The term “President’s Trophy Curse” refers to the trophy awarded to the NHL team that finishes the regular season with the best record. The curse idea comes from the fact that in recent decades, it’s been rare for the President’s Trophy winner to go on to win the Stanley Cup. In this table, the years in which the best regular season team won the Cup are in bold.
| Season | Cup Winner | Record | Best Record | Record |
| ‘26-27 | Ottawa Senators | 30-10-4 | Ottawa Senators | 30-10-4 |
| ’27-28 | New York Rangers | 19-16-9 | Montreal Canadiens | 26-11-7 |
| ’28-29 | Boston Bruins | 23-13-5 | Montreal Canadiens | 22-7-15 |
| ’29-30 | Montreal Canadiens | 12-14-9 | Boston Bruins | 38-5-1 |
| ’30-31 | Montreal Canadiens | 26-10-8 | Boston Bruins | 28-10-6 |
| ’31-32 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 23-18-7 | Montreal Canadiens | 25-16-7 |
| ’32-33 | New York Rangers | 23-17-8 | Boston/Detroit | 25-15-8 |
| ’33-34 | Chicago Blackhawks | 20-17-11 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 26-13-9 |
| ’34-35 | Montreal Maroons | 24-19-5 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 30-14-4 |
| ’35-36 | Detroit Red Wings | 24-16-8 | Detroit Red Wings | 24-16-8 |
| ’36-37 | Detroit Red Wings | 25-14-9 | Detroit Red Wings | 25-14-9 |
| ’37-38 | Chicago Blackhawks | 14-25-9 | Boston Bruins | 30-11-7 |
| ’38-39 | Boston Bruins | 36-10-2 | Boston Bruins | 36-10-2 |
| ’39-40 | New York Rangers | 27-11-10 | Boston Bruins | 31-12-5 |
| ’40-41 | Boston Bruins | 27-8-13 | Boston Bruins | 27-8-13 |
| ’41-42 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 27-18-3 | New York Rangers | 29-17-2 |
| ’42-43 | Detroit Red Wings | 25-14-11 | Detroit Red Wings | 25-14-11 |
| ’43-44 | Montreal Canadiens | 38-5-7 | Montreal Canadiens | 38-5-7 |
| ’44-45 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 24-22-4 | Montreal Canadiens | 38-8-4 |
| ’45-46 | Montreal Canadiens | 28-17-5 | Montreal Canadiens | 28-17-5 |
| ’46-47 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 31-19-10 | Montreal Canadiens | 34-16-10 |
| ’47-48 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 32-15-13 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 32-15-13 |
| ’48-49 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 22-25-13 | Detroit Red Wings | 34-19-7 |
| ’49-50 | Detroit Red Wings | 37-19-14 | Detroit Red Wings | 37-19-14 |
| ’50-51 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 41-16-13 | Detroit Red Wings | 44-13-13 |
| Season | Cup Winner | Record | Top Team | Record |
| ’51-52 | Detroit Red Wings | 44-14-12 | Detroit Red Wings | 44-14-12 |
| ’52-53 | Montreal Canadiens | 28-23-19 | Detroit Red Wings | 36-16-18 |
| ’53-54 | Detroit Red Wings | 37-19-14 | Detroit Red Wings | 37-19-14 |
| ’54-55 | Detroit Red Wings | 42-17-15 | Detroit Red Wings | 42-17-15 |
| ’55-56 | Montreal Canadiens | 45-15-10 | Montreal Canadiens | 45-15-10 |
| ’56-57 | Montreal Canadiens | 35-23-12 | Detroit Red Wings | 38-20-12 |
| ’57-58 | Montreal Canadiens | 43-17-10 | Montreal Canadiens | 43-17-10 |
| ’58-59 | Montreal Canadiens | 39-18-13 | Montreal Canadiens | 39-18-13 |
| ’59-60 | Montreal Canadiens | 40-18-12 | Montreal Canadiens | 40-18-12 |
| ’60-61 | Chicago Blackhawks | 29-24-17 | Montreal Canadiens | 41-19-10 |
| ’61-62 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 37-22-11 | Montreal Canadiens | 42-14-14 |
| ’62-63 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 35-23-12 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 35-23-12 |
| ’63-64 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 33-25-12 | Montreal Canadiens | 36-21-13 |
| ’64-65 | Montreal Canadiens | 36-23-11 | Detroit Red Wings | 40-23-7 |
| ’65-66 | Montreal Canadiens | 41-21-8 | Montreal Canadiens | 41-21-8 |
| ’66-67 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 32-17-11 | Chicago Blackhawks | 41-17-12 |
| ’67-68 | Montreal Canadiens | 42-22-10 | Montreal Canadiens | 42-22-10 |
| ’68-69 | Montreal Canadiens | 46-19-11 | Montreal Canadiens | 46-19-11 |
| ’69-70 | Boston Bruins | 40-17-19 | Boston/Chicago | 40-17-99 / 45-22-9 |
| ’70-71 | Montreal Canadiens | 42-23-13 | Boston Bruins | 57-14-7 |
| ’71-72 | Boston Bruins | 54-13-11 | Boston Bruins | 54-13-11 |
| ’72-73 | Montreal Canadiens | 52-10-16 | Montreal Canadiens | 52-10-16 |
| ’73-74 | Philadelphia Flyers | 50-16-12 | Boston Bruins | 52-17-9 |
| ’74-75 | Philadelphia Flyers | 51-18-11 | BUF/MON/PHI | 49-16-15 / 47-14-19 / 51-18-11 |
| ’75-76 | Montreal Canadiens | 58-11-11 | Montreal Canadiens | 58-11-11 |
| Season | Cup Winner | Record | Top Team | Record |
| ’76-77 | Montreal Canadiens | 60-8-12 | Montreal Canadiens | 60-8-12 |
| ’77-78 | Montreal Canadiens | 59-10-11 | Montreal Canadiens | 59-10-11 |
| ’78-79 | Montreal Canadiens | 52-17-11 | New York Islanders | 51-15-14 |
| ’79-80 | New York Islanders | 39-28-13 | Philadelphia Flyers | 48-12-20 |
| ’80-81 | New York Islanders | 48-18-14 | New York Islanders | 48-18-14 |
| ’81-82 | New York Islanders | 54-16-10 | New York Islanders | 54-16-10 |
| ’82-83 | New York Islanders | 42-26-12 | Boston Bruins | 50-20-10 |
| ’83-84 | Edmonton Oilers | 57-18-5 | Edmonton Oilers | 57-18-5 |
| ’84-85 | Edmonton Oilers | 49-20-11 | Philadelphia Flyers | 53-20-7 |
| ’85-86 | Montreal Canadiens | 40-33-7 | Edmonton Oilers | 56-17-7 |
| ’86-87 | Edmonton Oilers | 50-24-6 | Edmonton Oilers | 50-24-6 |
| ’87-88 | Edmonton Oilers | 44-25-11 | Calgary Flames | 48-23-9 |
| ’88-89 | Calgary Flames | 54-17-9 | Calgary Flames | 54-17-9 |
| ’89-90 | Edmonton Oilers | 38-28-14 | Boston Bruins | 46-25-9 |
| ’90-91 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 41-33-6 | Chicago Blackhawks | 49-23-8 |
| ’91-92 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 39-32-9 | New York Rangers | 52-25-5 |
| ’92-93 | Montreal Canadiens | 48-30-6 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 56-21-7 |
| ’93-94 | New York Rangers | 52-24-8 | New York Rangers | 52-24-8 |
| ’94-95 | New Jersey Devils | 22-18-8 | Detroit Red Wings | 33-11-4 |
| ’95-96 | Colorado Avalanche | 47-25-10 | Detroit Red Wings | 62-13-7 |
| ’96-97 | Detroit Red Wings | 38-26-18 | Colorado Avalanche | 49-24-9 |
| ’97-98 | Detroit Red Wings | 44-23-15 | Dallas Stars | 49-22-11 |
| ’98-99 | Dallas Stars | 51-19-12 | Dallas Stars | 51-19-12 |
| .99-00 | New Jersey Devils | 45-24-13 | St. Louis Blues | 51-19-12 |
| ’00-01 | Colorado Avalanche | 52-16-14 | Colorado Avalanche | 52-16-14 |
| Season | Cup Winner | Record | Top Team | Record |
| ’01-02 | Detroit Red Wings | 51-17-14 | Detroit Red Wings | 51-17-14 |
| ’02-03 | New Jersey Devils | 46-20-16 | Dallas Stars | 46-17-19 |
| ’03-04 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 46-22-14 | Detroit Red Wings | 48-21-13 |
| ’04-05 | Cancelled | |||
| ’05-06 | Carolina Hurricanes | 52-22-8 | Detroit Red Wings | 58-16-8 |
| ’06-07 | Anaheim Ducks | 48-20-14 | Buffalo/Detroit | 53-22-7 |
| ’07-08 | Detroit Red Wings | 54-21-7 | Detroit Red Wings | 54-21-7 |
| ’08-09 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 45-28-9 | San Jose Sharks | 53-18-11 |
| ’09-10 | Chicago Blackhawks | 52-22-8 | Washington Capitals | 54-15-13 |
| ’10-11 | Boston Bruins | 46-25-11 | Vancouver Canucks | 54-19-9 |
| ’11-12 | Los Angeles Kings | 40-17-1 | Vancouver Canucks | 51-22-9 |
| ’12-13 | Chicago Blackhawks | 36-7-5 | Chicago Blackhawks | 36-7-5 |
| ’13-14 | Los Angeles Kings | 46-28-8 | Boston Bruins | 54-19-9 |
| ’14-15 | Chicago Blackhawks | 48-28-6 | New York Rangers | 53-22-7 |
| ’15-16 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 48-26-8 | Washington Capitals | 56-18-8 |
| ’16-17 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 50-21-11 | Washington Capitals | 55-19-8 |
| ’17-18 | Washington Capitals | 49-26-7 | Nashville Predators | 53-18-11 |
| ’18-19 | St. Louis Blues | 45-28-9 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 62-16-4 |
The NHL was formed in 1917. Starting in 1926-27, the Stanley Cup became the sole property of the NHL. Previously, the champion of the NHL played the champion of the PCHA (Pacific Coast Hockey Association) or WHL (Western Hockey League) for the Cup. It was a bit like how the NFL and AFL champions played each other in the first four Super Bowls until the NFL absorbed the AFL in 1970. The difference is that instead of being absorbed by the NHL, the PCHA and WHL went out of business.
From 1926-27 to 1941-42, there were between seven and ten teams in the NHL. During this period, the team with the league’s best record won the Cup in five out of sixteen seasons, or 31.25 percent.
Starting in 1942-43, there were only six teams left in the NHL. Things stayed that way through the 1966-67 season. During those 25 seasons, the team with the best record won the Cup 14 times, or 56 percent.
In 1967-68, the league doubled in size to 12 teams, and has now grown to 31. Since the beginning of expansion, the team with the best record has won the cup 20 of 51 times, or about 39.22 percent.
Of the 92 Stanley Cups won since 1927, 39 of them went to the best regular season team, or 42.39 percent.
On average, there have been about 16.42 teams in the NHL in a given season since ‘26-27. In the 48 years with a below average number of teams, the team with the best record won the Cup 24 times, or 50 percent. Those 48 season were all consecutive, from 1927 to 1974. Since then, teams with the best record have won the Cup in 15 of 44 seasons, or 34.09 percent. The same applies to the average number of playoff teams, which is about 10.24.
The average percentage of the league’s teams that have made the playoffs is about 65.04. When a larger than average percentage of the league qualified for the playoffs, the team with the best record won the cup in 30 of 58 seasons, or 51.72 percent. When a smaller than average percentage qualified, the team with the best record won the Cup in 9 of 34 seasons, or about 26.47 percent. A larger than average percentage of teams qualified from 1932 to 1970 and 1975 to 1993. A smaller than average percentage qualified from 1927 to 1931, 1971 to 1974, and 1994 to present.
The most consecutive years of the best regular season team winning the Cup was four, from 1975 to 1978. The longest stretch of the best team not winning the Cup was eight seasons, from 1928 to 1935.
Mack's Basketball Stuff 