Does the best regular season guarantee Stanley Cup success?

Updated: 1678 Ice Hockey

Last year, I wrote a short blog about the curse of winning thePresident's Trophy in the NHL and it rang true as the New YorkRangers became the latest team to fail to lift the Stanley Cupafter posting the best regular

Does the best regular season guarantee Stanley Cup success?
Andy Powell Content Editor

Horse Racing stats man, Andy has contributed to OLBG for 18 years - An Ipswich fan and F1 fanatic, he also contributes EFL football and Motor Sport opinion.

I wrote this short blog in 2015 about the curse of winning the President's Trophy in the NHL and it rang true as the New York Rangers became the latest team to fail to lift the Stanley Cup after posting the best regular-season record. 

NHL

Since then the President's Trophy winners have continued to fall short.

The President's Trophy is awarded to the team with the best regular-season record and has been awarded since the 1985-86 NHL season. 

After proving themselves to be the best team in the NHL over 82 games, you would imagine that playoff success will follow, particularly with a home-ice advantage throughout the postseason. 

Plenty of NHL bets are placed on the team with the best record but is it a strategy that reaps rewards? 

In 35 seasons, EIGHT President's Trophy Winners have gone on to win the Stanley Cup, a 22.85% strike rate. 

There have been 4 Stanley Cup Winners since 2000. 

In the last 10 seasons, the President's Trophy Winners have been eliminated in the First or second round Round on seven occasions.

The last team to win the President's Trophy and the Stanley Cup were the Chicago Blackhawks.

At the current strike rate, you would need odds of around 4/1 to secure a decent profit from using a system or strategy of just backing Presidents Cup Winners to win the Stanley Cup. 

YearPresidents Trophy WinnerPlay-Off Performance
1985-86Edmonton OilersLost in Division Finals
1986-87Edmonton OilersWON STANLEY CUP
1987-88Calgary FlamesLost in Division Finals
1988-89Calgary FlamesWON STANLEY CUP
1989-90Boston BruinsLost in Stanley Cup Finals
1990-91Chicago BlackhawksLost in Division Semi-Finals
1991-92New York RangersLost in Division Finals
1992-93Pittsburgh PenguinsLost in Division Finals
1993-94New York RangersWON STANLEY CUP
1994-95Detroit Red WingsLost in Stanley Cup Finals
1995-96Detroit Red WingsLost in Conference Finals
1996-97Colorado AvalancheLost in Conference Finals
1997-98Dallas StarsLost in Conference Finals
1998-99Dallas StarsWON STANLEY CUP
1999-2000St. Louis BluesLost in First Round
2000-01Colorado AvalancheWON STANLEY CUP
2001-02Detroit Red WingsWON STANLEY CUP
2002-03Ottawa SenatorsLost in Conference Finals
2003-04Detroit Red WingsLost in Conference Semi-Finals
2004-05LOCKOUTLOCKOUT
2005-06Detroit Red WingsLost in First Round
2006-07Buffalo SabresLost in Conference Finals
2007-08Detroit Red WingsWON STANLEY CUP
2008-09San Jose SharksLost in First Round
2009-10Washington CapitalsLost in First Round
2010-11Vancouver CanucksLost in Stanley Cup Finals
2011-12Vancouver CanucksLost in First Round
2012-13Chicago BlackhawksWON STANLEY CUP
2013-14Boston BruinsLost in Conference Semi-Finals
2014-15New York RangersLost in Conference Finals
2015-16Washington CapitalsLost In Second Round
2016-17Washington CapitalsLost in Second Round
2017-18Nashville PredatorsLost In Second Round
2018-19Tampa Bay LightningLost In First Round
2019-20Boston BruinsLost In Second Round


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