Fansided

30 best NHL teams that failed to win the Stanley Cup

ByDave Stevenson|
May 29, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist (30) reacts on the bench with teammates Tanner Glass (15) , Kevin Klein (8) and Dan Girardi (5) as the Rangers play with an empty net against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period in game seven of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
May 29, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist (30) reacts on the bench with teammates Tanner Glass (15) , Kevin Klein (8) and Dan Girardi (5) as the Rangers play with an empty net against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period in game seven of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
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Oct 12, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Fans arrive before the start of the NHL game between the New York Islanders and the Winnipeg Jets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 12, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Fans arrive before the start of the NHL game between the New York Islanders and the Winnipeg Jets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

#16: 1979 New York Islanders

The Islanders had two chances to stretch their four consecutive Stanley Cup streak to five. The first one came during the 1978-1979 season. The New York Islanders finished with a 51-15-14 record which gave them 116 points. They narrowly beat out the Montreal Canadiens who had 115 points. They scored the most goals in the NHL (358) and they allowed the second-fewest goals in the league (214). They won the Patrick Division by 21 points. Hart Trophy winner Bryan Trottier had the best season of his Hall of Fame career, leading the league in points (134), assists (87), and plus-minus (+76).

They also had the league’s leading goal scorer in Mike Bossy. Bossy led the NHL in goals with 69 goals scored, ten more than Marcel Dionne who finished in second place. Denis Potvin won the Norris Trophy by leading all defensemen with 101 points and a plus-minus of +71. Goalie Glenn Resch finished second in the league in goals-against average (2.50).

The New York Islanders blew the Chicago Blackhawks out of the water in the first round of the playoffs, sweeping them in four games and outscoring them 14-3. They wound up losing to their archrival New York Rangers in the semifinals. The 1978-1979 Islanders set the tone for the next four years as the Islanders would win four straight Stanley Cups.

Next: 1944-1945 Montreal Canadiens

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