The Original Six franchises located in the United States, renowned for their storied past, have collectively secured 27 Stanley Cups.
However, these teams now share an undesirable record.
In a historic first for the National Hockey League, Detroit, Boston, Chicago, and the New York Rangers will all be absent from the playoff competition in the same year.
The Red Wings boast 11 league titles, surpassed only by Montreal`s 23 and Toronto`s 13. This year, however, playoff spots are reserved for Canadian teams as the US teams are eliminated.
Detroit had been showing signs of progress under the leadership of General Manager Steve Yzerman since his arrival from Tampa Bay in 2019. However, patience is wearing thin as the team`s performance has not met expectations this season.
After narrowly missing a playoff berth last year, the Red Wings regressed this season, with their postseason hopes officially dashed on Saturday.
The Blackhawks find themselves at the bottom of the Central Division for the third consecutive year, and are only ahead of San Jose in the overall NHL standings. Despite a period of dominance earlier in the century that included three Stanley Cups from 2010 to 2015, bringing their total to four, Chicago is struggling.
While disappointing seasons in Detroit and Chicago were not entirely unexpected, the Rangers and Bruins were widely tipped to be playoff contenders.
The Rangers, who had an exceptional previous season, winning the Presidents’ Trophy and reaching the Eastern Conference Final, had aspirations of winning their first Stanley Cup in over 30 years. However, under Peter Laviolette, the team underperformed and was not in playoff contention as the regular season drew to a close.
Boston entered the season with optimism but concluded with the fewest points in the Eastern Conference, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2016. In a rebuilding move, the franchise traded captain Brad Marchand, the last remaining player from their 2011 championship team, at the trade deadline.
Tristan Blackwood