Players Who Should Have won a Cup

We’re just a few weeks away from the time when one team will get to celebrate by skating around with the Stanley Cup. It’s everyone’s dream, but not everyone reaches that goal. This post will be a starting lineup of six players I wish had won at least one Cup. Here we go!

Goalie: Henrik Lundqvist: It probably won’t surprise you that the first name on my list is a former Washington Capitals legend. While Lundqvist will surely go into the Hockey Hall of Fame wearing a Caps jersey, few remember that he actually started his career with the New York Rangers. He did the best he could to put the team on his back and carry them to a Stanley Cup, only to fall agonizingly short in 2014.They lost in 5 games, but two were in double OT and one was in OT. They also lost in the conference finals twice.

Defense: Shea Weber: Just think of all the injuries he's had to deal with. He has only been to one Cup final. He has given everything to the Canadiens and the team still stinks. Now his career could be over as a result of numerous injuries he was trying to play through. It’s especially tragic because the Canadiens came so close a year ago, and he may never get another chance.

Defense: Mike Green: Green got me into hockey. It wasn't Ovechkin, Backstrom or even Holtby. It was Mike "Game Over" Green. Rangers fans know him well because on May 4, 2013 he scored the game winning goal in game two of the first round of the playoffs. He should have at least one Norris Trophy but the voters thought "defenders can't play offense – it isn't important," instead of “one great way to be good on defense is to put the puck into the other team’s net.” He also should have at least one Cup, but got traded too early to win it with his former Capitals teammates in 2018.

Forward: Joel Ward: Ward was first with Nashville, then with Washington where he is best known for his game seven overtime goal against the Boston Bruins in 2012. “The king is dead!” the announcer said as that knocked off the defending Champs. But Washington didn’t go on to take the title. Ward went to the final with the San Jose Sharks in 2016, but lost to the Penguins.

Center: Joe Pavelski: Pavelski has given everything to his team and his reward is always choking when it matters. First it was the Sharks in 2016 and then the Dallas Stars in 2020. He deserves so much better.

Forward: Patrick Marleau: A Stanley Cup championship eluded him in his 23-season career. The San Jose Sharks drafted him second overall in 1997 and he played on some Cup contenders, but never seemed to get as far as expected.

Honorable mentions

Joe Thornton: On the one hand, he’s still trying to chase the Cup every offseason by signing with the top contender. Maybe next year he should pick a team with a history of playoff success instead of Florida. But he barely played this season, so who knows if there will even be a next year for him.

Dale Hunter: I would've said him for sure, but I'm scared that my friends in Long Island would sneak attack me as I celebrated posting this blog.