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The 2024 Stanley Cup saw the Florida Panthers become champions, and it was the first time in their franchise history. While they were able to complete that epic milestone, not everyone in the NHL is able to do so. There are still plenty of players who have never touched Lord Stanley due to superstition and tradition, and we’ve shared our top five best NHL athletes who never won a championship.
When it comes to hockey legends, many of the greats – Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe and the like – are household names. Of course, that is the case thanks to their ability to win the Cup, so there may be names on our list of the top five best NHL athletes who never won a championship that some fans don’t even recognize.
That starts right at the top with Marcel Dionne. Generally speaking, he’s not the most popular name discussed in terms of the best players ever, but his 1,771 career points are just five spots behind Gretzky for the sixth-most all time. Better yet, he reached that mark in 1,348 career games – around 400 fewer games than all five players above him other than Gretzky. Despite that, he was never able to win a Stanley Cup in his 17-year career.
Although he’s number two on our list of the top five best NHL athletes who never won a championship, Joe Thornton may be a bit more recognizable among hockey fans. Whether that’s thanks to his iconic massive beard or his long tenure with the San Jose Sharks, Thornton was all-time great.
His 1,539 career points are the fourth-most in NHL history, just 11 behind Alex Ovechkin. Although he’s most known for his time with the Sharks, Thornton began his career with the Boston Bruins, where he left not long before their 2010-11 Stanley Cup victory. Although Thornton was able to win an Olympic Gold Medal, he was never even able to make it to the NHL’s ultimate series, let alone hoist the Stanley Cup.
It has long been said that nearly any team can make a Stanley Cup run with a dominant goaltender, so it’s only fitting that we have a netminder on our list of the top five best NHL athletes who never won a championship. Henrik Lundqvist is one of the best ever, whether he would have won a Stanley Cup or not.
His 459 career wins ranks sixth for the most in league history, and his .918 career save percentage is even better – tied for the fourth-best. The lifelong New York Ranger also recorded 64 shutouts throughout his illustrious career, and nearly led the team to a Stanley Cup victory in 2014 before losing 4-1 to the Los Angeles Kings. He was also the key piece to the Rangers winning the Eastern Conference Finals in 2012 and 2015.
Swapping back to skaters brings us to one that is also among the top 20 in terms of career points – Adam Oates. His 1,420 has him sitting at exactly number 20, but other than the skaters already mentioned, those in front of him are largely known for their Stanley Cup victories. One aspect of Oates’ career unique in comparison to others is the fact that he was a part of so many different teams.
Before ultimately retiring after the 2003-04 season, Oates played for seven different franchises. In terms of success, he was able to reach the Stanley Cup Final with the Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks, but of course, did not win those series. As for other franchises, Oates is perhaps best known for his time with the St. Louis Blues where he was part of a dynamic duo skating alongside Brett Hull.
We’ll give a shoutout to Eric Lindros here, but even with his career still in progress, Connor McDavid has proven himself as one of the greatest talents the NHL has ever seen. Of course, that is without winning a Stanley Cup, and he’s fresh off his best chance to do so. He and the Edmonton Oilers fell to the Florida Panthers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
McDavid and company lost to Matthew Tkachuk, son of Keith Tkachuk, who is another great that could have been added to our list of the top five best NHL athletes who never won a championship. Regardless, McDavid has done it all individually – three Hart Trophies (MVP), five Art Ross Trophies (most points), seven-time All-Star and he even won the Conn Smythe Trophy in the 2024 postseason despite the Oilers not winning the Stanley Cup.
Mark has been a lifelong fan of all sports, and five years ago turned it into a profession, specializing in the NFL, NHL and MLB. He is a diehard Baltimore Ravens fan and has had his work published in sites such as Sports Illustrated, Pickswise and other top outlets.