The combination of a Stanley Cup Final appearance followed by a Presidents' Trophy has not been a springboard to championships

Nashville Predators players, coaches and management have consoled themselves over the last week with the notion that they will have more opportunities to make a legitimate run at the Stanley Cup.

After all, in the last 12 months this franchise played in the Stanley Cup Final, won a division title for the first time and claimed the Presidents’ Trophy as the team with NHL’s best regular-season record. The overwhelming majority of the roster is already under contract for next season and – in may cases – beyond.

“We have a lot of young guys on this team and a lot of guys just starting to hit their prime,” defenseman Ryan Ellis said. “We have a fairly large window for us to compete – not only compete but to be at the top and to have a chance to win each and every year. That’s the encouraging thing.”

Based on recent history, however, it is a mirage.

Nashville is the fourth NHL team in the last seven years to finish as the Stanley Cup runner-up one season and win the Presidents’ Trophy the next. The other three that did it, the Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers, are still trying to turn their respective runs into the sports’ ultimate prize. In fact, with the exception of the Rangers in their Presidents’ Trophy season (2014-15), none have come close.

The rundown:

Vancouver Canucks

Stanley Cup finalist in in 2010-11 (lost to Boston, 4-3)

Presidents’ Trophy winner in 2011-12 (111 points)

Since: Three playoff appearances. Never advanced beyond the first round.

Boston Bruins

Stanley Cup finalist in 2012-13 (lost to Chicago, 4-2)

Presidents’ Trophy winner in 2013-14 (117 points)

Since: Three playoff appearances in five years. Never advanced beyond the second round.

New York Rangers

Stanley Cup finalist in 2013-14 (lost to Los Angeles, 4-1)

Presidents’ Trophy winner in 2014-15 (113 points)

Since: Three playoff appearances in four years. Reached the conference finals once.

“Going into next year now, it’s just one goal again,” center Ryan Johansen said. “But it’s … we get older and I guess it’s just more motivating now that we were knocked out this year and a team [Winnipeg] beat us that we’ve got to find a way to overcome.

“As a team, I guess, you don’t want to take anything for granted and next year we’re going to have a lot to look forward to. We’re going to have an unbelievable hockey team.”

The question is, do they have a championship hockey team or are the last 12 months as good as it gets for this particular bunch?

The physical demands of playoff hockey can take a toll over time and in the past two seasons the Predators have played 35 postseason contests, which amounts to nearly half a regular season. That can have an effect over time

Other teams get better every year and rise up as challengers. Winnipeg and Vegas, currently battling in the Western Conference final, are the perfect examples. The Jets had one playoff appearance in their previous 10 seasons. The Golden Knights didn’t even exist.

History says the Predators can’t stand pat and remain on top. The players believe otherwise.

“Whenever you can have an opportunity to put banners up there I think you’re building toward something – and we are,” defenseman P.K. Subban said. “Next year, we understand the full goal. And I think going through what we did last year, and this year seeing how well our team played for a full season … come playoff team everybody’s got to be all pedal to the metal to make that run and get those [playoff] wins.”



