Cup only worthy prize
B’s don’t need Presidents’ Trophy to win
Fasten your chin straps as the best and the brightest engage in the annual springtime pursuit of the National Hockey League’s “Be Careful What You Wish For Award,” otherwise known as the Presidents’ Trophy.
But we’ll get to the Presidents’ Trophy in a moment. Promise. Let’s talk first about the Patrice Bergeron Trophy, awarded annually to players named Patrice Bergeron who make a full recovery from an ankle injury in time for the Stanley Cup playoffs.
And then we can talk about the Zdeno Chara Trophy, awarded annually to players named Zdeno Chara who get themselves healthy and rested in time for the playoffs.
How about the Charlie McAvoy Trophy? This coveted NHL honor goes to players named Charlie McAvoy who make a full recovery from a strained MCL in the left knee and then strain opposing would-be goalscorers in the playoffs.
Oh, and we absolutely can’t forget the Brad Marchand Trophy, awarded to players named Brad Marchand who don’t commit stupid penalties that merit multi-game suspensions.
See where we’re going with this? As the Bruins prepare for the here-before-you-know-it Stanley Cup tourney, they absolutely have a shot at the Presidents’ Trophy, awarded to the team with the most points in the regular season. The B’s had played 70 games and amassed 98 points going into last night’s Garden showdown against Columbus, which had them right behind the Nashville Predators (71 games, 104 points) and Tampa Bay Lightning (72 games, 102 points). Lovely.
If Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy can get the boyos to reach a little higher, dig a little deeper, stay within themselves, go for the gusto, etc., maybe they can bring home the vaunted Presidents’ Trophy, and everyone in town can chestbump and high-five right into the opening round of the playoffs.
Or, the Bruins can settle for getting everyone healthy and then go on a nice, long Cup run.
This isn’t a knock at the Presidents’ Trophy. And no, I do not believe the thing is cursed.
But man, come on. Though nowhere near as lame as the old Fort Myers-based Mayor’s Cup, which used to be handed to the victor of the annual Grapefruit League series between the Red Sox and down-Daniels Parkway-abit Minnesota Twins, the Presidents’ Trophy is high on the list of prizes that are not prized.
For various reasons, the Mayor’s Cup is now known as the Chairman’s Cup, and I suspect high on the list is that no self-respecting Fort Myers mayor wants anything to do with it. So if anyone takes shots at the NHL’s Presidents’ Trophy, you send them to me, and I’ll tell them about the Mayor’s Cup.
Hey, the Presidents’ Trophy means home-ice advantage throughout the Stanley Cup tournament. So there’s that. But while capturing the Presidents’ Trophy offers the possibility of boatloads of dollars saved on airfare and hotel rooms, it’s hardly a roadway to winning the Cup.
Since its inception in the 1985-86 season, only eight Presidents’ Trophy recipients have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. Three other teams have made it to the Cup finals before losing. Perhaps most surprisingly, six recipients of the Presidents’ Trophy have been eliminated from the postseason in the first round.
The Bruins?
They’ve earned Presidents’ Trophy on two occasions. The 1989-90 Bruins amassed 101 points, with current team president Cam Neely scoring a career-best 55 goals and Raymond Bourque winning the third of his four Norris Trophies as the circuit’s top defenseman. The B’s made it to the Stanley Cup finals but lost to the Edmonton Oilers in five games.
More painful — and much more recently — is the fate of the 2013-14 Bruins. With Vezina Trophy winner Tuukka Rask leading the way, the Bruins ran up 117 points to secure the franchise’s second Presidents’ Trophy. But it wasn’t much of a consolation price after they went out in the second round, losing a grueling, seven-game series against the hated Montreal Canadiens.
When it was done, I don’t recall any member of the Bruins saying, “Well, at least we won the Presidents’ Trophy.”
That would have been like former Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette making his unfortunate “more days in first place” comment after the 2001 Sox coughed up the American League East to the Yankees.
So let’s not waste any more time debating the Presidents’ Trophy. If it happens, it happens.
Coming tomorrow: We break down the Patrice Bergeron Trophy.