The Presidents' Trophy curse looms. Stars must choose between chasing league supremacy or facing a daunting first-round playoff matchup.
In recent NHL seasons, a clear pattern has begun to take shape, especially among teams that dominate the regular season. The race for the Presidents' Trophy has become far more complicated than a simple reward for excellence. Instead, it now carries a growing reputation as one of the most dubious honors in professional sports.
The Colorado Avalanche appeared to be the latest club ready to challenge that narrative. They opened the season on a remarkable tear, posting a 31-2-7 record through their first 40 games and looking every bit like a runaway favorite for both the Presidents' Trophy and the Stanley Cup. Since then, however, Colorado has looked human, going 13-11-3 over its last 27 games and raising questions about whether the team peaked too early.
History has shown that teams that dominate from October through March often struggle to carry that momentum into the postseason. The last team to win both the Presidents' Trophy and the Stanley Cup was the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2012-13 season. Since then, top regular-season teams have frequently fallen short of expectations, sometimes exiting as early as the first round.
The Dallas Stars are now entering the conversation as their shootout win over Colorado on Wednesday pulled Dallas within a single point of their division rival for the league’s top overall seed. While that surge reflects the Stars’ strong play down the stretch, it also places them in a delicate position.
Since 2016, only one Presidents' Trophy winner has reached the Conference Finals, that being the 2024 New York Rangers, and even they fell short against the eventual Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. The trend reinforces a growing belief around the league that finishing first overall may not be the advantage it once seemed.
At the same time, the Central Division presents its own dilemma as the team that does not finish atop the division will likely face the Minnesota Wild in the opening round, a matchup widely viewed as one of the toughest draws in recent playoff history.
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That leaves both Colorado and Dallas weighing two difficult paths as they can push for the Presidents' Trophy and attempt to overcome its recent history, or settle for second place and prepare for an immediate playoff battle of the ages.
For the Avalanche, recent struggles suggest the possibility that their early-season dominance may have come too soon. For the Stars, their late push raises the question of whether timing could ultimately work in their favor.
As the regular season winds down, both teams find themselves at a crossroads. Whether it is better to peak early or build momentum late remains one of the NHL’s most pressing questions, and this year’s Central Division race may offer the latest answer.
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