Would Bruins fare higher than earlier winners?

Presidents’ Trophy curse: Would Bruins fare better than previous winners? initially appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The NHL created the Presidents’ Trophy in 1985-86, and it’s awarded yearly to the crew that earns the very best report within the common season.

The Boston Bruins are on tempo to win this trophy for the fourth time. They enter Wednesday with a 38-5-4 report (80 factors), giving them a 14-point lead over the next-closest groups within the standings. Boston’s victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night time made it the fastest team to ever reach 80 points (47 video games).

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So, except the Bruins go into an enormous hunch in the course of the second half of the 2022-23 common season, they may possible win the Presidents’ Trophy.

Sounds good, proper? Effectively, not precisely.

This trophy has been given out 36 occasions, and solely eight of the winners went on to carry the Stanley Cup that very same season. The final Presidents’ Trophy winner to carry the Stanley Cup was the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks, who dominated that lockout-shortened season.

Here is an inventory of these eight groups that received the Presidents’ Trophy and Stanley Cup in the identical yr:

And here is the record of the final 9 Presidents’ Trophy winners. Solely one in all them superior previous the second spherical of the playoffs.

• 2013-14 Boston Bruins: Misplaced in second spherical

• 2014-15 New York Rangers: Misplaced in convention remaining

• 2015-16 Washington Capitals: Misplaced in second spherical

• 2016-17 Washington Capitals: Misplaced in second spherical

• 2017-18 Nashville Predators: Misplaced in second spherical

• 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning: Misplaced in first spherical

• 2019-20 Boston Bruins: Misplaced in second spherical

• 2020-21 Colorado Avalanche: Misplaced in second spherical

• 2021-22 Florida Panthers: Misplaced in second spherical

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The 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning tied the league report for wins in a season with 62 after which acquired swept within the first spherical by the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was probably the most surprising upsets in playoff historical past. However to the Lightning’s credit score, they bounced again and received the subsequent two Stanley Cup titles.

The Bruins received the Presidents’ Trophy in 1990 and superior to the Stanley Cup Remaining earlier than dropping to an Oilers crew on the finish of a dynasty. The B’s most up-to-date Presidents’ Trophy season was 2019-20, which was shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic and needed to be completed contained in the league’s bubble in Toronto/Edmonton.

Will this season be completely different? If the Bruins win the Presidents’ Trophy, can they overcome the shaky historical past of earlier winners and go on to carry the Stanley Cup? It is a veteran roster that is aware of how one can win, so Bruins followers needs to be inspired by that. However we cannot know till the playoffs, the place something can occur — simply ask the 2018-19 Lightning!