NHL's President's Trophy Curse Lives on With Jets Loss

Despite being the best team in the regular season, the Winnipeg Jets couldn't shed the curse of the President's Trophy.

May 17, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (37) shakes hands with Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) after the Stars defeat the Jets in the overtime period in game six of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Winnipeg Jets saw their season come to an end in a Game 6 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars. Heading into the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, things felt different for the Jets; they seemed primed to shed their label as postseason failures as President’s Trophy winners with a superstar goalie in net.

Not only did playoff demons return for superstar goalie Connor Hellebuyck, but the Jets also extended a lengthy streak in the NHL. For the 12th straight year, the winner of the President’s Trophy as the NHL’s best regular season team will not go on to win the Stanley Cup.

The last time the President’s Trophy winner went on to win the Cup was the Chicago Blackhawks during the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season.

The Winnipeg Jets have been eliminated from the playoffs, meaning another year of the "Presidents' Trophy Curse" 😵‍💫

The last Presidents' Trophy winner to also win the Stanley Cup was the 2013 Chicago Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/ewKU5kkqmA

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 18, 2025

Winning the President’s Trophy and Stanley Cup in the same season is something that has only happened eight times since it was first handed out in 1986, and just twice since 2004-05 lockout.

The only other team besides the 2012-23 Blackhawks to win President’s Trophy and Stanley Cup in the same season since the lockout is the 2007-08 Detroit Red Wings.

The Red Wings hold the record for most President’s Trophy victories with six and are the only team to pair their top regular season with a Stanley Cup run more than once. On top of their 2007-08 run, they also couldn’t be stopped during the 2001-02 season.

This current run of President’s Trophy winners struggling in the playoffs has almost turned into a curse in the NHL. Top regular season teams historically struggle in the playoffs, and the Jets were no different this year.

After a 56-22-4 record for 116 standings points, the best season in their franchise’s history, the Jets sealed the President’s Trophy. That will be the only trophy the 2024-25 Jets take home, after failing to make it out of the second round.

Prior to the creation of the President’s Trophy, it was far more common for the NHL’s regular season champions to go on and win the Stanley Cup. Ever since a physical trophy was brought in to celebrate those teams, however, complete season dominance has been harder to find.

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