Lord Stanley's Cup, the 35-pound, 125-year-old trophy made of silver and nickel alloy is widely considered the hardest prize to capture in professional sport.
18 different NHL teams have earned the cup throughout the years, some more than others.
| Years | Franchise |
|---|---|
| 1997–98 | DETROIT RED WINGS |
| 1991–92 | PITTSBURGH PENGUINS |
| 1987–88 | EDMONTON OILERS |
| 1984–85 | EDMONTON OILERS |
| 1980–83 | NEW YORK ISLANDERS |
| 1976–79 | MONTREAL CANADIENS |
| 1974–75 | PHILADELPHIA FLYERS |
| 1968–69 | MONTREAL CANADIENS |
In the post-expansion era, eight clubs can lay claim to capturing the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons. The Pittsburgh Penguins, who captured their third Cup last season with a 4–2 finals win over the San Jose Sharks, will attempt to do just that when the puck drops for game one of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals clash with the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight.
But, repeating is easier said than done.
The last time a club repeated as Stanley Cup champions was 19 years ago when the Detroit Red Wings hoisted Lord Stanley's chalice in 1998.
Prior to that, the Penguins, led by the great Mario Lemieux and a stellar supporting cast, including Kevin Stevens, Joe Mullen, Larry Murphy, Jaromir Jagr, Mark Recchi, and Paul Coffey, won back-to-back Cups in 1991 and 1992.
That's it in the last 30 years.
Just two clubs have managed to repeat as Stanley Cup champions in the last three decades. Now you know why they say it's so damn hard to claim the Cup.
What happened to recent Cup champions the season after they drank bubbly from the stovepipe?
| Year | Cup Champion | Follow-up Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | PITTSBURGH PENGUINS | TBD |
| 2015 | CHICAAGO BLACKHAWKS | LOST in 1st ROUND (STL) |
| 2014 | LOS ANGELES KINGS | FAILED to MAKE PLAYOFFS |
| 2013 | CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS | LOST in WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS (LA) |
| 2012 | LOS ANGELES KINGS | LOST in WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS (CHI) |
| 2011 | BOSTON BRUINS | LOST in 1st ROUND (WSH) |
| 2010 | CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS | LOST in 1st ROUND (VAN) |
| 2009 | PITTSBURGH PENGUINS | LOST in EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS (MTL) |
| 2008 | DETROIT RED WINGS | LOST in STANLEY CUP FINALS (PIT) |
| 2007 | ANAHEIM DUCKS | LOST in 1st ROUND (DAL) |
| 2006 | CAROLINA HURRICANES | FAILED to MAKE PLAYOFFS |
| 2005 | N/A | |
| 2004 | TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING | LOST in 1st ROUND (OTT, 2006*) |
| 2003 | NEW JERSEY DEVILS | LOST in 1st ROUND (PHL) |
| 2002 | DETROIT RED WINGS | LOST in 1st ROUND (ANA) |
| 2001 | COLORADO AVALANCHE | LOST in WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS (DET) |
| 2000 | NEW JERSEY DEVILS | LOST in STANLEY CUP FINALS (COL) |
| 1999 | DALLAS STARS | LOST in STANLEY CUP FINALS (NJD) |
In the 16 seasons since the Wings became the last team to win back-to-back Cups, two reigning champs failed to even make the playoffs the following season, while a whopping seven defending Stanley Cup champions were bounced in the first round.
A whopping 56% of the last 16 teams to win Lord Stanley's Cup did not even make the second round of the playoffs the following year.
Seriously, repeating is hard.
But back to the Pens. With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins have had two of the best players in the game – with Crosby largely considered the best player in the league – on their roster for the last 11 season.
During that span, they failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs once, have four first-round exits, two second-round exits, and then, of course, the two Stanley Cups.
The point of this exercise? While the defending Cup champions are loaded and favored over the Columbus Blue Jackets, repeating is a tough mountain to climb – and getting out of the first round is not even a safe bet.
