Following their Game 7 victory in last year`s Final, the Florida Panthers players took turns skating with the Stanley Cup. For some individuals, such as Carter Verhaeghe, lifting the trophy was a familiar experience. However, for the majority of the team, it marked their first time touching the historic chalice.
Kyle Okposo was among those experiencing it for the first time. Regarding his teammates, he commented, “I was close to retiring, and they were a major reason I didn`t. I wanted one more opportunity at this, and I simply aimed to put myself in the best possible position to achieve it.”
Thus, after 17 seasons, comprising 1,051 regular-season games and 41 more in the postseason, the 37-year-old finally realized his NHL dream.
As the Panthers pursued the championship, Okposo became the quintessential `Old Guy Without a Cup` in the playoffs, gaining significant fan support. However, mere longevity and an early draft year don`t automatically qualify someone as Stanley Cup worthy. Various other factors come into play, including past postseason performances and how close players have come to hoisting the Cup.
We incorporated all these elements into our Cup Worthiness Ratings (CWR), designed to identify veteran and prime-aged players who are most deserving of winning the Stanley Cup.
Our process began by identifying active skaters on playoff teams who had played the most regular-season games without a Cup win, setting a threshold of 850 games. Initially, there were 21 such players. We assigned points based on their ranking; for instance, Ryan Suter, with the most games (1,526) without a Cup, received 21 points.
We applied the same method for career playoff games and playoff points. We then added the number of years they`ve spent in the league to their score, which also served as a tiebreaker for players with identical scores.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson famously wrote: “`Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” While poetic, such love can also be painful. Therefore, our CWR also accounts for how near a player has come to drinking from the chalice.
Players who reached the conference final received five points for each appearance. Advancing to the Stanley Cup Final added another 10 points. If a player was traded by a team that subsequently won the Stanley Cup (within the next two seasons), they earned five points. Note that Claude Giroux`s choice to leave the Panthers as a free agent before their Cup win did not count in this category.
We also wanted to recognize the significance of a player`s stature in our rankings. It`s understandable that a star player faces greater pressure to cap off their `legacy` with a championship compared to a depth player. This was a notable point for players like Alex Ovechkin and Nathan MacKinnon before they won, and it`s an expectation now weighing on players like Connor McDavid. To reflect this, we awarded five points if a player had ever won an NHL award, considering it an indicator of stardom.
An additional 10 points were awarded to any player who received the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP despite their team losing the Stanley Cup Final. Imagining that heartbreak factored into the score.
Based on their CWR, here are the top 10 most deserving veteran players (minimum 850 games) still participating in the 2025 postseason.
10. Matt Duchene, Dallas Stars
Age: 34
Cup Worthiness Rating: 53
A point-per-game performer, Duchene has had a well-traveled career, participating in playoff action with the Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators, and the Dallas Stars (excluding his tenure in Ottawa). The 16-year veteran would rank higher if not for his limited postseason games (56) and only one appearance in the conference finals, which occurred last year with Dallas.
9. John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 34
Cup Worthiness Rating: 57
Future evaluations will consider Tavares` decision in 2018 to leave the New York Islanders for his beloved childhood team in Toronto, and its impact on his proximity to the Stanley Cup. The Islanders reached the conference finals twice after his departure, while he hasn`t advanced past the second round with the Leafs. Nevertheless, he ranks fifth in games played among players in this list over his 16-year NHL career.
8. Adam Henrique, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Rating: 70
Few players on this list have had a postseason moment as significant as Henrique`s in the 2012 Eastern Conference finals, where he scored an overtime goal against the archrival Rangers to send the New Jersey Devils to the Stanley Cup Final. The Devils did not win the Cup that season. Henrique got a second chance with the Oilers in 2024 but lost in Game 7, despite the team`s comeback attempt from being down 0-3. With 993 regular-season games, it has been a long wait for Henrique to see his name engraved.
7. Charlie Coyle, Colorado Avalanche
Age: 33
Cup Worthiness Rating: 72
Though he may still look young in some photos, Coyle has accumulated 950 regular-season games. He reached the conference finals and the Stanley Cup Final with the Boston Bruins in 2019, losing the final series in seven difficult games to the St. Louis Blues. His 75 playoff games with the Bruins rank him fourth among the players on this list.
6. Evander Kane, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 33
Cup Worthiness Rating: 72
There`s no denying Kane`s significant experience, with 930 regular-season games over 15 seasons. He has also been close to the chalice multiple times, with three trips to the conference finals (with the San Jose Sharks and Oilers) and last season`s run to the Stanley Cup Final with Edmonton.
5. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 32
Cup Worthiness Rating: 75
`The Nuge` is another player who feels like a recent draft pick but is actually a 14-year veteran nearing 1,000 games next season (currently at 959). As a lifelong Oiler, he witnessed the franchise`s struggles before Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl helped propel them into championship contention. This versatile forward is precisely the type of player deserving of a Cup: someone beloved by fans and perhaps slightly underestimated by others.
4. Max Pacioretty, Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 36
Cup Worthiness Rating: 78
Due to various injuries, Pacioretty has played 939 regular-season games across 17 NHL seasons. However, his rating was bolstered by three appearances in the conference final round with Montreal (2014) and Vegas (2020, 2021). Critically, he earned the points for being traded away just before his former team won a championship, as the Golden Knights sent him to Carolina in July 2022 before winning the Cup the following June.
3. Ryan Suter, St. Louis Blues
Age: 40
Cup Worthiness Rating: 83
The active leader in games played (1,526, 19th all-time), Suter is not in the top 15 for active players in playoff games. His teams—Nashville, Minnesota, and Dallas—were eliminated in the first round in nine of the 15 seasons they qualified for the playoffs. That said, he has played more postseason games (135) than anyone else on this list and reached the conference finals twice with the Dallas Stars in the last two seasons.
2. Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars
Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Rating: 102
The Stars captain embodies a win-at-all-costs mentality in the postseason, physically sacrificing himself and impacting opponents during his team`s deep playoff runs. Benn has played 1,192 regular-season games and an additional 107 in the playoffs. He has made it to the conference finals three times, including one appearance in the Stanley Cup Final. Loved by his teammates and disliked by rival fans, he would be the first to lift the Cup if the Stars win during his captaincy—a truly deserving recipient.
1. Brent Burns, Carolina Hurricanes
Age: 40
Cup Worthiness Rating: 110
Brent Burns is a truly unique figure in the NHL. Over 21 seasons, he transitioned from forward to defense and excelled on the blue line. He leads active defensemen in points (910 in 1,497 games) during the regular season and ranks fourth in playoff points (77). He has appeared in the conference finals three times and the Stanley Cup Final once. Known for his year-round playoff beard and carrying a large bag full of mysterious items, winning the Stanley Cup would fulfill a significant hockey dream for him. More importantly, it would mean introducing the Cup to the diverse collection of animals at his 420-acre Texas ranch.
That covers the seasoned veterans seeking their first Cup. But what about players in their prime, based on games played, who haven`t yet celebrated with Stanley?
Here are the top five active players in the playoffs with under 850 career regular-season games who are still chasing their first Cup win:
5. Tomas Hertl, Vegas Golden Knights
Age: 31
Cup Worthiness Rating: 51
The Vegas forward`s 791 games are the most among players in this specific ranking, primarily accumulated over 11 seasons with the San Jose Sharks. He reached two conference finals and the 2016 Stanley Cup Final with the Sharks, a franchise still without a Cup victory. His lower points-per-game average in the playoffs (0.64 points in 74 games) compared to his regular-season career (0.69) slightly reduced his Cup Worthiness Rating.
4. Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
Age: 25
Cup Worthiness Rating: 53
The Stars` defenseman has benefited from Dallas`s deep playoff runs, participating in the conference finals three times and the Stanley Cup Final in 2020. His high ranking is less about his relatively short seven-season, 475-game career and more about how close he has come to a title early on.
3. Nate Schmidt, Florida Panthers
Age: 34
Cup Worthiness Rating: 58
While perhaps not widely recognized in Cup drought discussions, Schmidt`s career has included significant heartbreak. He has played 741 regular-season games for the Capitals, Golden Knights, Jets, and Panthers. He reached the conference finals twice and the Stanley Cup Final once over 81 career playoff games. Crucially, Schmidt earned valuable bonus points for being left unprotected by the Capitals in the 2017 expansion draft and selected by Vegas—only for Washington to defeat Vegas for the Cup the following season. He was also traded by Vegas before their Cup win, but that fell outside the scoring criteria`s timeframe.
2. Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 29
Cup Worthiness Rating: 66
When the Oilers have faltered in the playoffs, Draisaitl has consistently been a top performer. The 11-year NHL veteran ranks second in postseason goals (44) since 2017, his first playoff year, trailing only Nathan MacKinnon (51). Few players can claim a point-per-game or better pace in every playoff season they`ve played, but Draisaitl can. Additionally, he`s known for playing through injuries and still excelling in the postseason. He gained points for last season`s trip to the Stanley Cup Final and his Hart Trophy win. He is undoubtedly worthy, though someone he knows ranks slightly higher.
1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 28
Cup Worthiness Rating: 74
The weight of expectation is heavy for `the best hockey player in the world.` McDavid has multiple scoring titles and MVP awards but lacks a Stanley Cup. This places him in a situation previously faced by Alex Ovechkin and Nathan MacKinnon: a legendary player whose individual achievements are seemingly incomplete without team championship success. McDavid reached the conference finals in 2022 and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final last season, nearly leading his team to a comeback win after trailing 3-0. He has the most postseason points (127 in 79 games) among players in this ranking. A unique category was even created to highlight his specific frustration: awarding five points for being the only active player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) in a losing effort. One day, he is expected to lift the Cup, as the greatest players eventually do. And by this measure, he is the most deserving.
We`ve discussed veteran and younger skaters. But what about the players in the crease who are Cup-worthy competitors? Here is a brief list of the highest-rated goalies by CWR who are still active in the playoffs. For goalies, the rating considered regular-season games, seasons played, playoff appearances, postseason wins, conference and Stanley Cup Final appearances, NHL awards, and whether they were traded just before a team`s Cup win.
3. Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes
Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Rating: 21
Andersen`s experience prompted consideration for bonus points for enduring multiple playoff runs with the Maple Leafs. Four of his 10 playoff seasons were in Toronto, each ending in the first round, often accompanied by fan criticism. While other goalies on this list have more accolades and deeper playoff runs contributing to their scores, few players are arguably more deserving of a Cup win than Andersen, considering his longevity and playing through various injuries.
2. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Rating: 25
It`s challenging to label a goalie `Cup-worthy` if they`ve faced criticism for their performance in recent postseasons. However, Hellebuyck holds 21 wins in 50 playoff games and is fifth among active goalies in games played (568). Considering Hellebuyck`s playoff challenges, a Jets Cup win with him would truly be earned.
1. Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
Age: 26
Cup Worthiness Rating: 31
Oettinger is significantly younger and less experienced than the other goalies featured here. However, the comprehensive analysis and methodology of the Cup Worthiness Rating place him first due to his playoff disappointments. His NHL debut was in the 2020 playoffs, appearing in Dallas`s conference final win over Vegas and their subsequent loss in the Stanley Cup Final to Tampa Bay. He also appeared in two more conference finals. While Oettinger lacks extensive experience, he compensates by repeatedly coming close to winning the ring. Like his Dallas Stars teammates, he is considered Cup-worthy.
