It seems only Sidney Crosby is immune to the Curse of the Stanley Cup Final.
The Stars will try to prove they are as well.
When Dallas opens the regular season Friday against Nashville, it will try to combat the history that says how difficult it is for teams that lose a Stanley Cup to win one the following season. It’s hard enough to win three playoff rounds once, but to win seven playoff rounds in two seasons? It’s almost impossible.
Since the Stars lost in the Cup Final in 2000, only one Cup runner-up has improved on their standing the next season: the Penguins, who won the Cup in 2009 after losing it in 2008. All it took was Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby combining for 67 playoff points, and a Game 7 win in Detroit.
In September, the Stars were two wins shy of the Cup, and ended up watching the Lightning lift it following a Game 6 victory. Now, they’ll bring back the vast majority of that roster, including coach Rick Bowness and 167 of the team’s 178 regular-season goals.
But the Stars understand how difficult it is to win.
“For anyone to sit here and think we’ve got an automatic spot in the playoffs this year, that’s taking the wrong approach,” Bowness said. “We’re going to have to earn everything we get this year, much like we did last year.”
In the playoffs, the injuries pile up and the breaks are magnified. Dallas already knows this.
The Stars absolutely benefitted from magical comebacks against Calgary, first with Joe Pavelski’s Game 4 hat trick, and then with the Game 6 destruction after falling behind 3-0. They watched a decimated Avalanche team suffer a lethal blow from Joel Kiviranta. Anton Khudobin carried Dallas through the Vegas series at times. Then, in the Final, a hobbled Stars team was undermanned against a mostly healthy Lightning squad minus their captain.
All those things happened as the Stars marched through the playoffs. What if even just one of them hadn’t? We might be speaking differently about the Stars, just as we might be speaking differently about the 2019 Blues if Jamie Benn scores on a wraparound.
Playoff runs are fragile, and doing building houses of cards in back-to-back years is perilous.
“You’re not playing against a couple of really good teams and then catching the guys that aren’t as strong as other teams,” Bowness said. “In the playoffs, you’re getting a good team every night. You’re getting their A-game every night. You need to be healthy, you need good breaks. There’s not much separating most teams in this league. There isn’t.”
That is something else that separates the NHL from other leagues — in addition to the inherently random nature of the sport. Teams are closer in the standings, and first-round matchups are more susceptible to upsets in hockey (two years ago, all four division winners lost in the first round) than, say, basketball, where the conference’s No. 1 seed hasn’t lost in the first round since 2012.
The Stars are an experienced team, and one of the oldest in the league. But even so, only one of their players has been through what Dallas is about to go through.
Joe Pavelski lost the Cup Final with San Jose in 2016. The next season the Sharks lost in the first round.
“Unfortunately, I’ve gone through it once,” Pavelski said. “I’ll experience it a second time now. Each team’s a little different. Regardless if you lose in the Cup Final or not, there’s a few new faces, there’s guys that will have gained a lot of experience. Everybody does that.
“The challenge is getting your rest in a short offseason, coming back in shape that way. But I think the biggest test is always the intensity. How fast can you ramp it up and just understand the level you played at at the end of the year that got you there, you need to carry that throughout the regular season and get there to give yourself another opportunity.”
The Stars will already face challenges entering this season.
Tyler Seguin underwent hip surgery and is out until early April. Ben Bishop had knee surgery and is out until mid to late March. The start to their season was delayed by 17 coronavirus cases among players, and the team’s fitness will be behind other teams around the league.
But if there is a group equipped to laugh in the face of adversity, it’s the Stars, who have shrugged aside any setbacks in the last two seasons.
“Anyone that thinks we’re just going to walk into the playoffs this year is mistaken,” Bowness said.
Pavelski said: “That’s the biggest thing you can ask for is another opportunity and a chance and guys to buy in right from the start. You can’t be afraid of the work. For me, this group, what I’ve seen, nobody is afraid of it. We’re ready to get back after it and we’re hungry. That’s going to be the biggest test for me.”
Second-place hangover?
A comparison of how championship runner-ups performed in the following season across the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB over the last 20 years.
NFL
| Season | Super Bowl runner-up | Next season |
|---|---|---|
| 1999-2000 | Tennessee Titans | Lost in Divisional round (13-3) |
| 2000-2001 | New York Giants | Missed playoffs (7-9) |
| 2001-2002 | St. Louis Rams | Missed playoffs (7-9) |
| 2002-2003 | Oakland Raiders | Missed playoffs (4-12) |
| 2003-2004 | Carolina Panthers | Missed playoffs (7-9) |
| 2004-2005 | Philadelphia Eagles | Missed playoffs (6-10) |
| 2005-2006 | Seattle Seahawks | Lost in Divisional round (9-7) |
| 2006-2007 | Chicago Bears | Missed playoffs (7-9) |
| 2007-2008 | New England Patriots | Missed playoffs (11-5) |
| 2008-2009 | Arizona Cardinals | Lost in Divisional round (10-6) |
| 2009-2010 | Indianapolis Colts | Lost in Wild Card round (10-6) |
| 2010-2011 | Pittsurgh Steelers | Lost in Wild Card round (12-4) |
| 2011-2012 | New England Patriots | Lost AFC Championship Game (12-4) |
| 2012-2013 | San Francisco 49ers | Lost in NFC Championship Game (12-4) |
| 2013-2014 | Denver Broncos | Lost in Divisional round (12-4) |
| 2014-2015 | Seattle Seahawks | Lost in Divisional round (10-6) |
| 2015-2016 | Carolina Panthers | Missed playoffs (6-10) |
| 2016-2017 | Atlanta Falcons | Lost in Divisional round (10-6) |
| 2017-2018 | New England Patriots | Won Super Bowl (11-5) |
| 2018-2019 | Los Angeles Rams | Missed playoffs (9-7) |
| 2019-2020 | San Francisco 49ers | Missed playoffs (6-10) |
Missed playoffs: 10
Lost in Wild Card round: 2
Lost in Divisional round: 6
Lost in Conference Championship: 2
Lost in Super Bowl: 0
Won Super Bowl: 1
MLB
| Season | World Series runner-up | Next season |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | New York Mets | Missed playoffs (82-80) |
| 2001 | New York Yankees | Lost in ALDS (103-58) |
| 2002 | San Francisco Giants | Lost in NLDS (100-61) |
| 2003 | New York Yankees | Lost in ALCS (101-61) |
| 2004 | St. Louis Cardinals | Lost in NLCS (100-62) |
| 2005 | Houston Astros | Missed playoffs (82-80) |
| 2006 | Detroit Tigers | Missed playoffs (88-74) |
| 2007 | Colorado Rockies | Missed playoffs (74-88) |
| 2008 | Tampa Bay Rays | Missed playoffs (84-78) |
| 2009 | Philadelphia Phillies | Lost in NLCS (97-65) |
| 2010 | Texas Rangers | Lost in World Series (96-66) |
| 2011 | Texas Rangers | Lost in Wild Card (93-69) |
| 2012 | Detroit Tigers | Lost in ALCS (93-69) |
| 2013 | St. Louis Cardinals | Lost in NLCS (90-72) |
| 2014 | Kansas City Royals | Won World Series (95-67) |
| 2015 | New York Mets | Lost in Wild Card (87-75) |
| 2016 | Cleveland Indians | Lost in ALDS (102-60) |
| 2017 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Lost in World Series (92-71) |
| 2018 | Los Angeles Dodgers | Lost in NLDS (106-56) |
| 2019 | Houston Astros | Lost in ALCS (29-31) |
| 2020 | Tampa Bay Rays | TBD |
Missed playoffs: 5
Lost in Wild Card: 2
Lost in Division series: 4
Lost in Championship series: 6
Lost in World Series: 2
Won World Series: 1
NBA
| Season | NBA Finals runner-up | Next season |
|---|---|---|
| 1999-2000 | Indiana Pacers | Lost in 1st round (41-41) |
| 2000-2001 | Philadelphia 76ers | Lost in 1st round (43-39) |
| 2001-2002 | New Jersey Nets | Lost in NBA Finals (49-33) |
| 2002-2003 | New Jersey Nets | Lost in Conference Semifinals (47-35) |
| 2003-2004 | Los Angeles Lakers | Missed playoffs (34-48) |
| 2004-2005 | Detroit Pistons | Lost in Conference Finals (64-18) |
| 2005-2006 | Dallas Mavericks | Lost in 1st round (67-15) |
| 2006-2007 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Lost in Conference Semifinals (45-37) |
| 2007-2008 | Los Angeles Lakers | Won NBA Championship (65-17) |
| 2008-2009 | Orlando Magic | Lost in Conference Finals (59-23) |
| 2009-2010 | Boston Celtics | Lost in Conference Semifinals (56-26) |
| 2010-2011 | Miami Heat | Won NBA Championship (46-20) |
| 2011-2012 | Oklahoma City Thunder | Lost in Conference Semifinals (60-22) |
| 2012-2013 | San Antonio Spurs | Won NBA Championship (62-20) |
| 2013-2014 | Miami Heat | Missed playoffs (37-45) |
| 2014-2015 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Won NBA Championship (57-25) |
| 2015-2016 | Golden State Warriors | Won NBA Championship (67-15) |
| 2016-2017 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Lost in NBA Finals (50-32) |
| 2017-2018 | Cleveland Cavaliers | Missed playoffs (19-63) |
| 2018-2019 | Golden State Warriors | Missed playoffs (15-50) |
| 2019-2020 | Miami Heat | TBD |
Missed playoffs: 4
Lost in 1st round: 3
Lost in Conference Semifinals: 4
Lost in Conference Finals: 2
Lost in NBA Finals: 2
Won NBA Championship: 5
NHL
| Season | Stanley Cup Runner-up | Next season |
|---|---|---|
| 1999-2000 | Dallas Stars | Lost in Western Conference Semifinals (48-24-8-2) |
| 2000-2001 | New Jersey Devils | Lost in Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (41-28-9-4) |
| 2001-2002 | Carolina Hurricanes | Missed playoffs (22-43-11-6) |
| 2002-2003 | Anaheim Ducks | Missed playoffs (29-35-10-8) |
| 2003-2004 | Calgary Flames | No season |
| 2004-2005 | No season | --- |
| 2005-2006 | Edmonton Oilers | Missed playoffs (32-43-7) |
| 2006-2007 | Ottawa Senators | Lost in Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (43-31-8) |
| 2007-2008 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Won Stanley Cup (45-28-9) |
| 2008-2009 | Detroit Red Wings | Lost in Western Conference Semifinals (44-24-14) |
| 2009-2010 | Philadelphia Flyers | Lost in Eastern Conference Semifinals (47-23-12) |
| 2010-2011 | Vancouver Canucks | Lost in Western Conference Quarterfinals (51-22-9) |
| 2011-2012 | New Jersey Devils | Missed playoffs (19-19-10) |
| 2012-2013 | Boston Bruins | Lost in Eastern Conference Semifinals (54-19-9) |
| 2013-2014 | New York Rangers | Lost in Eastern Conference Final (53-22-7) |
| 2014-2015 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Lost in Eastern Conference Final (46-31-5) |
| 2015-2016 | San Jose Sharks | Lost in Western Conference Quarterfinals (46-29-7) |
| 2016-2017 | Nashville Predators | Lost in Western Conference Semifinals (53-18-11) |
| 2017-2018 | Vegas Golden Knights | Lost in Western Conference Quarterfinals (43-32-7) |
| 2018-2019 | Boston Bruins | Lost in Eastern Conference Semifinals (44-14-12) |
| 2019-2020 | Dallas Stars | TBD |
The NHL adopted shootouts starting with the 2005-2006 season, thus eliminating ties from regular-season records.
Missed playoffs: 4
Lost in Conference Quarterfinals: 5
Lost in Conference Semifinals: 6
Lost in Conference Final: 2
Lost in Stanley Cup Final: 0
Won Stanley Cup: 1
+++
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