Players who just missed out on winning the Stanley Cup
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Bear of Bad News
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BadgerBruce
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Norm Ullman joined the Red Wings at the end of their 50s dynasty run and the beginning of the Habs 5-cup run (56-60), so no Cups for Normie in Motown. Did make the finals 5 times (56, 61, 63, 64, 66).
He then joined the Leafs one season after their ‘67 cup win, and they never came close again.
He then joined the Leafs one season after their ‘67 cup win, and they never came close again.
Mandar
The Real Maven
JianYang
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Chris nilan stayed in school and joined the Habs in 1980... right after the dynasty ended. Then he retired as a Habs player in 1992. The habs won the cup in 1993.
He did win with Montreal in 1986, but its unique how his start and finish was just one year misaligned from being a 3 time cup champion.
Another one I think of is Rhett warrener. He played on three teams and they all went to the finals. Swept in 1996, then on the wrong side of the controversial Brett Hull winner.... then lost in game 7 on his last team... a series where people wonder to this day whether his team actually scored the cup winner in game 6 OT
He did win with Montreal in 1986, but its unique how his start and finish was just one year misaligned from being a 3 time cup champion.
Another one I think of is Rhett warrener. He played on three teams and they all went to the finals. Swept in 1996, then on the wrong side of the controversial Brett Hull winner.... then lost in game 7 on his last team... a series where people wonder to this day whether his team actually scored the cup winner in game 6 OT
Dr Pepper
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DickSmehlik
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Scotty Bowman tried hard to get Mike Ramsey a Cup towards the end of his career.
After spending 13 seasons on mostly disappointing Sabres teams (stop me if you've heard that one before), he acquired Ramsey with the Penguins during the '92-'93 season, and would stay with the Pens the following season. The Pens had won the Cup the 2 prior seasons but had no such luck when Ramsey played there.
Later Bowman would reacquire him with the Red Wings during the '94-'95 season, where Detroit would get close the next 2 years, including a Cup Final in ‘96 but no Cup. He retired during the '96-'97 season before the Red Wings would go on to win the Cup later on that year, and again the following season.
After spending 13 seasons on mostly disappointing Sabres teams (stop me if you've heard that one before), he acquired Ramsey with the Penguins during the '92-'93 season, and would stay with the Pens the following season. The Pens had won the Cup the 2 prior seasons but had no such luck when Ramsey played there.
Later Bowman would reacquire him with the Red Wings during the '94-'95 season, where Detroit would get close the next 2 years, including a Cup Final in ‘96 but no Cup. He retired during the '96-'97 season before the Red Wings would go on to win the Cup later on that year, and again the following season.
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CaptBrannigan
Registered User
Ah, the fish keeps getting bigger every time the story is retold. The alleged Game 6 goal wasn’t in OT. And nobody who understands physics wonders if it was in.
To the point of the thread, Vinny Prospal left the Lightning for one season between his first and second stint with the team, missing the Cup. His replacement was a one and done Cory Stillman who went on to win two in a row as he signed with Carolina for 2005-06. Some of my favorite hockey memories are playing with him so it’s a personal bummer he didn’t get that ring.
VanIslander
20 years of All-Time Drafts on HfBoards
So many...
Federko ended up playoff top scorer despite his team losing Game 7 of the conference finals; that HHOFer never experienced a Stanley Cup Finals. ****'* St. Louis.
Federko ended up playoff top scorer despite his team losing Game 7 of the conference finals; that HHOFer never experienced a Stanley Cup Finals. ****'* St. Louis.
Got beaten to Vinny Prospal. In 2002-03, he's on a rising Tampa squad that won its division and a playoff round. Prospal qualified for early free agency and was looking to cash in. Anaheim was reeling from losing Paul Kariya and signed Prospal through 2008.
Then in 2003-04, Tampa wins the Cup without Prospal while Anaheim has a rough season. Then right before the lockout Anaheim trades Prospal back to Tampa. Anaheim wins the Cup in 2007.
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Maybe doesn't exactly fit, but I still have some level of cringe from when I struck up a conversation with Steve Thomas after the 2010 Draft (his kid went in the 2nd round). Every topic that came to mind was a negative one for him. I had to pivot a generic "you must be very proud" instead of mentioning his playing career. Naturally I thought of a silly anecdote a couple days later*.
Devils win the Cup in 1995 and trade for Thomas right before the start of the next season. Devils proceed to miss the playoffs. Devils have postseason struggles while Thomas is on the roster and he leaves via free agency in 1998 to sign with Toronto. Devils knock out the Leafs in 2000 en route to a Cup and then knock them out again in 2001. Thomas is a deadline addition with Anaheim in 2003 and lose in the Finals to New Jersey. Thomas signs with a powerhouse Red Wings team for 2003-04 but they lose in the second round.
*I coincidentally was wearing a Ken Daneyko jersey for the draft. There was a Devils@Ducks game where Thomas scored but the puck went through the netting and play continued for another minute. Eventually Daneyko would score on a beautiful passing play. The refs would check the replay to confirm that Thomas had scored, so Daneyko's goal got negated. It might have been the prettiest goal Daneyko ever scored. I would have joked that Thomas (eventually 421 career goals) should have told the refs to let Dano (36 goals) have that one.
Then in 2003-04, Tampa wins the Cup without Prospal while Anaheim has a rough season. Then right before the lockout Anaheim trades Prospal back to Tampa. Anaheim wins the Cup in 2007.
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Maybe doesn't exactly fit, but I still have some level of cringe from when I struck up a conversation with Steve Thomas after the 2010 Draft (his kid went in the 2nd round). Every topic that came to mind was a negative one for him. I had to pivot a generic "you must be very proud" instead of mentioning his playing career. Naturally I thought of a silly anecdote a couple days later*.
Devils win the Cup in 1995 and trade for Thomas right before the start of the next season. Devils proceed to miss the playoffs. Devils have postseason struggles while Thomas is on the roster and he leaves via free agency in 1998 to sign with Toronto. Devils knock out the Leafs in 2000 en route to a Cup and then knock them out again in 2001. Thomas is a deadline addition with Anaheim in 2003 and lose in the Finals to New Jersey. Thomas signs with a powerhouse Red Wings team for 2003-04 but they lose in the second round.
*I coincidentally was wearing a Ken Daneyko jersey for the draft. There was a Devils@Ducks game where Thomas scored but the puck went through the netting and play continued for another minute. Eventually Daneyko would score on a beautiful passing play. The refs would check the replay to confirm that Thomas had scored, so Daneyko's goal got negated. It might have been the prettiest goal Daneyko ever scored. I would have joked that Thomas (eventually 421 career goals) should have told the refs to let Dano (36 goals) have that one.
sr edler
gold is not reality
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Not a historical example, since he's still active and can still win a Cup, but JT Miller was part of that Tampa team that got swept in the 1st round against Torts in 2019, after a crazy regular season, then he got moved for Marek Mazanec (I had no idea this guy played 30+ NHL games) and two picks and Tampa immediately went on to win two straight Cups and had a 3rd finals appearance on top of that. Perhaps that's why he's so grumpy. 
Terry Yake
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ruslan salei's 9th and final season in anaheim was 05-06. signed with florida in FA that offseason and the ducks won the cup in 07
JianYang
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Ahh right. It wasn't ot. I think my memory made it feel that way because it was tight and it felt like OT. I actually now remember someone else reminding me it wasn't actually ot as long time ago.
I have no horse in that race whether it went in or not, but I believe it was gelinas on that play. It seems to me he has quite a few series clinching goals. I think he had 2 in that year alone including a game 7 ot winner. It would have been quite the story for him.
