Penton: President’s Trophy not worth the risk for Jets
By Bruce Penton
Canadian hockey fans, particularly those on the Prairies, can only hope the Winnipeg Jets fade slightly down the stretch of the long, 82-game grind that is the National Hockey League’s regular season.
Why? Because the President’s Trophy Curse awaits.
Not since 2012-13 — a dozen years ago — has the team finishing first overall in the NHL regular-season standings gone on to win the Stanley Cup, the shiny bauble that Jets’ fans are hoping captain Adam Lowry carries around the ice in celebration on some warm night in June.
So, say Jets’ fans, take it away, Washington. It’s all yours. Please.
The Jets and Capitals have been the 1-2 teams for most of the NHL season and while most of the attention with Washington has centred around Alex Ovechkin’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal-scoring record, the fact that coach Spencer Carbery’s overachieving Capitals have dominated the Eastern Conference has been somewhat overlooked.
Winnipeg hasn’t been so lucky in flying under the radar. The Scott Arniel-coached Jets got off to an historically quick start (14-1 in November) and have slowed only slightly. In mid-March, the Jets were the best team in the Western Conference in almost every statistical category: Wins (46 in 67 games), points (96, 10 better than runner-up Dallas), goal differential in the entire NHL (plus 80, 11 better than runner-up Washington). As well, goalie Connor Hellebuyck was the league’s dominant netminder, posting a 39-9 record in the Jets’ first 67 games, leading the league with a 1.97 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. His name has circulated prominently in Most Valuable Player conversations, but unfortunately, goaltenders rarely win.
But back to the President’s Trophy: In 2022-23, Boston Bruins set a record for most points in a season (135), but were beaten in the first round of the playoffs. Last year, the New York Rangers were No. 1 during the regular season, but lost in the conference final to Florida. Seven President’s Trophy winners since 2000 have been sidelined in Round 1. If the season ended after 67 games, the Jets would find themselves playing Vancouver Canucks in the first round and then likely either Dallas or Colorado in the second round. Both the Stars and Avalanche loaded up at the trade deadline, are definite Stanley Cup contenders, and would be tough to beat..
In 37 years, the President’s Trophy winner has gone on to win the Stanley Cup only eight times. Does the chase down the stretch for the President’s Trophy lead to exhaustion for the winner, rendering weaker their playoff hopes? Or is it just dumb (bad) luck? Is home-ice advantage through every round worth the extra effort to finish first overall? Hockey analyst Pierre McGuire says teams like Cup contenders Florida and Colorado are “pacing themselves,” realizing it’s more important to be playing their best at the right time rather than win a “fabricated trophy.”
Ask any Jet which piece of silverware they’d prefer to win and it’s no contest. Let the Caps have the President’s Trophy. The curse is real.
Matt Miller on Bluesky.app: “If you’re a former first-round pick that has failed to live up to expectations, the Cowboys want you.”
Vancouver comedy guy Torben Rolfsen, on the long-time Bruin being traded to Florida: “Brad Marchand gonna put the rat back into Boca RATon.”
Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com, on the NCAA basketball tournament: “Maybe they should consider a name change. At this point they could get sued by Trump’s DOJ for using the term ‘March Madness’.”
Greg Cote of the Miami Herald, on Aaron Rodgers’ future: “Some are still intoxicated by whatever perfume is left of Rodgers’ Hall of Fame career. They would note he was pretty good in the second half of last season for the Jets.”
A note from fark.com, after a 14-foot alligator took over a green on a golf course: “Golf does not allow taking naps on the green even if you are 14 feet long.”
Columnist Norman Chad, with another thing overheard from the four-legged competitors at the Westminster Dog Show in New York: “Little-known dog fact: The Australian terrier chases its tail counterclockwise.”
Ontario columnist Keith Schell, reminiscing about a CFL transaction in the early 2000s when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers released Tom Europe and signed Tom Canada: “Don Cherry would be proud.”
Jessica Hadwin, wife of PGA Tour player Adam Hadwin, as the two were driving away from Sawgrass Saturday morning after Adam missed the cut at the Players on Friday: “Look at these losers, having to work on the weekend.”
Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun, on why Mitch Marner may ultimately choose to leave the Leafs, according to a hockey insider: “He’s tired of being the public piñata of the team.”
Another one from Simmons, after a recent Toronto Raptors’ winning streak: “The poor Raps, trying so hard to tank and wind up in lottery pick position, can’t stop winning.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca