Longest Stanley Cup Droughts

The Blackhawks, who last won the Cup in 1961 with a six-game triumph over Detroit, are trying to break the NHL's longest active silverware drought. (The all-time record is 54 years, held by the New York Rangers from 1940 to 1994.) Chicago has been to Cup final five times since its last title, falling in 1962, '65, '71, '73 and '92.

The Leafs, who won their last Cup in 1967 by beating Montreal in six games, have been to the semifinal round (or conference finals) five times since: 1978, ''93, '94, '99 and 2002.

An expansion franchise that started play in 1967, the closest the Kings have come to the silverware is the 1993 Stanley Cup Final vs. Montreal, which Wayne Gretzky and company lost in five games. Other than that, the Kings' deepest foray was a trip to the 1969 semi-final, where they were swept by St. Louis, which advanced to the Cup final.

Yet another 1967 expansion franchise, the Blues reached the Stanley Cup Final in each of their first three years, largely because league rules mandated that the six new teams be placed in the West Division, which sent its champion against the best of the Original Six teams that made up the East. Good luck. (The Blues were swept each time.) Since then, the closest they've come is falling one round short of the final in 1972, '86, and 2001.

The Canucks joined the NHL for 1970-71, and have sent two teams to the Stanley Cup Final. The 1981-82 squad was waxed by the dynastic Islanders in four games, but the 1993-94 edition gave the Rangers a valiant seven-game battle before succumbing.

Added to the NHL for 1970-71, the Sabres have become accomplished heartbreakers, tantalizing their devoted fans with scrappy and often talented teams. They lost the 1975 Stanley Cup Final to defending champion Philadelphia in six games, and the '99 final to Dallas, thanks to Brett Hull's controversial "foot in the crease" goal in Game 6. The Sabres have also fallen one round shy in 1980, '98, 2006 and 2007.

Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr gave Boston its last sip from the Cup in 1972, when they beat the Rangers in six games. Since then, trips to the final round in 1974, '76, '77, '88 and '90 have come up empty.

Coming into the league in a blaze of ineptitude (8-67-5) in 1974-75, the Capitals have since contested for the Cup once: in 1998, when they were swept aside by Steve Yzeman's Red Wings.

The Flyers' thirst for a Cup dates back to their legendary Broadstreet Bullies, who won it 1974 and '75. They reached the '76 final, but were swept by a Montreal Canadiens team that was beginning a run of four straight Cups. Dynasties seem to a regular obstacle for Philly. Later editions of the Flyers battled for the old mug in 1980 (losing to the budding dynasty Islanders in six), 1985 (the dynastic Oilers in five), 1987 (Oilers in seven) and 1997 (Detroit in four).

This once-model franchise reached five successive Cup finals, winning the first four (1980-83), but there has been only one trip as far as the conference finals (1993) ever since, plus a lot of DNQ's and first-round exits.