetic participant who gained the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP in a dropping effort.

Someday, he’ll raise the Cup. One of the best ones at all times do. And he is the most effective of the most effective.

We have coated the veteran skaters and the youthful skaters. That is a whole lot of skaters. There’s one other place on the ice that has some Cup-worthy opponents, and that is within the crease.

Here is a brief listing of the highest-rated goalies in CWR who’re nonetheless energetic. For the netminders, we went with regular-season video games, seasons within the league, playoff appearances, postseason wins, convention finals and Stanley Cup Remaining appearances, NHL awards and whether or not they have been traded proper earlier than a group gained the Cup.

Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 21

Andersen made us briefly surprise if there ought to be bonus factors for anybody who suffered by means of a number of playoff runs with the Leafs. 4 of his 10 playoff seasons have been in Toronto, all of them ending within the first spherical and incomes him the anticipated blame from followers.

Ultimately, there are a few goalies who’ve a bit of extra {hardware} and late playoff appearances that tipped the scales within the scores system, however there are few gamers extra worthy of elevating the Cup than Andersen, each in longevity but additionally in having performed by means of quite a lot of illnesses.

Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 25

Admittedly, it is tough to anoint a goalie as “Cup-worthy” when he has been seen as a legal responsibility for 3 straight postseasons. However Hellebuyck has 21 wins in 50 playoff video games, and is fifth amongst energetic goalies in video games performed (568).

Put it this manner: Given Hellebuyck’s struggles within the playoffs, if the Jets win the Cup he’ll most likely have earned it.

Age: 26
Cup Worthiness Ranking: 31

Oettinger is far youthful and fewer skilled than the opposite goalies on this listing, to make certain. However the complete analysis and inarguable methodology of the Cup Worthiness Ranking places him first due to his postseason heartbreak.

His NHL debut was within the 2020 playoffs, showing in Dallas’s convention finals win over Vegas and their Stanley Cup Remaining loss to Tampa Bay. He appeared in two subsequent convention finals as properly. What Oettinger lacks in expertise he makes up for by the ring having been simply out of his attain. Like the remainder of the Dallas Stars, he is Cup-worthy.