In hockey, there is only one goal. One thing that drives every hockey player to be the best. The one thing that will make hockey players play with bruises, cuts, severe injuries, blood, sweat, and tears. The holy grail of the sport, the Stanley Cup, is something every player dreams of hoisting.
It is not only the best-looking trophy but the single hardest trophy to win. Sixteen wins to be able to call yourself a champion after a grueling 82-game regular-season schedule.
The fact that this trophy began as simply a bowl turned into what it is today is a story itself. So many legends, Hall of Famers, and superstars have been so lucky to call themselves Stanley Cup champions.
Here are the 10 best players to never win a Stanley Cup.
However, there are those who played for many years that did not get the chance to hoist the Cup, and some did not even play in the Finals. Many factors go into this including poor performances, first Finals jitters, and simply getting outplayed.
For some, they qualify as Hall of Famers because of offensive production but may be held out because of a lack of championships.
As some of these players are still playing, their hopes of being a Stanley Cup champion are growing grim as their playing days are winding down. Some players are lucky enough to get a Cup in their first season and some play 20 years without even reaching the Finals.
The playoffs are a grind and more intense than the regular season. Some teams, and players, are not built for playoff hockey and run out of steam early. The punishment hockey players put themselves through for even a chance to win a Stanley Cup is that of imagination.
They suffer through pain that we as everyday individuals can not imagine. The players who made the playoffs but did not win a championship suffer the most, coming within a goal, a game, or even a power play of winning it all to come up short.
Here are the ten best players to never win a Stanley Cup.