10 Best NHL players to never win the Stanley Cup

The National Hockey League was established in 1917 and there have been some outstanding skaters who achieved every goal on the rink. But they were unable to win the Stanley Cup at the end of the campaign. It has a major impact on the image of the players because of that visible break in their work activities.

Who are the best NHL players to never win a cup? These are the top NHL players who have never claimed a Stanley Cup, Jarome Iginla, Marcel Dionne, Joe Thornton, Adam Oates, Dale Hawerchuk, Mats Sundin, Patrick Marleau, Mike Gartner, Phil Housley, and Gilbert Perreault.

Let’s get into the details of why these NHL players were not able to win the Stanley cup throughout their careers.

Best NHL Players to Never Win a Cup

Some players played well in the NHL matches but never won the Stanley cup. These hockey players are the ones who have had outstanding performances in the history of the NHL.

Below are the names of some players who never win the Stanley cup:

1) Jarome Iginla

Jarome Iginla was one of the best NHL players who were near to winning the Stanley Cup. Iginla’s Calgary Flame was defeated by Tampa Bay in the seventh match of the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs.

What makes things worse is that the Flames had a chance to win Match 6 by a score of 3-2 with six minutes remaining. But the score was never assessed.

Iginla is one of the all-time great individual attacking players. He achieved great success worldwide and contributed to Canada’s two Olympic gold medals. He never had a chance to win the Stanley Cup.

Career Stats

GP	G	A	P
1554	625	675	1300

You can read this article: What was the first American team to win the Stanley Cup?

2) Marcel Dionne

In the second NHL entry draft in 1971, the Detroit Red Liners selected Marcel Dionne as the second overall selection. Before moving to the Los Angeles Kings as the icon of their club, he played with the Flyers for four years.

Dionne had broken several records while playing for the Kings. But he never had the right talent to achieve a championship trophy, so his final performance was restricted.

Only 49 of Dionne’s 1554 regular-season matches and 49 playoff matches were held. He only played in one famous final game.

Career Stats

GP	G	A	P
1348	731	1040	1771

3) Joe Thornton

The Boston Bruins selected Joe Thornton in the first round of the 1997 entry-level NHL Draft. Thornton only has one or two more seasons left in the NHL. He will be recognized as among the finest shooters in NHL history. With Canada, he conquered major tournaments and won an Olympic medal. The Stanley Cup was the one prize that he will be unable to achieve.

Career Stats

GP	G	A	P
1714	430	1109	1539

4) Adam Oates

Adam Oates was one of the finest players to participate in the NHL. He will always be remembered for his skills in the NHL. He and Brett Hull made a powerful team while they were in St. Louis. It was a powerful combo when Oates and Hull played together.

Oates managed to reach the Stanley Cup championship game with Washington and he was close to winning the game. But St. Louis never had any postseason success with these two.

On the other hand, the underdog Capitals had little opportunity against the powerful Red Wings and were easily defeated.

Career Stats

GP	G	A	P
1337	341	1079	1420

5) Dale Hawerchuk

Dale Hawerchuk participated in a squad that competed in the incorrect category. Hawerchuk always faced the Edmonton Oilers or Calgary Flames in the finals while playing with the Winnipeg Bombers in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Jets regularly featured strong squads for the match. But they were defeated in one of the initial two stages of the playoffs. It is because they were unable to defeat the two Alberta behemoths.

When Hawerchuk performed for the Philadelphia Flyers in his final season, he had an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup. They reached the championship round but lost to the Red Wings in four matches.

Career Stats

GP	G	A	P
1188	518	891	1409

6) Mats Sundin

In both the Olympic Games and the World Cups, Sundin helped Team Sweden to win numerous trophies. He never had enough talented players on the Toronto Maple Leafs. They don’t get the chance to offer him a steady opportunity to win a Stanley Cup.

With the Maple Leafs in 1998–99, Sundin reached the Championship Game. But he was resigned to missing more games or losing in the initial round. He could win a few Stanley Cups if he had the opportunity to continue with the Quebec Nordiques or Colorado Avalanche who selected him. But he never wins the Stanley cup in his matches.

Career Stats

GP	G	A	P
1346	564	785	1349

You can read this article: How Do You Qualify To Get Your Name On The Stanley Cup?

7) Patrick Marleau

Patrick Marleau could break the NHL records for most league matches in which he participated. He could do that if he performs one more NHL campaign. In fourth place, he had only 44 matches behind Gordie Howe.

His endurance in the preseason did not continue to his endurance in the postseason. He has played in numerous talented San Jose Shark teams. But none of them have succeeded in the postseason.

The Pittsburgh Penguins defeated them in the Stanley Cup playoffs during one noteworthy campaign. This was held in 2016.

Career Stats

GP	G	A	P
1779	566	631	1197

8) Mike Gartner

Mike Gartner was well-known for his lightning speed and goal-scoring skills. Year after year, he became a famous player among his opponents to achieve more goals and have the best scoring ability. Gartner does not receive the credit he did for his seventh-place position in all-time scores.

Gartner’s team’s inability to achieve a championship is one factor that increased his recognition gap. Throughout his tenure, he was a member of clubs like the Capitals, Rangers, Maple Leafs, and Coyotes. He played in these clubs less or over average.

Career Stats

GP	G	A	P
1432	708	627	1335

9) Phil Housley

Phil Housley was an explosive and offensive-defenseman that you can never find in the history of the NHL. He was among the fourth-highest-hitting defenders overall at the end of his professional career.

Housley skated in mediocre Sabers and Islanders clubs in his era. It had been his first-round tournament trash in his career. He had the opportunity to start a lengthy championship season with the Capitals in 1998. But the Red Wings defeated them in the championship game.

This was the reason; he never achieved the Stanley cup.

Career Stats

GP	G	A	P
1495	338	894	1232

10) Gilbert Perreault

The Buffalo Sabers selected Gilbert Perreault as the top choice player in the 1970’s NHL selection. He was selected as the team’s symbol and spent his entire tenure for Buffalo. He was the Sabers’ underrated champion.

In his early tenure, Buffalo had a strong team and was skilled in the Stanley Cup playoffs in 1975. In that match, they were upset by the Flyers.

After then, Buffalo had bad squads and was forced to play against the Canadiens, Bruins, Flyers, or Islanders in the finals. Throughout his professional career, Perreault’s club could not play with such squads. This was the reason; he did not win the Stanley cup ever.

Career Stats

GP	G	A	P
1191	512	814	1326

Conclusion: 10 Best NHL players to never win the Stanley Cup

The best NHL players to never win a cup had a great record in the history of the NHL. They played well in the NHL matches but never won the Stanley cup due to multiple factors. The players were Jarome Iginla, Marcel Dionne, Joe Thornton, Adam Oates, Dale Hawerchuk, Mats Sundin, Patrick Marleau, Mike Gartner, Phil Housley, and Gilbert Perreault.