Following the Florida Panthers` victory in Game 7 of last year`s Final, players celebrated by skating with the Stanley Cup. For some, like Carter Verhaeghe, it was a familiar feeling. But for the majority of the team, it was their first time lifting the coveted trophy.
Among them was Kyle Okposo. “I almost retired, and they`re a big reason why I didn`t,” he remarked about his teammates. “I wanted to have one more shot at it, and I just wanted to put myself in the best position to achieve this.”
After 17 seasons, 1,051 regular-season games, and 41 playoff appearances, the 37-year-old finally realized his NHL dream.
As the Panthers pursued the championship, Okposo became the quintessential “Old Guy Without a Cup” during the playoffs, a figure fans often rally behind. However, merely having a long career history doesn`t automatically equate to Stanley Cup worthiness. Other factors play a role, such as past playoff performance and how close players have come to raising the Cup.
Considering all these elements, we present our Cup Worthiness Ratings (CWR), which aim to identify the veteran and prime-aged players most deserving of winning the Stanley Cup.
We started by listing active skaters on playoff teams with the highest number of regular-season games played without a Cup win, setting the threshold at 850 games. Initially, there were 21 such players. We assigned points based on a reverse ranking; for example, Ryan Suter, with the most games played (1,526) without a Cup, received 21 points.
We followed a similar process for career playoff games and playoff points. The number of years spent in the league was also added to the score, serving as a tiebreaker.
As Alfred, Lord Tennyson famously wrote, “`Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” Yet, that love can also bring bitterness. Consequently, our CWR factors in how close a player has come to tasting victory.
Players reaching the conference final received five points for each appearance. Advancing to the Stanley Cup Final earned an additional 10 points. Players traded by a team that subsequently won the Stanley Cup (within the next two seasons) were awarded five points. (Note: Claude Giroux leaving the Panthers as a free agent before their win was not counted).
Prestige was also considered in our rankings. Star players often face greater pressure to cap their “legacy” with a championship compared to role players. This was a narrative for players like Alex Ovechkin and Nathan MacKinnon before their wins, and it now weighs on players like Connor McDavid. Therefore, five points were added if a player had won an NHL award, signifying their stardom.
Ten points were also awarded to any player who won the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP despite their team losing the Stanley Cup Final. Imagine the heartbreak of such an achievement.
Based on their CWR, here are the top 10 most deserving veteran players (minimum 850 games) still competing in the 2025 postseason:
10. Matt Duchene, Dallas Stars
Age: 34
Cup Worthiness Rating: 53
Despite being a point-per-game player at times, Duchene has moved around during his career, playing playoff hockey with the Colorado Avalanche, Columbus Blue Jackets, Nashville Predators, and the Dallas Stars. (His tenure in Ottawa saw less playoff action). The 16-year veteran would rank higher if not for fewer postseason games played (56) and only one trip to the conference finals, which was last year with Dallas.
9. John Tavares, Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 34
Cup Worthiness Rating: 57
History will likely scrutinize Tavares` decision to leave the New York Islanders for his beloved hometown team in Toronto in 2018 and its impact on his pursuit of the Stanley Cup. The Islanders reached the second-to-last round twice after his departure, while he hasn`t advanced past the second round with the Leafs. Nonetheless, he ranks fifth in games played among players in this category over his 16-year NHL career.
8. Adam Henrique, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Rating: 70
Few players on this list have a playoff moment as significant as Henrique`s overtime goal in the 2012 Eastern Conference finals, which propelled the New Jersey Devils past the rival Rangers into the Stanley Cup Final. The Devils, however, did not win the Cup that year. Henrique got a second opportunity with the Oilers in 2024 but lost in Game 7 despite the team overcoming a 0-3 deficit. With 993 regular-season games played, Henrique has endured a long wait to have his name etched on the Cup.
7. Charlie Coyle, Colorado Avalanche
Age: 33
Cup Worthiness Rating: 72
While he might appear youthful in some photos, Coyle has accumulated 950 regular-season games. He reached the conference finals and the Stanley Cup Final with the Boston Bruins in 2019, losing the latter series to the St. Louis Blues in a tough seven games. With 75 playoff games for the Bruins, he ranks fourth in this category among the featured players.
6. Evander Kane, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 33
Cup Worthiness Rating: 72
Kane has certainly put in the years (15 seasons, 930 regular-season games) and has been close to the chalice multiple times: three conference final appearances with the San Jose Sharks and Oilers, and a trip to the Stanley Cup Final last season with Edmonton.
5. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 32
Cup Worthiness Rating: 75
Nugent-Hopkins feels like he was just drafted, yet he`s a 14-year veteran who should reach 1,000 games next season (currently 959). The lifelong Oiler endured the franchise`s struggles before Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl helped elevate them into championship contention. This versatile forward is precisely the type of player deserving of a Cup win: beloved by fans and perhaps slightly undervalued by others.
4. Max Pacioretty, Toronto Maple Leafs
Age: 36
Cup Worthiness Rating: 78
Due to various injuries, Pacioretty has played only 939 regular-season games over 17 NHL seasons. However, his rating is boosted by three trips to the penultimate playoff round with Montreal (2014) and Vegas (2020, 2021). Crucially, he earned the rare bonus points for being traded before his team won a championship, as the Golden Knights sent him to Carolina in July 2022, and Vegas lifted the Cup the following June.
3. Ryan Suter, St. Louis Blues
Age: 40
Cup Worthiness Rating: 83
The active leader in games played (1,526, 19th all-time), Suter isn`t actually in the top 15 for active players in playoff games. His teams—Nashville, Minnesota, and Dallas—were eliminated in the first round in nine of his 15 playoff seasons. That said, he has played more postseason games (135) than anyone else on this list and made two conference final appearances with the Dallas Stars in the last two seasons.
2. Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars
Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Rating: 102
The captain of the Stars brings a determined physicality to the postseason, consistently laying his body on the line during his team`s deep playoff runs. Benn has played 1,192 regular-season games and an additional 107 in the playoffs. He has reached the conference finals three times, including one trip to the Stanley Cup Final. Respected by his teammates and often disliked by opposing fans, he would be the first to hoist the Cup if the Stars win under his captaincy, a truly deserving moment.
1. Brent Burns, Carolina Hurricanes
Age: 40
Cup Worthiness Rating: 110
There`s truly no one else like Brent Burns in the NHL. He has played 21 seasons, successfully transitioning from forward to defense, where he has excelled. He leads active defensemen in regular-season points (910 in 1,497 games) and ranks fourth in playoff points (77). He has been to the conference finals three times and the Stanley Cup Final once. Known for his year-round playoff beard and carrying a large bag of mysterious items, winning the Stanley Cup would fulfill a major hockey dream for him. Perhaps more uniquely, it would mean introducing the Cup to the diverse collection of animals at his 420-acre Texas ranch.
We`ve examined veteran skaters. Now, what about players in their prime (under 850 career regular-season games) who are still chasing their first Cup win?
Here are the top five players active in the playoffs who fit this category, ranked by their CWR:
5. Tomas Hertl, Vegas Golden Knights
Age: 31
Cup Worthiness Rating: 51
The Vegas forward`s 791 games are the most among players in this ranking, accumulated primarily during 11 seasons with the San Jose Sharks. He reached the conference finals twice and the Stanley Cup Final in 2016 with the Sharks, a franchise still seeking its first Cup. A factor slightly lowering his Cup Worthiness Rating is his playoff scoring pace (48 points in 74 games, or 0.64 points per game), which is lower than his regular-season average (0.69).
4. Miro Heiskanen, Dallas Stars
Age: 25
Cup Worthiness Rating: 53
The Stars` defenseman has benefited from Dallas`s deep playoff runs, reaching the conference finals three times and the Stanley Cup Final in 2020. His high ranking is less about his time in the league—475 games over seven seasons—and more about how close he`s come to a title relatively early in his career.
3. Nate Schmidt, Florida Panthers
Age: 34
Cup Worthiness Rating: 58
Schmidt is an under-the-radar player regarding Cup droughts, but his career has seen its share of disappointment. He has played 741 regular-season games for the Capitals, Golden Knights, Jets, and now the Panthers. He reached the conference finals twice and the Stanley Cup Final once in 81 career playoff games. Schmidt earned significant bonus points for being left exposed by the Capitals in the 2017 expansion draft and selected by Vegas, only for Washington to win the Cup the following season by defeating Vegas. Ouch! He was also traded by Vegas before their Cup win, but that fell outside the bonus criteria range.
2. Leon Draisaitl, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 29
Cup Worthiness Rating: 66
When the Oilers struggle in the playoffs, it`s rarely due to Draisaitl. The 11-year NHL veteran ranks second in postseason goals (44) since 2017, his first playoff year, behind only Nathan MacKinnon (51). Few players can maintain a point-per-game pace or better in every playoff season, but Draisaitl has. He`s also known for playing through injuries in the playoffs and still performing at a high level. His rating is boosted by reaching the Stanley Cup Final last season and his Hart Trophy win. He`s undoubtedly worthy, but one player he knows is slightly more so.
1. Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Age: 28
Cup Worthiness Rating: 74
Heavy is the head that wears the crown. McDavid is widely considered the best hockey player in the world, with multiple scoring titles and MVP awards. Yet, a Stanley Cup eludes him. This places McDavid in a situation previously faced by players like Alex Ovechkin and MacKinnon: a legendary talent whose lack of team championship threatens to cast a shadow on his likely Hall of Fame career. McDavid reached the conference finals in 2022 and made the leap to the Stanley Cup Final last season, leading his team in a dramatic comeback from a 3-0 series deficit that fell just short of winning the championship. He has more postseason points (127 in 79 games) than any player in this ranking. A special category was even created to acknowledge his unique playoff frustration, awarding five points to the only active player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP in a losing Final effort. He will lift the Cup one day; the best players always do. And he is the best of the best.
We`ve covered veteran and prime-aged skaters. There are many skaters, but another crucial position on the ice features players deserving of a Cup: goaltenders.
Here is a brief list of the highest-rated active goaltenders in the CWR. For goalies, the calculation considers regular-season games, seasons played, playoff appearances, postseason wins, conference final and Stanley Cup Final appearances, NHL awards, and whether they were traded just before a team`s Cup win.
3. Frederik Andersen, Carolina Hurricanes
Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Rating: 21
Andersen makes one wonder if extra points should be given for enduring multiple playoff runs with the Leafs. Four of his ten playoff seasons were in Toronto, all ending in the first round, often leading to him receiving criticism from fans. While some other goalies have more hardware and deeper playoff runs, few players are as deserving of a Cup as Andersen, both due to his longevity and playing through various injuries.
2. Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Age: 35
Cup Worthiness Rating: 25
Admittedly, it`s challenging to label a goaltender “Cup-worthy” when they`ve faced scrutiny in three consecutive postseasons. However, Hellebuyck has 21 wins in 50 playoff games and ranks fifth among active goalies in games played (568). To put it another way: given Hellebuyck`s playoff challenges, if the Jets were to win the Cup, he would likely have truly earned it.
1. Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
Age: 26
Cup Worthiness Rating: 31
Oettinger is certainly younger and less experienced than the other goaltenders listed. However, the comprehensive evaluation and clear methodology of the Cup Worthiness Rating place him first due to his playoff heartbreak. His NHL debut was in the 2020 playoffs, appearing in Dallas`s conference final win over Vegas and their subsequent Stanley Cup Final loss to Tampa Bay. He has since appeared in two additional conference finals. What Oettinger lacks in total experience, he compensates for by having been agonizingly close to the championship trophy multiple times. Like the rest of the Dallas Stars, he is undeniably Cup-worthy.
Rupert Hartwell 
Benedict Kingsley