After the Florida Panthers clinched the Stanley Cup in Game 7 last year, players took turns celebrating with the trophy. While some like Carter Verhaeghe had experienced this before, it was a first for most of the roster.
Among them was Kyle Okposo, who shared, “I almost retired, and they`re a big reason why I didn`t.” After 17 seasons, comprising 1,051 regular-season games and 41 playoff contests, the 37-year-old winger finally realized his lifelong NHL goal.
As the Panthers advanced, Okposo embodied the popular narrative of the `Old Guy Without a Cup` that fans often champion. However, Stanley Cup worthiness isn`t solely defined by career length or draft year. Other crucial factors include past playoff performance and how near a player has come to lifting the Cup.
Considering these elements, we developed our Cup Worthiness Ratings (CWR) to identify the veteran and prime-age players in the ongoing playoffs who are arguably most deserving of winning the Stanley Cup. We started with active skaters whose teams remain in contention and have played at least 850 regular-season games without a Cup win. Players were awarded points based on a reverse ranking of regular-season games played, career playoff games, and playoff points. Years in the league were also added to the score, serving as a tiebreaker.
As the saying goes, `It`s better to have loved and lost…` In hockey terms, coming close to the Cup can be both rewarding and painful. Our CWR factors in this `proximity` to victory: 5 points for each Conference Final appearance, an extra 10 points for reaching the Stanley Cup Final, and 5 points if a player was traded away by a team that won the Cup within the next two seasons (Note: Leaving as a free agent doesn`t count).
Player prestige also plays a role; star players often face greater pressure to cap their career with a championship. To reflect this, 5 points were added if a player has won an NHL award, signifying their status. An additional 10 points were awarded for the rare instance of winning the Conn Smythe Trophy (playoff MVP) in a losing Stanley Cup Final effort, highlighting the heartbreak involved.
Based on these criteria and active players in the 2025 postseason with at least 850 career regular-season games, here are the top 10 most deserving veteran players:
- 10. Matt Duchene, Dallas Stars
- 9. John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 8. Adam Henrique, Edmonton Oilers
- 7. Charlie Coyle, Colorado Avalanche
- 6. Evander Kane, Edmonton Oilers
- 5. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers
- 4. Max Pacioretty, Toronto Maple Leafs
- 3. Ryan Suter, St. Louis Blues
- 2. Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars
- 1. Brent Burns, Carolina Hurricanes
- 5. Tomas Hertl, Vegas Golden Knights
- 4. Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
- 3. Nate Schmidt, Florida Panthers
- 2. Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
- 1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
- 3. Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes
- 2. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
- 1. Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
10. Matt Duchene, Dallas Stars
Age: 34
Cup Worthiness Rating: 53
Despite being a point-per-game player, Duchene has played for multiple teams (Colorado, Columbus, Nashville, Dallas) and has relatively fewer playoff games (56) compared to others on this list. His only Conference Final appearance was last year with Dallas, impacting his CWR despite 16 NHL seasons.
9. John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 34
Cup Worthiness Rating: 57
John Tavares`s 2018 move from the New York Islanders to his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs is often debated in the context of Cup proximity. The Islanders reached the second-to-last round twice after he left, while Tavares and the Leafs haven`t advanced past the second round. However, his long 16-year NHL career contributes significantly, ranking him fifth in games played among this group.
8. Adam Henrique, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Rating: 70
Adam Henrique had a memorable playoff moment, scoring the overtime winner in the 2012 Eastern Conference Final to send the New Jersey Devils to the Stanley Cup Final, which they lost. He got another chance with the Oilers in 2024, losing a Game 7 heartbreaker after trailing 0-3 in the series. With 993 regular-season games, it`s been a lengthy pursuit for Henrique to etch his name on the Cup.
7. Charlie Coyle, Colorado Avalanche
Age: 33
Cup Worthiness Rating: 72
While still looking youthful, Charlie Coyle boasts 950 regular-season games. He was a key part of the Boston Bruins team that reached the Conference Finals and the agonizing seven-game Stanley Cup Final loss to the St. Louis Blues in 2019. His 75 playoff games with Boston rank him fourth among players on this list.
6. Evander Kane, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 33
Cup Worthiness Rating: 72
Evander Kane has certainly put in the time, playing 930 regular-season games over 15 seasons. He`s come close to the Cup multiple times, reaching the Conference Finals three times (with San Jose and Edmonton) and the Stanley Cup Final last season with the Oilers.
5. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 32
Cup Worthiness Rating: 75
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, often still perceived as a younger player, is actually a 14-year veteran approaching 1,000 career games (959). An Oiler for his entire career, he endured the franchise`s struggles before Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl elevated them to contender status. This versatile forward is the kind of respected player, beloved by fans and perhaps slightly underappreciated elsewhere, who would be a truly deserving Cup champion.
4. Max Pacioretty, Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 36
Cup Worthiness Rating: 78
Injuries have limited Max Pacioretty to 939 regular-season games across 17 NHL seasons. However, his CWR benefits from three trips to the Conference Finals (Montreal 2014, Vegas 2020, 2021). Crucially, he earned the `traded away before winning` bonus: the Golden Knights traded him in July 2022, and they won the Cup the following June.
3. Ryan Suter, St. Louis Blues
Age: 40
Cup Worthiness Rating: 83
Ryan Suter is the active leader in regular-season games played (1,526, 19th all-time). Despite this longevity, his teams (Nashville, Minnesota, Dallas) missed or lost in the first round in many playoff appearances. However, he ranks highest in playoff games among this list (135) and has made two Conference Final appearances with the Dallas Stars in recent seasons.
2. Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars
Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Rating: 102
The captain of the Dallas Stars, Jamie Benn embodies a win-at-all-costs mentality, sacrificing his body during deep playoff runs. He has played 1,192 regular-season games and 107 playoff contests. Benn has reached the Conference Finals three times, including one trip to the Stanley Cup Final. Respected by teammates and disliked by opponents, he would be an exceptionally deserving first-time Cup-winning captain for the Stars.
1. Brent Burns, Carolina Hurricanes
Age: 40
Cup Worthiness Rating: 110
There`s truly no one else quite like Brent Burns in the NHL. Over 21 seasons, he successfully transitioned from forward to a star defenseman, leading active blueliners in points (910 in 1,497 games) and ranking fourth in playoff points (77). He`s been to the Conference Finals three times and the Stanley Cup Final once. Known for his distinctive appearance and personality (including a year-round playoff beard), winning the Cup would cap a remarkable career. More importantly, perhaps, it would mean introducing the Stanley Cup to the diverse animal collection on his Texas ranch.
Beyond the veteran players, there are also key contributors in their prime who are still chasing their first Stanley Cup. Here are the top five players active in the current playoffs with under 850 career regular-season games played, ranked by their Cup Worthiness Rating:
5. Tomas Hertl, Vegas Golden Knights
Age: 31
Cup Worthiness Rating: 51
With 791 regular-season games, Hertl has played the most among this category, spending most of his 11 seasons with the San Jose Sharks. He reached two Conference Finals and the 2016 Stanley Cup Final with the Sharks, a franchise still seeking its first Cup. His slightly lower playoff points-per-game average (0.64 vs. 0.69 in regular season) slightly impacts his CWR in this comparison.
4. Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
Age: 25
Cup Worthiness Rating: 53
As a younger player with fewer career games (475 over seven seasons), Miro Heiskanen`s high CWR reflects his significant playoff experience early on. The Dallas Stars defenseman has benefited from his team`s deep runs, reaching the Conference Finals three times and the Stanley Cup Final in 2020. His deservingness stems more from his proximity to the championship in a relatively short career.
3. Nate Schmidt, Florida Panthers
Age: 34
Cup Worthiness Rating: 58
While perhaps less discussed in the context of Cup droughts, Nate Schmidt has experienced heartbreak in his 741-game career with four different teams. He reached the Conference Finals twice and the Stanley Cup Final once in 81 playoff games. His CWR is boosted by the `traded away` bonus: Washington exposed him in the 2017 expansion draft to Vegas, and the Capitals then won the Cup by defeating Vegas the following season. He was also traded by Vegas before their win, but that was outside the scoring range.
2. Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 29
Cup Worthiness Rating: 66
When the Oilers fall short in the playoffs, it`s rarely due to Leon Draisaitl`s performance. The 11-year veteran is second in playoff goals since 2017 (44, behind MacKinnon`s 51) and maintains a point-per-game pace in every playoff season he`s played. Known for battling through injuries, his CWR includes points for last season`s Stanley Cup Final appearance and his Hart Trophy win. He`s highly deserving…
1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 28
Cup Worthiness Rating: 74
…but someone else he knows is slightly more so. As arguably the best player in the world, Connor McDavid carries the weight of expectation. Despite multiple scoring titles and MVP awards, he lacks a Cup, placing him in a position previously held by legends like Ovechkin and MacKinnon – a career threatened by an asterisk without team ultimate success. McDavid reached the Conference Finals in 2022 and the Stanley Cup Final last season, leading a near-historic comeback. He has the most playoff points (127 in 79 games) among this group. A special category was created for him, awarding 5 points for being the only active player to win the Conn Smythe in a losing effort. When he finally lifts the Cup, it will be a defining moment for `the best of the best.`
Having examined the skaters, let`s turn to the goaltenders, another position with deserving Cup candidates. Here is a brief list of the highest-rated active goalies based on a modified CWR tailored for netminders, considering regular-season games, seasons played, playoff appearances/wins, Conference/Stanley Cup Final appearances, NHL awards, and the `traded before a Cup win` factor.
3. Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes
Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Rating: 21
One could wonder if Frederik Andersen deserves bonus points for enduring multiple playoff disappointments with the Maple Leafs – four first-round exits where he often faced significant blame. While other goalies on this list might have more hardware or deeper playoff runs tipping the scales, few players are arguably more deserving than Andersen based on his longevity and history of playing through various injuries.
2. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Rating: 25
Admittedly, it`s challenging to label a goalie `Cup-worthy` if they`ve struggled in recent postseasons. However, Connor Hellebuyck has accumulated 21 wins in 50 playoff games and ranks fifth among active goalies in regular-season games played (568). Put simply: Given his recent playoff performances, if Hellebuyck were to win the Cup, he would have truly earned it.
1. Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
Age: 26
Cup Worthiness Rating: 31
Jake Oettinger is significantly younger and less experienced than the other goalies listed. However, his top ranking in the CWR stems from his direct experience with playoff heartbreak early in his career. His NHL debut came during the 2020 playoffs, witnessing Dallas`s Conference Final win but participating in their Stanley Cup Final loss. He`s appeared in two more Conference Finals since. What Oettinger lacks in career length, he compensates for by having the Cup just out of reach multiple times. Like his Stars teammates, he`s considered highly Cup-worthy.
