Some teams know all too well that being the NHL's top team in the regular season has often led to a humiliating early playoff exit. And yet, seven teams are so close to being it.
The NHL’s Presidents’ Trophy is a lot like the fastest lap in a race – something to take pride in, but probably not the prize you were looking for.
That’s because, virtually every season, the team that carves out the NHL’s best record fails to convert that success into playoff glory.
In nine years out of the past decade, the Presidents’ Trophy winner has lost in either the first or second round. Just once – in 2014-15 – did the New York Rangers win the Presidents’ Trophy and get to the conference final. But by and large, a regular-season achievement doesn’t mean much when the games really begin to matter.
This year, seven teams are within a point of each other in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy.
In the Eastern Conference, the Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins, New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes are vying for the top spot.
In the West, the Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks and Dallas Stars are in the Presidents’ Trophy mix.
While it will be a relief of sorts for one of those teams to earn home-ice advantage throughout the post-season, certain teams might prefer to sink down the standings a little bit and land themselves a better first-round playoff matchup. Others, in contrast, would welcome being first overall at the end of the regular season.
To wit: If you’re the Panthers or Bruins, winning the Presidents’ Trophy means a showdown with a wild-card team like (potentially) the Washington Capitals, Detroit Red Wings or New York Islanders. They'd avoid a first-round series against Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs or the recent two-time Cup champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning.
If you’re the Rangers or Hurricanes that claim the top spot in the East, it means taking on the Caps, Wings or Isles rather than a date with the rebuilding Philadelphia Flyers. However, if Washington pulls ahead of the Flyers for the third spot in the Metropolitan Division, the Presidents’ Trophy winner would get the Flyers in the first round.
Similarly, in the West, the Presidents Trophy winner or conference leader might have to face the defending Cup champions in the first round. They could be a less desirable opponent, but that said, they could also potentially have to face the red-hot Nashville Predators instead. And whoever doesn't win in the Central may have to play the Winnipeg Jets, who are one winning streak away from challenging for the Presidents' Trophy as well.
But considering how thin the line will be between the Presidents’ Trophy winner and the team that finishes second or third in their conference, you can see why some squads might even prefer to take a back seat in the standings to another elite team.
There’s pressure associated with winning the Presidents’ Trophy. That pressure can hamstring a particular team's aspirations.
If you’re second or third in your conference at season’s end, you’re not always going to be considered the favorite to win against any opponent. Coaches love to play up the underdog angle, but you can’t do that when you’re the NHL’s best regular-season team.
The Bruins are particularly painfully aware of the bad things that can happen after winning the Presidents’ Trophy.
Boston has won it three times since 2013-14. Last season, they blew a series lead against the Panthers and went home in the first round. In 2020, they fell to the eventual Cup-winning Lightning in five games in Round 2. And in 2014, the Montreal Canadiens beat them in seven games in the second round.
Ultimately, there’s no easy road to a Cup championship, but the best organizations learn how to manage expectations and keep the team grounded. That’s a little bit more difficult when you’ve been the best team in the league over an 82-game schedule.
Though it’s nice to have as a team achievement, the Presidents’ Trophy is a small consolation for any franchise that doesn’t follow up on a great year with an impressive playoffs.